The home is a unique residential building displaying a contemporary architecture enhanced by its position. Nestled between natural landscape elements like the mountain that led to its shape and size and the forested land surrounding it, the modern home is a fortress-like construction offering a comfortable lifestyle despite the harsh conditions.

Located near Kelowna, BC, Canada, the residence that received its name from the neighboring city displays a massive brick wall supporting the interior spaces. Overlooking Okanagan Lake, the modern and imposing residence gathers views from many vantage points, both interior and exterior. Wood columns on the upper terrace support large overhangs and add an interesting character to the upper floor pavilion containing the social and entertaining areas, as well as the master bedroom. An infinity pool completes the luxurious features of this home.

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Of course if you enjoyed the Kelowna House, you can share this article with your friends on facebook or twitter, and we’ll appreciate it.

We don’t know the architect of this house, but what we do know about it, is that is one of the most stylish houses we’ve seen in a while.

The house is located in Brighton, one of the suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. This two story modern and contemporary home, features four bedrooms, three baths, and a cool private sun-filled landscaped courtyard. There is a lot we could say about this house, like the special care that was give to the wooden finishing, the clean, elegant front access, the astonishing interpretation of a modern Japanese garden and so much more.

But I’ll let the images tell this house stories, as architecture is better seen than explained .

By the way, the house is for sale, so if you can afford something like this, look into it. The home features “the latest in European design & flair” , according to the broker. Do you agree?

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Here’s a brief description from the architects if the curiosity kills you:

Magnificent views towards the city from atop Siglap Hill inspired the design. Master and family room are placed on the third level having the best views.

Living and Dining on the second level, connected with external verandahs / terraces that flow upwards and fold into the roof form with deep overhangs for sufficient shade and channeling the breeze through the whole house.

Two resort style ‘Cabana’ bedrooms are located on the ground level by the pool with a large open/covered terrace for poolside parties. A sculptural metal ‘drum’ anchors the ‘ship’ to the ground and houses the toilet/shower and barbeque pantry.

Roof gardens and timber decks provide added insulation from the sun.

Learn more at the Aamer Architects site – here.
Photography by Patrick Bingham – Hall

Lopez Island Residence by David Vandervort Architects

This 1800 sf home is located on a heavily wooded, medium-bank waterfront property on Lopez Island, Washington.  The house is carefully sited amidst the existing trees and the existing land form which slopes up to the bank and view.  Connections to the outdoors and other features of the property informed the arrangement of space and form.  The angle of the living wing corresponds to the bank and creates an embraced outdoor deck area.  The house reaches out to the southeast path to the beach, to the gardens further to the east and most importantly to the west and northwest views of the water.

The structure comprises the main house with an isolated upper level master and the studio which houses his and hers art spaces.  The studio is connected to the house via an arcade which also serves as the main approach to the house.  There are Asian influences to the house, particularly in the entry process – including a Tibetan prayer wheel in a special niche.  The house forms are simple, derived from the site relationships and the desire to maximize daylight.  The materials are honest and enlivening – hard vs. soft, warm vs. cool.  It is a home designed for modern island living.

From the architects:

“An out-scaled structure, like the agricultural buildings that surround it, the house is both traditional in its morphology and innovative in its use of materials. Shingled with raw fibre-cement panels on the walls and roof, it is a house beyond the domestic scale, simple and rot-proof, capable of standing the test of time.

The house is striated with bands of horizontal windows, giant louvers that cut the sun at its most powerful, with new points of view at each level. It is protected by its wimple from the hot summer sun and inundated with light in the winter, needing neither air-conditioning nor heating on sunny days.

The interior is in wood, painted or natural, in planks or panels, composed almost exclusively of made-to-measure furniture pieces:

from the refectory table for meals to the day table with hideaway television set; from the large wraparound couch in the living room to the stainless-steel kitchen island;

from the balustrade bookshelf along the stairway to the wall night-lights made of aluminum panels with cut-outs of fireflies, fish, and frogs;

from wall-to-wall beds where people sleep foot-to-foot to overhanging bunk beds floating in the landscape. It is a playground for architects, children, and adults, a vacation colony lost in the countryside.”

via moco

Atlantic Beach is an established beach community on Long Island, immediately outside of New York City.  It is filled with modest houses from the 1920’s and 30’s in Tudor, Spanish and Art Deco styles.  As real estate prices rose in the last decade, the village saw a lot of “tear-down” activity, as older houses were replaced by much larger homes.

The Kowalewski residence is an attempt to insert a distinctly modern house into the village context in a manner that is respectful of the scale and architectural traditions of the community.  The house does not maximize either the bulk or lot coverage allowed by zoning.

It is oriented with the narrow face – only slightly wider than the former house on the lot – toward the street, with the traditional side driveway and rear garage.  Siting the compact footprint at the north edge of the 85-foot-square lot preserves a wide side garden with mature trees.  In form and materials the house recalls the village’s Art Deco heritage.

The 3600 SF house was designed as the primary residence for a family with two small children.  For privacy, the street façade is nearly blank, while the principal rooms all open onto the garden to the south.

The ground floor has an open plan for casual living and maximum connection to the outdoors.

The second floor a hallway with continuous skylight leads to four bedrooms and three baths.  A sun room / guest suite on the third floor opens onto a large roof terrace with panoramic views of the island and the ocean.  The clients are collectors of contemporary art and the work of some of their artist friends – like the marble floor in the entry foyer – is incorporated into the architectural design.

The structure is steel, with light-gauge metal framed floors and walls and energy-efficient EIS envelope.  Principal exterior materials are stucco, black slate, stainless steel and glass.

The steel and wood stair floats in a tower glazed in shingled panels of frosted glass, like an over-scaled jalousie window.
Visit the Belmont Freeman Architects website – here.

Photographs by Christopher Wesnofske

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The 2200 sq ft house was created by Rick Berry, from Scott Edwards Architecture, is in the heart of the coastal community of Manzanita, Oregon. The composition illustrates the northwest vernacular, including large overhangs and expanses of glass walls, natural indigenous materials for example concrete, and cedar, and multiple opportunities to enjoy the open floor plan both inside and out.

Visit the Scott Edwards Architecture official website HERE.

Courtesy of L.E.FT

The Baabdat Residence is surely an inversion design of the traditional agricultural terracing. This results in stunning 180 degree views out to the mountains beyond, and a camouflaged home from above.

Architects: L.E.FT
Location: Baabdat, Lebanon
Team: Daniel Colvard, Makram el Kadi, Ziad Jamaleddine, Mahdi Sabbagh, Karie Titus, Karine Yassine
Client: P.Baadarani
Project Area: 500 sqm
Renderings: Courtesy of L.E.FT

This program for the home is composed of garage, library, kitchen, dining and living area, and a number of bedrooms.

The cover sweep transforms the house from one floor to 2 floors. Made terracotta fins interlaced with greenery suggest the combining of architecture and landscape. A roundabout fall off is incorporated within its round form.

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So in this context we bring you some of the best designs we found on the net, and that we believe can serve of inspiration for architects, and for future house owners as well.

1. The Palms Residence

House design by Marmol Radziner hosts 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2800 interior s.f.750 deck s.f. and is located on a narrow, urban lot in Venice, CA. The home looks inward, incorporating covered decks and a small courtyard space, giving the structure a sense of privacy despite its location on an infill lot. This house is made out of prefab pieces, with a custom design to suit the client’s tastes. Nonetheless this can, and will be the future of house building, and house design, since the need of speed in everything we do grows evermore.

2. Private Retreat by Studio Paralelo

Paralelo Studio has designed a small modern house called Juquitiba Private Retreat, this house away from the busiest city in South America , Sao Paulo, Brazil. This  modern small house situated in rural areas surrounded by green scenery, natural and unique.

Net area : 60M2
Sub structure : precast concrete spears
structure : Metallic | light steel frame
slab: OSB LP sheeting | flooring

3. 45 Faber Park by Ong-Ong Architects

Ong-Ong Architects designed the small modern house named “45 Faber Park” is two-storey house in Singapore. The clients was to maximise outdoor space whilst not compromising living areas. It was therefore essential that there would be sufficient space for the children to play outdoors as well as indoors.

Site Area: 840 sqm
House Area: 592 sqm
Photographs: Derek Swalwell, Tim Nolan – via

4. House Design by Aleks Istanbullu Architects

Designed by , Aleks Istanbullu Architects this little modern guest house has made quite the big impression in Beverly Hills. This small guest house – an 855-sq.-ft. addition to the existing home overlooking Coldwater Canyon – makes a wonderful, “nature-inspired sculptural retreat” for visiting guests, as described by the architect, or as a haven for residents looking for a little “me” time away. Visit the official website here: Aleks Istanbullu Architects

5. Mako Residence by Bates Masi

A little luxury retreat in Amagansett, NY, boasting relaxed simplicity for casual, comfortable living. At 1,800 sq. ft., this small house looks surprisingly big. The unusual renovation idea called for a small house addition plus an overall exterior redesign to create a more functional and fashionable cottage home. Bates Masi Architects via Arch Daily

Leave your interesting thoughts and ideas in the comment section bellow.