Koro House ("Passing of Time")

   

This (irregular hexagon shaped) house in Japan designed by Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates features sculptural wooden slats suspended from the ceiling.

The architects maintain this is to diffuse light into the interior from the clerestory windows that wrap around the house - due to it's close proximity to the surrounding buildings.

The beautiful form does create a circadian effect on the structure's surrounding walls - creating a space that is alive.




(via) (architects)

A reno of a villa uses an internal cast-in-place textural concrete wall

 

(via) (architects)

Stilted house in Japan by Takeru Shoji Architects

A white timber roof masks the upper storey of this Japanese house by Takeru Shoji Architects, raised on wooden stilts the pale vertical timber facade is revealed underneath.

The bedrooms are situated downstairs, and the living up.

The angled white canopy overhangs the pebbled garden with irregularly spaced pavers. Love the concrete bench seat attached to the base of the house.

A staircase with white treads planted into the wall of the white hallway wall leads to an entrance hall fronted by two large glazed doors with timber frames.

(via) (architects)

Salter Point House by Mountford Architects

   

A renovation of a 1960s home... A open gabled roof with large stone infill walls delineate informal and formal spaces. Large overhanging eaves (using a post-tensioned beam) create generous front and back porches.

(via) (architects)

The Napa Valley House by Eliot Lee and Eun Lee

   

This house in the Napa Valley of the United States sits within the topography, the landscape driving the design. The “house” is actually a compound of four buildings that sit in a row between two hills. One is a living/dining space, one is a master bedroom and bath, one is a guest house, and one is a spa with a sauna.

The separate buildings are united by a series of orthogonal intersection paths and rammed earth walls, which also extend into the landscape and incorporate other elements, such as the pool, into the property.

A small amount of stone was excavated, though none was actually removed from the property; it was either used for the walls or crushed for the paths.

Most of the original flora was preserved; larger trees were temporarily moved elsewhere on the site and then replanted. Additional plantings were added, though all the plants are native species such as tanoaks, madrones, and manzanitas.

The overall philosophy of both the construction process and the final design was to step lightly on the existing landscape.

(via)

A farmhouse on Banks Peninsula by Pattersons

 
Mark Palmer, who grew up in NZ and lived in the US for 25 years has bought Annandale Farm in Christchurch. He has renovated the original farmhouse and constructed two new, one of which is this house set in a private bay (which incidentally you can rent here). He has also planted thousands of native trees.



The farmhouse’s walls and roof are clad in cedar.

Sliding cedar panels provide shelter in bad weather.

The main living space is anchored by a fireplace and chimney made from stone from the farm’s quarry, and features furniture by Roche Bobois and a rug made from wool from the farm’s sheep (left). Each of the home’s three main bedrooms (there is also a bunkroom) features a bath with a view (right)

The living room opens onto a large north-facing deck with a view of the ocean.

(via) (architect)

South London house by Ian McChesney

   

This house is constructed from a sustainable timber frame and clad in flush glazed black opaque glass panels.

(via) (architect)