Ukranian Design Lab Creates Ultra-Lightweight Timber Cabins

May 18, 2015

Set amid a thick forest in the Ukraine, these sleek guest houses were completed in just two months by YOD design lab. Each cabin was built with lightweight metal frames and no foundation, resulting in a scant 2,200 kilogram weight. Each cabin is positioned on top of a wooden deck, and the low impact design means they don’t harm the landscape.

The sleek black facade on the front contrasts nicely with the natural wood used throughout the build, and the inside is simply appointed yet luxurious.

photography by andrey avdeenko
all images courtesy of YOD design lab

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

10+ “Shedquarters” Bring The Home Office To Your Backyard

May 14, 2015

Ask anyone who works from home what one of their biggest challenges is, and you’ll probably hear the need for a dedicated place to work with minimal distraction. Working from your house sounds great. You have the freedom to do whatever – including dishes, laundry, walk the dog, or catching up on a tv show, all of which can seriously limit your productivity.

Several companies offer backyard “shedquarters” which provide a perfect space for your office, artist workshop, writing studio or whatever else you need some privacy for. Sure, it might extend your commute from nothing to a short walk through the backyard garden, but it seems worth it.

1. Inoutside

This Australian company created a modern backyard space, and the “Cooba” model is shown here. The contemporary space goes the distance in terms of style. http://inoutside.com.au/

2. Sett Studio

Another lovely modern design comes courtesy of Settstudio, an Austin, Texas based company.

3. Modern Spaces

Aptly described as “forts for grown-ups!” these fully installed sheds with finished exteriors start at $6,000. Currently only California residents can get the on-site installation though. http://www.modernspacesandsheds.com/

Via Apartment Therapy

4. Modern Cabana

This San Francisco company offers sheds in a variety of configurations such as the 10×12 foot studio seen here. It features a sliding glass door and floor to ceiling windows.

5. MetroShed

Designed by David Ballinger, this prefab model ships in a flat pack and costs $6,000-10,000. While it looks like the simplest design here, it actually incorporates insulated SIP panels, cedar beams, and plenty of eco-friendly design touches. Plus you can easily customize with your own finishes. http://www.metroshed.com/

6. Modern Shed

A husband and wife team started this modern shed company in Seattle, offering flat-pack prefab structures like this basic 8×10 foot shed priced at $6,900. http://www.modern-shed.com/

7. Studio Shed

These sheds are both affordable and stylish, priced from $3500 for the smallest model. http://www.studio-shed.com/

8. Kanga Shed

This Austin, TX based company produces some very nice prefab structures, including the Basic Shed and the Modern Studio, both of which are built to very high quality standards. http://kangaroomsystems.com/

9. Summerwood

This Canadian based company produces sheds in a variety of styles, from modern to traditional with a base cost of $5300. http://www.summerwood.com/

10. G-Pod

Looking for something a bit different? Consider the G-Pod, which looks like something George Jetson would have designed. Prices start at $14,995. http://g-pod.com/

11. Kithaus

Another gorgeous prefab option described as the “anything you want pod” comes from this company, but prices are higher than most others, starting at $30k. http://kithaus.com/

Offgrid Cabin With Rustic Design & Modern Innovation

May 13, 2015

Sometimes it’s the little things that remind us of the beauties of nature, and the importance of place. The “Sky House” designed by Vancouver based Platform Architects and set in the dusty, rolling planes of Eastern Washington single-handily juggles the stark juxtaposition of earth and sky. This modest cabin built for two is firmly rooted in its relationship to the ground, yet sits atop a raised plain and emphasizes verticality in a way that pulls attention to the sky.

The 840 square foot building is composed of pre-fabricated panels that made delivery of materials and on-site construction cost-efficient and minimally invasive. Stacking the interior spaces on two stories allowed the cabin to maintain a small footprint while utilizing the tall volume to maximize stack ventilation. In addition to being aesthetically beautiful, the house is also completely off the grid, a necessity given its seclusion.

The exterior is clad in raw steel panels. Over time, seasonal rains give the steel a reddish patina, matching the color of the surrounding bedrock and further cementing the structure in its setting.

Interiors are subdued and industrial, creating a cold, yet intimate space that offsets the endless views beyond.
Space-savers such as this operable bed platform combine uses to maximize functionality in such a tiny space. Because of this, nothing ever feels cramped or constricted.

The setting is as serene as it is majestic. Large south-facing openings take full advantage of sprawling views of the Cascade Mountains.

Photos: Jesse Garlick, The Morrisons

The Amazing “Ridge House” Glows Like A Lighthouse

May 13, 2015

Cape Cod is home to this two-story vacation home that breathes contemporary architectural life into age-old formal expressions. Massachusetts based Hammer Architects designed a house – aptly named the “Ridge House,” – that uses a towering gabled roof form to echo the traditional craftsman look, while juxtaposing a see-through interior that screams modernity. The entire second floor, which contains the main living spaces, is transparent, making the exposed roof appear as if it’s floating above almost completely unsupported. This effect is especially noticeable at night, when the interior glows like a Chinese lantern.

Originally, the client wished for a single-story floor plan, but the architects convinced them to stack the spaces to increase the dramatic effect of the roof. I’d say it worked. Traditional materials such as wood shingles are applied in new and interesting ways, again paying homage to historic building commonalities. Bedroom and service spaces occupy the lower floor, allowing the living, kitchen and dining spaces to sit above and enjoy sprawling views of the lush countryside.

The home is, arguably, best seen at night, when the massive glazed openings glow like a distant lighthouse. Many of which pepper the coast of Cape Cod.

An exterior deck hangs off the main living floor, allowing the interior spaces to spill out over the adjacent hill and providing an even more spectacular view of the surrounding countryside.

Everything on the interior is exposed. Here is a look at the open kitchen that looks directly at the dining and living areas. The floor plan is narrow, but efficient and plentiful.

Another look at the second floor. The interior partition wall is a post-modern play on traditional architecture style.

The “Black Shed” Sets Fire To The Scottish Isle Of Skye

May 12, 2015

On a secluded plot of farm land on the Scottish Isle of Skye rests a charred little structure that architect Rural Design Architects have named the ‘Black Shed.” The pre-burnt wood siding creates a stark contrast between the shed, the rolling green hills and the pale blue sky. The building’s rural surroundings offer unobstructed views of the enveloping valley and a towering flat-top mountain called McLeod’s Table. The shed was built as a rental opportunity and accommodates two people with a full kitchen, bath and sleeping area.

An industrial aesthetic has been achieved through use of simple, modern, yet familiar forms and the subtle use of raw materials. It is a fresh take on traditional farm house architecture with exposed wood siding and an understated gable roof. A covered entry porch pulls back the roof line and exposes the finishes with a more contemporary flair. Upon entry, visitors are greeted with little more than a finished concrete floor and uniform sawn timber wall and ceiling treatment. The subdued material palette allows the surrounding views to take center stage.

He Made His PubShed Incredible With 5,500 Pennies

May 12, 2015

With the growing trend of “pubsheds” comes an increasing amount of creativity, as demonstrated by this guy who turned a simple shed dubbed “The Barn” into a very creative backyard bar where he and his buddies can hang out and enjoy a couple drinks. What makes his build unique though is the peculiar use of a whopping 5,500 pennies which he incorporated into the design. Check it out below.

The gabled barn style shed looks nice on the outside…

Yet the inside was lacking in proper bar decor, so he went to work building a bar.

The bar itself isn’t too fancy…yet.

Here’s where he starts to get creative, setting aside $55 worth of pennies for special use.

He even sorted the pennies, keeping the pre-1982 ones from the rest. Talk about commitment!

Before using the pennies, he decided to soak them in vinegar and salt, which removes the oxidization and brings them back to a shiny new state.

But he also left half of them to dry without polishing, which created a nice variation in the color for his project.

Then he set to work, laying the pennies in a diamond pattern according to their shades of color.

You might notice every penny is facing heads up.

Finally he slathered four quarts of resin over the top, using a blowtorch to remove any bubbles, and was left with a beautiful surface on his new bar.

And of course he installed a kegerator to dispense ice cold brews for him and his friends.

The completed project on display, with three local Virginia beers on tap!

Images via Imgur | American Standard

Rustic Opulence Defines This Camp Martis Residence On Lake Tahoe

May 7, 2015

You’ve heard of modern-rustic, and now you’ll see what happens when sheer decadence collides with a rustic design. This spectacular modern home was designed by Swaback Partners and is situated on a large lot in the private community of Camp Martis, located on the shores of Lake Tahoe.

“A home for the high Sierra’s that does not fall in line with the traditional regional architecture that mostly is a dark and heavy composition. Instead, the concept was to celebrate the light and airy feeling of snow and the effects that it can bring to the interiors.”

Photos by Vance Fox

A Hidden Urban Oasis In The Heart Of Downtown Miami

May 7, 2015

Seclusion. Hidden. Privacy. These aren’t that would typically come to mind when describing a home in the middle of Downtown Miami, but that’s exactly what you get with this tropical refuge from Brillhard Architecture. Dense palm tree forests blanket the perimeter of the lot making the home feel as if it was conjured up from the floor of a remote rain forest.

The visual protection the palm trees provide allow the home to be composed of floor to ceiling, wall to wall glazing that modulates light and views with a series of shutters. The interiors are sleek and modern, providing a subdued compliment to the serene exterior space. It’s as close to an urban oasis that you could find, especially in a city known for its…loud…personality.

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.