March 11, 2013
Hard to tell, right? This villa/holiday home in (or designed for?) Rhodes, Greece, straddles an old, “natural” stonewall, whose jigsaw-like stone is a marked contrast to the gleaming white “stuff” that clads the angular house. The home cantilevers up and over the wall in a gesture toward the open sea beyond. So is it real or rendering? Tell us what you think below.
March 8, 2013
Project: Genius Loci
Architect: Bates Masi + Architects
Location: Montauk, New York
With snow blanketing much of the East Coast and more on the way, we thought we’d feature some amazing projects that scream “summer.” And what’s more summer than a deluxe villa in the Hamptons? Bates Masi brings us an incredible house on Long Island called Genius Loci, a cerebral architectural term meaning “spirit of the place.” As long as we’re borrowing high-brow terminology, we might appropriate the winemaking concept of terroir, which also means the indescribable result of a place’s particular climate, geography, and culture that contribute to the final consumable product (in our case, architecture). The Montauk house is strongly tied to the Hamptons in typology, scale, and materiality. Two separate shingled volumes are connected by a screened bridge without visible supports below. A large raised terrace boasts an infinity pool and unmatched ocean views. If this is the elusive “spirit of Montauk,” we’re packing our bags!
Read more about this project in the Architizer database!
Photos: Michael Moran Studio
March 6, 2013
Project: House Ber
Architect: Nico van der Meulen Architects
Location: Midrand, South Africa
The clients of House Ber wanted a “contemporary, iconic house without unnecessary rooms,” and they received their wish—the open plan of the villa extends throughout the principal floor, with individual spaces flowing together around a pool. The house’s steel frame allows for such vast, uninterrupted spaces, and adds the desired iconic element, via the webbed exterior. A unique cantilevered stair enables cinematic accents to the upper floor, which contains four bedroom suites and a large study. The distinctly contemporary character of the interiors was developed by the architect in collaboration with M Square.
Select Products: Furniture—B&B Italia, Pedrali, Molteni; Lighting—Foscarini and Zero; Rugs—Ligne Pure
Read more about this project in the Architizer database!
The canary yellow ‘Grande Papilio’ chair and ottoman by Naoto Fukasawa for B&B Itlaia adds a punch of color to a predominantly grayscale interior.
The freely flowing living spaces include a patio dining area between the kitchen and the pool. The color scheme from the living ‘room’ is continued with eight black and yellow ‘Alfa’ chairs by Hannes Wettstein for Molteni&C around the dining table.
At the extreme end of the living area is a terrace intermediating between the open plan house and the South African landscape. Several ‘Crinoline’ outdoor chairs by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia add a casual touch to the elegant space.
Images courtesy David Ross, Barend Roberts, and Victoria Pilcher
February 22, 2013
Project: Cove 6—Pezula Knysna
Architect: SAOTA [Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects]
Location: Knysna, Western Cape, South Africa
Overlooking the open ocean, the Cove 6 Villa is a contemporary tour de force of cinematic architectural staging. The individual spaces of the residence were conceived of as viewing platforms, each offering a unique and precious vantage point for visually consuming the surrounding heathland (fynbos in the local Afrikaans). In keeping with this design imperative, the different interior spaces of the villa unfold along long view lines, never fully closed off or isolated. Even the circulation of the residence is kept open, with a spectacular cantilevered stair connecting the principal levels.
Read more about this project in the Architizer database!
Images courtesy SAOTA, if you couldn’t tell already
February 21, 2013
Project: SU House
Architect: Alexander Brenner Architekten
Location: Stuttgart, Germany
The ‘Meier-esque’ SU House is built in a suburb of Stuttgart known for its villas. Occupying a grassy knoll, the house is planned around a series of levels—the ground floor boasts an interior swimming pool, while the upper level offers an extensive roofed terrace. The open plan of the structure defines spaces loosely, and the sense of openness permeates the house. The substantial art collection of the owners is curated both within the house and outside in the gardens.
Read more about this project in the Architizer database!
Photos: Alexander Brenner Architekten
February 1, 2013
Project: Seaside Boomerang
Architect: Atelier Haretoke
Location: Chiba, Japan
Situated on an ocean cove outside of Chiba, the Seaside Boomerang house takes in phenomenal panoramic views of the Pacific. Though located close to neighboring structures, the waterfront residence acts as a screen, dividing the private spaces of the home from its suburban milieu. A double-story glazed frame connects the large exterior deck to the primary living area, replete with light and an expansive sense of space. The clean contemporary aesthetic extends throughout the house, showcasing the surrounding natural landscape as wallpaper par excellence.
Read more about this project in the Architizer database!
Images courtesy Toshiyuki Yano / Nacasa & Partners
January 31, 2013
Architect: Vitor Vihena Architects
Location: Odemira, Portugal
The biblical author who once stated, “there is nothing new under the sun” never encountered a villa like this! Flowing across an open expanse of Southern Portugal, the dazzling retreat showcases the best of contemporary residential architecture. Gleaming white walls are pierced with floor-to-ceiling windows, capturing light and views out across the countryside. The pooldeck extends through the house’s central breezeway, while the expansive pool mirrors the incredible blue skies of Odemira. Read more about this project in the Architizer database.
Photos courtesy Joao Morgado – Architecture Photography
January 30, 2013
Project: Alpha House
Architect: amsa
Location: Lamaca, Cyprus
Located in a suburban residential neighborhood, the Alpha House makes the most of its tight quarters. The residence is an elongated El, clustering the private programs of the house around a screened yard. The cantilevered second story projects out to the garden in the rear of the property and presents a reserved facade to the street. The lower level is clad in stone, grounding the house and breaking up the mass of the structure. The interior of the contemporary house is open and bright, and features a fantastic cable-stayed staircase. Read more about this project in the Architizer database.
Photos: courtesy of amsa
January 25, 2013
Project: House in Travanca
Architect: Nelson Resende Arquitecto
Location: Travanca, Portugal
This spectacular contemporary villa draws its form from its irregular sloped site—the three levels respond directly to the visual and physical access available at the differing elevations. Each story is treated as a separate volume of meticulously poured and colored concrete, resulting in a pleasing orthogonal composition of shearing layers. The lower floor is partially embanked and opens out onto the garden at the rear of the villa. The principal floor provides direct access to street level in the front, while reserving private access to the terraced upper lawn and backyard pool. The upper floor projects towards the horizon, capturing expansive views of the Atlantic Coast. Read more about this project in the Architizer database.
Think you’ve got a better project? Submit it for an Architizer A+ Award!
Images courtesy FG + SG Fotografia de Arquitectura
January 17, 2013
Project: Pilar House
Architect: Vanguarda Architects
Location: Pilar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Function: The neomodern Pilar House deploys Bauhaus design principles to create functional and glamourous living spaces that extend beyond the built elements and into the landscape. Formed by three orthogonal bars, the villa orients the leisure programs to the sun-warmed pooldeck while keeping the entryway and vehicular access sequestered on the cooler street-facing side. The commanding cantilever houses the master bedroom, framing views toward the garden and pooldeck. Read more about this project in the Architizer database.
Think you’ve got a better project? Submit it for an Architizer A+ Award!
Images courtesy of Eugenio Valentini
