Architecture & Web Art

Archive for the ‘Houses’ Category

You like courtyards, huh? Bet you do, they’re intimate, and have lots of light and atmosphere.

The design we’re talking about has the access to the house through a series of excavated exterior terraces and stairways, across water features and bridges, then down another stairway, finally arriving at a small exterior glass-enclosed courtyard in the center of the residence.

This entry sequence informed the shape of the wood volume as well as the placement and configuration of the concrete retaining walls. Horizontal wood siding assembled with members of alternating depth enhance the notions of texture, shadow and perspective; contrast with the smooth concrete site walls; and ultimately heighten the journey from driveway to center of house.

This might seem weird at first, but you’ll get used to it, I know you’re strong. A floating office is not something you see every day actually, so this prefabricated concept might suit your needs.

floating prefab house

The H2Office was originally conceived as a floating office unit. Although its design is quite versatile so it could be remodeled and used in many other ways. It could become a living place, a meeting/working area, a play room, a dining area and so on.

As the office the unit provides enough space for one or two people to work in comfort. It also features plenty of storage space, an external sun desk to relax after a meal on a kitchenette, and a pull-out bed for ocassional overnight stays. Extras includes a microwave oven, fridge, wind turbine, solar panels, flat-panel tv, air conditioning and so on. The price starts from £59,950 ($135,000).

A terrain like this calls for a innovative solution like the one you’re seeing. The results are outstanding. The Edge House by Jarmund / Vigsnæs AS Architects is located in Kolbotn, a suburb south of  Oslo out in the cold Norway. Its unusual architecture caught our eye as it is not very common for a house to have such un-smooth edges and seem as it it is about to fall off a small cliff. The residence belongs to a young couple that wanted a cool design with a limited budget, a place that  “looked like you could shoot a James Bond movie in it”. We think the architects caught the essence of their wish. It is up to you to judge and tell us what you think.

The Edge House

Charred Cedar House © Noriyuki Yano

Architects: Tetsuya Nakazono / naf architect & design
Location: Hiroshima, Japan
Engineer: Kenji Nawa / NAWAKENJI-M
Site area: 172.55 sqm
Building area: 61.38 sqm
Total floor area: 114.50 sqm
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Noriyuki Yano / Nacasa & Partners

Charred Cedar House Front © Noriyuki Yano / Nacasa & Partners

CONCEPT

The construction site is located in a district where many traditional sake breweries preserve good old Japanese street with plaster and charred cedar walls. In winter, during sake brewing season, a cloud of steam comes out from red brick chimneys of the breweries and the scent of sake wafts in the air. “Charred Cedar House” stands in such neighborhood.

Charred Cedar House inside © Noriyuki Yano / Nacasa & Partners

STRUCTURE

haus jones - reinhardt jung

The Frankfurt/Main based architectural practice reinhardt jung [architekten und ingenieure] realised this extension of an existing single family house with the aim to create a “four generation residence”.

view reinhardt_jung [architekten und ingenieure] profile @ Architonic