Kennedy Residence Boulder by Semple Brown

Natural materials such as stone and wood make the Kennedy Residence Boulder in Colorado a warm and welcoming crib. Designed by Semple Brown, the project consists of three major living zones, built around the mature trees on the site and connected to each other by public spaces and courtyards. According to the architects,”the first wing welcomes guests into the main hallway and acts as a connecting axis into Wings 2 and 3. The flowing and unobtrusive layout of this wing, allows the kitchen to function as the heart of the house. The second wing emerges from the family room off of the kitchen and bends back to create the children’s rooms and a secluded master suite at the end of a long stone hall. The entry court is framed by a stone wall that bends around the garage, play room, barn, and guest suite creating the third wing“.

For more info, visit: -

http://freshome.com/2012/02/20/welcoming-family-home-in-colorado-kennedy-residence/

Beauty in Formentera, Spain

For more info, visit: 

http://style-files.com/2012/04/03/more-eye-candy-from-formentera/

67 Tempinis by SEKSAN Design

Location: Bangsar, KL

SEKSAN Design: http://www.seksan.com/index.html

Bran to Modern House 

SHED architects changed a barn into an amazing modern house. The shape of the barn remained but it was refined. Inside we can also see some details that remind of a barn like rough wood on the walls or natural wooden floor. Every room in the house is developed around a minimal palette of materials and color, with extensive re-use of existing barn materials. Some of these materials included the re-use of the original barn siding for interior paneling, re-milling of salvaged floor joists for stair material, trim and countertops. These pieces are durable. The interior thanks to these solutions is very warm and cozy.

Special thanks & Read more: http://www.digsdigs.com/amazing-barn-transformation-into-a-cozy-modern-house/#ixzz1qU20ptmZ

Farnsworth House

  1946 - 1951

THE STORY

It—two parallel planes held in suspension between the earth and sky by only eight steel columns—seems simple, but Mies worked through 167 drawings to come to his final, fearless design. Like Einstein’s equation, its simplicity exudes an elegance through a thorough attention to detail. However, Mies did not create the Farnsworth House to be an iconic glass box viewed from afar. Rather, he hoped to create a space through which life unfolds both independently and interdependently with nature.

Edith Farnsworth, a brilliant doctor, first met Mies at a cocktail party in Chicago. Familiar with his work, she asked if he would design a small weekend retreat for her on the banks of the Fox River. Upon visiting the 64-acre site, largely within a flood plain, Mies perceived the true power already present within the natural landscape. Thus began his quest for a transparent structure that would minimize the boundary between man and the natural world. With an open floor plan of only 2400 square feet, he created three distinct spatial interfaces: a transparent house, a covered terrace, and an open deck. His budget was $40,000.

Edith Farnsworth nurtured a sophisticated intellect and daring stance. Though charmed by Mies’ quiet, bold genius, she was certainly aware of his minimal form and bravely gave him freedom to create—a visionary and rare move which allowed Mies’ own vision to grow. For some time, she and Mies enjoyed a deep friendship fused by common interest and parallel intellect, often spending days and evenings together both on and off site. But as time wore on and expenses skyrocketed, Edith’s patience and enthusiasm waned. She sold the house in 1975 to a British Lord after living there periodically for several decades. In 2003, the Landmarks Preservation of Illinois and the National Trust purchased the house for $6.7 million. Edith, who died in 1978, never lived to know her house as one of the most widely acclaimed 20th-century structures.

Happy birthday Mies van der Rohe

Special thanks to: -

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mies-van-der-Rohe/56200560378

http://www.miessociety.org/legacy/projects/farnsworth-house/#2

Sustainable Treetop Home

Eco-friendly design most high style Scott and Tracy Lee’s house in Mill Valley, California was built on a small hillside lot which made for a challenging vertical floor plan. To compensate for lack of yard space, the home has as many outdoor rooms as it does indoor. On top of being breathtakingly beautiful, the 2,100-square-foot house, which Scott designed, was recently named the first LEED for Homes Platinum home in Marin County.

Take the treetop home video tourcourtesy of Eldorado Stone. Designer and architect Scott Lee shares how high design meets LEED-certified sustainability.

The great room

The top floor is essentially one large space that includes a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, and an outdoor (but roofed-in) family room—complete with barbecue and wine fridge

Dining area

“It helps that the kitchen is elevated by one step, so if you’re the unlucky one doing the after-dinner dishes, you’re still part of the action,” says Scott. “And there’s a lot of privacy up there among the treetops.”

Sustainable resources:Reclaimed Douglas fir roof and beams, radiant-heat flooring, cabinets made from FSC-certified walnut, a dining table made from a salvaged tree, double-paned low-e glass windows and doors, antique pendant lights.

Timeless decor

An eco-friendly design concept should withstand the trends of time, points out the project’s interior designer, Erin Martin, so that rooms don’t have to be redone as styles change and children grow.

In the girl’s room, the palette is neutral, though punches of color appear in transient accessories like the rug and a stuffed animal. Throughout the house, Erin used antiques and reclaimed materials wherever possible.

Sustainable resources:Organic cotton bedding, zero-VOC wall paint, wool rug.

The great outdoors

Almost every room has a balcony or deck, accentuating the treehouse feel and essentially doubling the living space. The master suite includes an open-air bathtub, accessible from the bedroom terrace and the bathroom shower.

Faking a lawn

Off the second floor is a “lawn” where Tracy does yoga and the girls can play.

Sustainable resources:Western red cedar siding, 50 photovoltaic panels, 2 thermal solar panels, soy-based synthetic lawn.

Floor plan: Lower levels

The floor plans for the garage and first floor

Team Hillside House: Scott Lee, architect, McDonald Construction & Development, Erin Martin Design. For a full list of contributors and resources, visit thehillsidehouse.com 

Floor plan: Upper levels

The floor plans for the second and third floors

What is LEED-H anyway? 

Launched in 2008, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Homes is a rating system for green building administered by the U.S. Green Building Council. From the use of low-flow faucets to the diversion of construction waste, each project is rated in eight categories, earning points toward a LEED-H level of Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.

This house got points in the “awareness and education” category, for instance, because Scott created a website pointing out the features of LEED homes.

Kohler Sustainable Design – Built Green – Hillside Home :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifTBxGba_Ac&feature=related 

Special thanks to :

http://www.sunset.com/home/architecture-design/leed-certified-home-00418000069808/

Queenscliff Residence

By John Wardle Architects

Project Overview

This house acts as an optical instrument, a series of devices that frame views beyond the abutting foreshore to the south toward the Heads of Port Phillip Bay. The most significant promenade through the house takes you from the street, along a gently stepped path, to the entry stair, where you are sufficiently elevated to appreciate the view as you arrive at the uppermost level. The careful choreography of this sequence is amplified by materiality and adjacencies: fine timber detailing, woven wicker and calacatta marble in the kitchen. The experience on entry is private and cocooned from the exterior. Once above, the views expand and are focussed on the horizon of the ocean to the south.

Project Brief

Initially conceived as a weekend residence, the Clients decided during the process of construction to make this their permanent residence. The house was to be set over a number of levels. The main public level, raised to capture views of the Bay was to contain the main living spaces, the main bedroom suite and a study. The Clients wished to do the majority of their living on this platform with a view. A lower level would include spare bedrooms for the Clients’ two daughters with associated living areas and an entertaining spa deck. The house had to demonstrate a relaxed and open feel consistent with its coastal setting but also be finished internally to an appropriate level should the house ever become their permanent residence, as eventually transpired.

Project Innovation / Need

The house is carefully zoned to allow for privacy between parents and adult children on a narrow site. The main living and dining space is where the family, and friends, come together. In this way, the house is designed for a busy family life, allowing for both privacy and communal gathering.The direct visual connection between the interior and the sea encourages the contemplation of ships crossing the Heads en route to distant ports, a relaxing retreat from work.The project explores the qualities Spotted gum Australian hardwood through a variety of applications. The timber is detailed as cladding, decking, screens and sunshades and provides a uniform quality and colour to the exterior shell of the building. 

Design Challenge

A challenge for Victorian coastal houses is to reconcile the southern views with northern solar orientation. In this instance, a courtyard has been introduced to gain northern aspect to the living spaces and to capture the afternoon sun within an environment shielded from the strong southerlies. The principal bedroom is oriented south stealing ocean views through the glazed main living pavilion and across the courtyard.

Sustainability

When designing the residence the key decisions related to choosing materials able to withstand the harsh coastal environment. The Clients invested in materials that are highly durable, corrosion resistant and will require minimal maintenance. The insitu concrete, zinc cladding and class 1 durability Australian spotted gum selected will perform well and age gracefully over time. Every component of steel structure, exposed to the elements or concealed, was hot dip galvanized to improve longevity. The residence is focused towards the views of Bass Strait to the south. In order to achieve north light, the living spaces wrap themselves around a central courtyard that allows for sheltered outdoor spaces at both levels. East and west glazing (all external doors and windows have performance double glazing) has been minimized to reduce heat gain. A great level of natural daylighting is achieved throughout the house, eliminating the need for artificial lighting by day. Timber windows were preferred for their better thermal properties and lower embodied energy. A great level of natural ventilation has been achieved. Large openings on the south elevation can be opened to take advantage of the prevailing southerly winds. Windows have been strategically placed to maximise cross ventilation. Air conditioning is limited to the main bedroom.A water tank is fed from the roof and supplies water to garden taps, the laundry and toilets pans. Tap fittings are low flow AAA rated.Materials finishes and paints were considered for their low embodied energy and low volatile organic compounds (V.O.Cs) emissions. 

Special thanks to : http://melbournedesignawards.com.au/mda2011/entry_details.asp?ID=10120&Category_ID=4695

Garden & House, Tokyo

Design Architect: Ryue Nishizawa
Design Team: Ryue Nishizawa, Teako Nakatsubo
Structural Engineering: structured environment, Alan Burden, Hiroki Osanai 
Plant Engineering System Design: Takehito Sano, Akiko Sano
Construction supervision: Heisei Construction, Hachir o Horigome, Kim Daehwan
Built area: 66.03 m. 
Design: 2006
Construction: 2010–2011

Designed by Japanese architect Ryue Nishizawa, the House and Garden building is quite an unusual sight in the bustling city of Tokyo. Built on a small lot, only 26ft x 13ft or 8 x 4 meters, this four-story house is overshadowed by the two buildings it has been wedged between. Perhaps the most shocking aspect of the design is that there is no real facade.

Rather, Nishizawa chose to use floor to ceiling glass windows, curtains, and an array of plants to give the inhabitants their privacy. The glass windows and curtains also substitute for the lack of solid interior walls in the house. Hoping to give a feeling of “living in a hanging garden,” not only are there a number of planters but the upper floor has a thin layer of soil instead of carpet or wood.

The ground floor holds the kitchen and living room, while the first and second bedrooms are found on the second and third floors, respectively. Finally, the fourth floor has a roof top terrace and either a guest bedroom or storage unit. A spiral steel staircase runs up the whole building connecting each level. What a unique home concept!

For more info:-

http://www.domusweb.it/en/architecture/tokyo-s-vertical-thresholds-2-ryue-nishizawa

Special thanks to: 

http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/tokyos-hanging-garden-home

The Avenue House by Neil Architecture

Australian firm Neil Architecture‘s Melbourne project The Avenue consisted of designing two houses for its clients: one to keep, and one to sell. The site is located on an established suburban street, where there was a mandate to protect existing vegetation. For this reason, the houses weave around the the original landscape features and interlock with each other with the use of a wall. The exterior is clad with vertical shiplap timber (a type of inexpensive wooden board) and cement with a velvet finish.

Read more at Design Milk: http://design-milk.com/the-avenue-house-by-neil-architecture/#ixzz1pAZHGy90