This lil’ thing, called “Leaf House”, may well be the most amazing cottage in the world. The cottage is located on an escarpment overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Sydney, Australia. It belongs as part of a larger private residence. The shape of the project has been fastened from the images of leaves making this very unique indeed. The roof is constructed of copper which has been woven into a pattern much like how a plant in nature would appear. The inside construction is anchored by supports that have been shaped to mirror that of plant stems; growing wild and in all directions. The end result is a panoramic view from the cottage that also contains a unique look from inside as well. Leaf House was designed by Undercurrent Architects.

Australia Pacific Ocean View

cottage

Marvels of Architecture

roof supports

Undercurrent Architects

So what do You think? Is it the best you’ve ever seen?

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Architects: Kanner Architects
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Project Architect: Stephen H. Kanner
Project team: Jay Fukuzawa, Greg Larusso
Client: Metro Modern Developers
Structural Engineers: Nabih Youseff
Contractor: HyMax Construction
Project Area: 13,935 sqm
Project year: 2005-2008
Photographs: John Edward Linden

A 54-unit building, The Hollywood is something of a pioneering project in a part of Los Angeles that, while emerging from years of civic indifference, remains a bit rough around the fringes. The multifamily courtyard condominium development announces the arrival of modern urban living to complement the entertainment, hospitality and retail revival under way in Hollywood.

The $15 million project is the first for-sale condominium building in a part of town populated mostly by rental properties. A Modernist façade features high-end contemporary forms tempered by the warm hues of a wood-composite exterior. The top level features double-height penthouses with mezzanines. The first four levels are comprised of flats. Inside, 17-foot ceilings create spacious living environments punctuated by high-end minimalist design. Two levels of subterranean parking accommodate 135 vehicles.

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Project: Monte Elbruz Building
Author: Garduño Arquitectos
Juan Garduño, Ernesto Flores, Ricardo Guzmán, Daniel Banda
Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Use: Multifamily House
Site Area: 1,300 sq mt
Bldg Area: 6,300 sq mt
Bldg Coverage Ratio: 70%
Gross Floor Ratio: 30%
Structural Design: Diseño y Supervision S.C.
Electrical Engineer: Arturo Guerra
Design Period: 2007
Completion Period: 2008
Photography: Sófocles Hernández
Paul Czitrom

The lot was located in a difficult area, originally classified as high-density and was already fully developed, adjoining buildings 14 to 30 stories high. The regulations were later changed and, when the project was being designed, the limitation considered a maximum of six levels plus a roof garden.

Given the density requirements—24 units, 164 sq. meters, a 1,300 sq. meter surface and 30 meter long front—designing a linear façade would lead to 60 per cent of the apartments having interior view. Taking these variables into account, we opted for designing two side blocks within a 60 cm. distance of the borders, thus generating a central courtyard to play the role of green area, access and lighting center, but that would also generate facades proportioned in terms of the project’s scale.

This program succeeded in providing 66 per cent of the units with a green area. The first eight with a private garden and the last eight with a roof garden. In addition, all apartments are two-leveled.

The street access becomes a stroll past a reflecting pool and gardens, employing 90 per cent of the permeable space as green area. In addition, the project includes a rain water recycling system for irrigation and car washing.

The individual program consists of 164 sq. meters, with two bedrooms, 3 and a half bathrooms, studio, dining-living room, kitchen, and service quarters, all surrounding an interior, six meter-high hall/family room. The program is completed by a common area, with gym and swimming pool at the basement 1 level.

The inner façade was designed as a city within a city, striving to achieve the residents’ movement and interaction by means of exposed circulations and aluminum panels containing glass frames and tilting vents. In order to achieve privacy when walking past each unit, we elevated the ground levels of each apartment by 90 cm. with regard to the hallways and added a 70 cm. interior parapet, which prevents any direct visual contact from the access hallway. This was achieved by creating independent stairs that reach each apartment.

Once having achieved proportioned inner views, our next task consisted in covering the adjoining facades with metal sheets since all three border the parking area practically throughout all their height.

At the back of the building we designed a vertical opening in the elevator cube, covering it with an image of the sky that is part of a story in which a group of children invent a flying umbrella.

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