Woman Converts The Bank She Once Worked At Into Her Dream Home

Apr 6, 2015

Before Cathy Calhoun eventually became a jewelry store owner, she worked as a bank teller at The National Bank of Spring City in Spring City, PA. In 1989, the old bank went up for sale and Cathy jumped at the opportunity to own it, paying a paltry $52,000 for the vacant building. She had a vision. A vision that would take 24 years of tireless renovation to become what it is today: a Pennsylvania girl’s dream home.

Scroll down to watch a video tour of the up-cycled old building, which includes a trip through the 2-story boardroom-turned-master suite complete with seating, a fireplace, jacuzzi and a big-screen TV. What she did with both the original vault and the newer one is truly unique, but we’ll let the video do the talking for that one.

A spiral staircase adds a dramatic curve to the otherwise boxed layout of the bank.

Photo Credits: YouTube

Cathy’s modern updates are extensive and eclectic, but have managed to preserve, even celebrate the bank’s historic aesthetic. All said, it’s clear that the money she put into this bank was a very wise investment, indeed.

Disgusting Old Cave Turned Into A Seriously Luxurious Home

Aug 27, 2015

23-year-old Alexis Lamoureux’s story is a familiar one. The French national from a picturesque French village on the banks of the Loire River was left scrambling after losing his bartending job at a struggling local bar. He and his girlfriend faced few options pitted against soaring housing prices that plagued many European nations.

Converted Cave

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Where Alexis’ story goes from there? Not so common. An opportunity presented itself in the form of what some would describe as a troglodyte home that was once owned by his great aunt. Call it what you will, it’s basically a decrepit old network of hallways and rooms carved into the side of a mountain. In other words, it’s a cave. Add in 25 years of neglect and a heaping pile of garbage and you’ve got yourself the situation Alexis found himself in after purchasing the home from auction for the towering sum of 1 euro.

The transformation that took place next is nothing short of astonishing as you can see.

Seattle’s 5-Foot-Wide “Spite House” Up For Sale

Apr 23, 2016

2022 24th Avenue E of Montlake in Seattle, Washington seems like any other tiny home recently inspired by the Tiny House Movement. The home is 850 square feet, barely five feet wide, is currently on the market for $519,000 – and is in the heart of local legend.

In 1925, a judge presiding over a vicious and bitter divorce ruled that the husband would keep the marital home, and his wife was awarded a sliver of land just in front of the home. To add insult to injury, the husband offered what was to her an unacceptably low offer to purchase the land. As a result, she began construction of what has now come to be known as “The Montlake Spite House” by the community. She even went as far as to paint the wall facing their formal marital home black as to further obstruct his view!

In this photo, you can see just how narrow this house really is!

A view of the living room. While it may be too small to hold a television set, it has plenty of space to seat guests comfortably!

The master bedroom. Believe it or not, this home has two bedrooms, and two full baths!

The place where you really begin to feel cramped may be the kitchen – but it’s worth it just to be able to look at your ex-now-neighbor through the kitchen window with a look of triumph!

There’s even a two-car garage!

She proved her point to her ex-husband, and since then the house has only ever steadily increased in worth: The Montlake Spite House sold in 1996 for $140,550; $235,500 in 2000; and $375,000 in 2014. How much of a factor the notoriety and legends surrounding the of home plays into that increase is up for speculation.

Sleek Forest Home Where The Forest Is Actually In The Home

Jun 19, 2015

Building a home often means flattening the plot of land set to be developed, effectively destroying what made the site interesting in the first place. However, when trying to design something truly beautiful we find that architecture can only be as good as the land it embraces.

Meet the Casa Corallo by Guatemalan based architecture firm Paz Arquitectura. Rather than uprooting the trees that natively inhabited the building site, they literally designed the home around the natural vegetation. Towering trees flank, loom, and even pierce through the home in a way that blends existing and new in elegant symbiosis.
Two trees frame the entry of the mostly concrete home. The harsh material was used to provide ironic contrast between natural and man-made. The home spill down the natural slope of the hillside as a stone path melts together with low brush. The interiors are highlighted by tree trunks that climb up through the floors. In many cases, the location of the trees dictated the spatial organization.

While the home is large and imposing, the choice to involve the trees so prominently in the design speaks to the sensitivity the architect had towards the land.

This Is What Happens When Architects Design Shelters For Cats

Oct 21, 2016

As if cats doing adorable things in weird contexts need any explanation. Feast your eyes on these creative design experiments that focus on the space occupied by everybody’s favorite felines.

Yarn? YARN! Stop. Just stop. Everyone can see you hiding there, pal. A saucer of scotch with my mahogany, please.
I should not have had so much catnip. Make house for cat. Cat sits underneath house.

Should’ve dibsed top bunk.

The structures were built and put on display as part of an awareness project called “Giving Shelter” put on by Architects for Animals. The shelters were designed by various architects in the Las Angeles area and presented at a local Herman Miller showroom in Culver City, CA.

20 Striking Images Of The Beautiful Ruins of Detroit

Sep 10, 2015

Detroit, MI. Once one of the worlds great cities. Born from the automobile industry and fueled by the WW2 war machine, Detroit rose to socio-economic prosperity at the turn of the 20th century. This period of wealth survived for decades until economic tragedy brought the city to its knees. Once an American treasure, Detroit has been largely abandoned and reduced to a tragic ruin of crumbling concrete and twisted steel.

Photographers Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre have found beauty in that tragedy. In their book The Ruins of Detroit, they explore the far reaches of the rubble, effectively telling the story of the city’s demise. The images are striking, and show us how easily and swiftly our empires can fall.

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Raw Concrete Home Wedged Between Rocks And Earth

Apr 30, 2015

A bit of imagination and a crate of dynamite was all it took for Olsen Kundig Architects to turn this giant bolder into a luxurious, modern dream home. Raw materials such as exposed concrete were used to compliment the natural feel of the rocky backdrop which flanks the home on two sides. There are even areas where the remnants of the existing stone pokes though on the interior, creating a grotto like feel that offsets the stark finishes that accompany the new space.

The home was outfitted with rustic antique furniture and artwork, which matches the rugged design.

Leftover rock from the construction was crushed into a work of art and mounted on the wall.

The bathroom includes a sink basin carved into stone, with three separate bowls where the water cascades through before draining.

Photography is by Benjamin Benschneider and Dwight Eschliman

Small House With A Yard/Doghouse Floats Down The Thames River

May 18, 2015

Airbnb just listed a home, complete with a yard that has green grass, an apple tree, and a doghouse. Doesn’t sound that interesting you say? Well, consider that it also floats down the Thames.

This 70-ton, two story home includes two bedrooms, a working bathroom, living room, and all the usual amenities you’d expect to find in a house. The home will cruise past neighborhoods like Chelsea, Westminster, and Canary Wharfy until May 22.

image © mikael buck / airbnb

9 Most Amazing Green Roofs In The World

Jun 14, 2015

Green roofs have plenty to offer. Not only are they architecturally interesting, they have a drastic effect on reducing a building’s carbon footprint. Covering any roof in a thick layer of properly drained vegetation naturally insulates the interior, but also absorbs heat that would typically be reflected back into the sky, preventing all kinds of ecological problems on a large enough scale.

Architects have taken notice, and are beginning to embrace green roofs as a focal point of their designs. Here are 9 green roofs that will knock your socks off (which is good, because no one wants to walk on grass with socks on).

1 | 8 House | Bjark Ingles Group (BIG)

BIG is known for going…well…big! This green roof is no different. The symmetrical shed roofs provide the perfect opportunity for the dual cascading green carpets that meet at an exterior courtyard at the base of the structure. (source)

2 | CR Land Guanganmen Green Tech Showroom | Vector Architects

When a green roof isn’t enough, why no couple it with some green walls? Vector Architects have left no exterior sufrace naked, creating an extruded square shell that naturally protects the interiors from swings in temperature. (source)

3 | California Academy Of Sciences | Renzo Piano

If I didn’t use ‘undulating’ and ‘elegant’ in the same sentence to describe this one I’d have an angry gathering of former architecture professors burning me at the stake (not literally). Mr. Piano is a master of his craft, and this is one of the truly iconic contemporary buildings in the Western Hemisphere. (source)

4 | Marcel Sembat High School | archi5

High school has changed a lot since my day. This beautiful structure is highlighted by the (don’t say undulating…don’t say undulating) faceted curvilinear roof structure (nailed it). (source)

5 | Beijing Capital International Airport | Foster + Partners

In a stroke of perfect irony, visitors to the world’s most industrial, pollutant contributing city are greeted with one of the world’s most sprawling green roof. China is no stranger to environmental paradox, as they are a leader in sustainable development, yet continue to degrade the planet through their bustling industry. (source)

6 | School of Art, Media, and Design | CPG

Two interlocking sloped green roofs wrap around a central public space in this project by Singapore based firm CPG. The roofs are accessilble to visitors, providing a lush carpet to make a picinic and take in a view of the surrounding Nanyang. (source)

7 | Villa Bio | Enric Ruiz-Geli

Spanish architect Enric Ruiz-Geli designed this home intented to reflect the landscape of the area. Even though it’s surrounded by homes that are less-than-camouflage, the green roof acts as a bridge between natural and man-made.(source)

8 | Chicago City Hall | City of Chicago

In 2001, the City of Chicago tasked a team of architects, landscape architects and engineers to design and build a 38,800 square feet of green space. It is an initiative that makes great strides towards covering our cities in well-manicured lawns. (source)

9 | Vancouver Convention Center | LMN + DA with MCM

A lush carpet of green velvet covers this convention center, which sits in a prestigious waterfront site in the heart of downtown Vancouver, BC. The architectural team created a man-made peninsula that mirrors the surrounding landscape. (source)

10+ Wineries With Absolutely Stunning Architecture

May 6, 2015

Opus One

Scott Johnson of Johnson, Fain & Pereira designed this iconic winery and finished the build in 1991. It brings together traditional European architectural elements and New World aesthetics, a combination that mirrors their epic Cabernet.

Bodegas Ysios

This spectacular winery is located in Spain’s Rioja region, and was designed by Santiago Calatrava, completed in 2001. The undulating aluminum and cedar roof mimics the mountainous terrain surrounding it, and the name honors Isis and Osiris, two Egyptian gods with close ties to the world of wine.

Castello di Amorosa

Dario Sattui wanted to build one of the most impressive wineries in the area, and did so by importing an actual castle from Italy, piece by piece, and reassembling it in Napa Valley.

Lapostolle Clos Apalta

Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, most known for producing Grand Marinier, began making wine in Chile and completed this estate in 2004. It was designed by Amercanda Architects and features six levels reminiscent of a bird’s nest.

Vik Winery

When Alex and Carrie Vik wanted to build a winery in Chile, they hosted a competition and this was the winning submission. It features a long, low slung building positioned in the middle of their 11,000 acre estate in Santiago. The shallow pool dotted by boulders not only looks cool, but also keeps the underground levels cool.

Darioush Winery

Located in Napa, this iconic winery pays honor to its owner’s Persian roots.

Dornier Winery

The only winery here that was actually designed by its founder, Christopher Dornier. It’s located in South Africa and was meant to blend seamlessly with its surroundings.

Irius Winery

A distinctly modern winery in Spain, the building was meant to resemble a butterfly.

Ledson Winery

This massive Sonoma winery became famous before the wine did, and attracted so much attention that they figured they should make some wine and open a tasting room.

Marques De Riscal

One of the most distinct wineries in the world, this beautiful structure is located in Elciego Spain and was completed in 2006 by Frank Gehry. The pink and titanium exterior looks like a ribbon as it wraps around the surface.

Mission Hill Winery

This Canadian winery is most noted for its 12-story bell tower which welcomes guests with its bell.

Petra Winery

Near the old Tuscan village of Suvereto you’ll find this masterpiece, designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta. It was completed in 2003 and features a unique cylindrical core with plants on the roof.

Bodegas Portia

Set amidst a barren looking valley, this winery in Ribera del Duero is one of Spains most distinct wineries. It looks like something out of Star Wars and the modern building was designed by Foster + Partners and opened in 2010.