Residential: The Latest Architecture and News

Our friends from Visiondivision shared their latest summer house in Singö, Sweden with us. The architects were limited to designing the small summer house within the confines of an existing shed because the site is exposed every tens years to the overflows of the Baltic Sea. Constructed as a lizard’s tail, the house utilizes a pragmatic strategy where if one part of the building gets exposed to water, that part can easily be replaced without affecting the rest of the building.

More about the summer house after the break.

For Thomas Phifer + Partners’ latest residence, the firm takes inspiration from the envisioned Long Island site’s proximity to the water. The seemingly repetitious simplistic form is actually one continuous surface that undulates to carve spaces underneath it.

More images and more about the residence after the break.

South Africa-based Vivid Architects shared with us their project “Crystal Towers”. The development comprises a 5 star hotel, 90 luxury residences, a standalone office building, and a 80m steel suspension foot bridge. More images after the break.

Trained as a landscape architect, W. Garett Carlson has designed a 1700 sf residence entitled the Joshua Tree Boulder House. Situated on 2.5 acres in Joshua Tree, California, the residence is intended to seem as though it is emerging from the ground. This conceptual idea stems from the site’s proximity to the Joshua Tree National Park which contains some of the most fascinating boulder shapes in the world, according to Carlson.

More images and more about the residence after the break.

Vladimir Zotov, a young Ukrainian architect, shared his family house with us which is located in the village of Konopnitsa. The lot was especially difficult to build on as the village lacks developed infrastructure, causing all necessary systems to be placed on site. Working within the confines of a relatively small lot size, the home’s outer skeleton is twisted and contorted, bringing a strong angular language to residence.

More about the residence after the break.

JA Joubert Architecture, a Rotterdam-based architectural office, has won first prize in an international competition for a new neighbourhood in Tirana, Albania. Invited by a private developer, they decided to break with standard sub-urban development by proposing an integral solution for building and parking, directly linking them to the terrain conditions, thus creating a new community for different (age) groups, with sports and health facilities, set within a continuous green park with beautiful views to the city and Tirana lake. More information and images after the break.

Check out this cool treehouse nestled into Maple trees near the Hudson River in New York designed by German-based Baumraum. Far from a child’s treehouse, this residence provides simple interiors with a touch of elegance. Constructed for a family with two children, the treehouse serves as an outlet for relaxation and is connected to their main residence via a slender wooden catwalk.

More images and more about the treehouse after the break.

Within a budget of 70,000 euros, Propeller Z has completed an addition for a 200 year old farmhouse in Fahndorf, Austria. The addition, which includes a kitchen and living space, extends from one of the farm’s U-shaped arms, quietly peaking out behind its older counterpart. The balance between Propeller Z’s efforts to preserve most of the existing farm while incorporating a contemporary language, yields an elegant and sophisticated result.

More images and more about the addition after the break.

Paul Kaloustian Architect shared with us his project Y Buildings, two separates buildings in the District of Ashrafieh, Beirut, Lebanon. See more images and architect’s description after the break.

While designing a house for their friends, Huttunen + Lipasti + Pakkanen Architects’ residence enhances a simplistic form with an acute attention to material selection and detailing. Situated in the rocky island terrain of Naantali, Finland, Villa Mecklin was built at a leisurely pace with the architects working through construction details on site. “Villa Mecklin has mainly been a self-build project. Contract documents or complete working drawings were not necessary because any problems were resolved on site,” explained the architects.

More photographs and more about the residence after the break.

Earlier last week, the City Council of New York City decided to move forward with Rafael Viñoly Architects’ master plan for the New Domino in Brooklyn. While the historic sugar refinery complex, with its familiar yellow signage, has achieved landmark status and will be preserved, the 11.2 acre-site will be outfitted with 2,200 new apartments – 660 of which are affordable housing – and four acres of public park space including a riverfront esplanade along the East River in Brooklyn.

More about the master plan after the break.

Set for completion this October, NORD Architecture’s Shingle House will be part of the Living Architecture vacation houses, a project aimed to enhance the public’s appreciation of architecture. For their project, the young practice responded to the site’s strong winds and incorporated a modern take on the typical shingle homes that are scattered across the area.

More images and more about the home after the break.

Although Peter Zumthor’s success is undisputed in the architecture world, it was interesting he would tackle a residence for Living Architecture as his past works have gracefully unfolded after years of development. For Zumthor’s project, entitled A Secular Retreat, the architect employs his signature strategy of using nature as a source of relaxation. The hill-top retreat is a quiet and passive design, truly taking the backseat to the surroundings. The home is designed to exploit the beauty of its location, capitalizing on views and providing perfect places for reflection. The home, Zumthor’s first project in the UK, is the perfect residence of the Living Architecture projects to visit for some peaceful downtime.

More images after the break.

With all the projects we feature, it becomes second nature to envision yourself occupying that space if not only to critique its success, but also to merely imagine what it would be like to live there. But, what if, instead of just daydreaming about living in a certain residence designed by your favorite architect, you could actually spend a week or two in a house designed by Peter Zumthor, or JVA, or even MVRDV? Living Architecture, a new not-for-profit organization, offers the chance to rent houses in different areas of Britain for a vacation starting at £20 per person per night. ”We are dedicated to introducing you to the best of contemporary architecture, as well as to curating unique and enjoyable holidays,” explained the organization.

Not only did Laura Alvarez Architecture place in Europe’s top 40 architects under 40, but the young firm also just received a unanimous first prize standing from the jury of the Customize Me! competition sponsored by the Heijmans Vastgoed & Woningbouw. Asked to provide a new vision for contemporary housing, Laura Alvarez responded with a housing model that can be aadjusted for different kinds of families and if a person suddenly changes his way of living. Entitled 4D LIFE | Space and Time – four dimensions of living, space and time are linked entities so that how the space is used directly correlates to time. ”We want to offer a house that fits all moments of life and to all kinds of standards of living. We want to offer space for personal input, for all kinds of people, independently from their origin, social status or age.” explained the architect.