The Guesthouse

Your first stop upon arriving at the Treehotel grounds is the Guesthouse, where you check in to your room. The nine rooms in here give off a distinct throwback vibe, drawing on inspiration from designs of the 1930s to 1950s. Don’t worry, though — they still have Wi-Fi.

The Blue Cone

Set upon posts, this square red building is raised off the ground and handicap accessible. In stark contrast to its rustic exterior, the Blue Cone’s birch interior emanates a calm, sleek Swedish design. It also provides four beds, a sleeping loft, lounge area, and bathroom.

The Dragonfly

Perfectly suited for use as a meeting room, the Dragonfly boasts a table that seats 12, a lounge area, bathroom, and two smaller group rooms. Even if you’re ditching work for a personal stay, you’ll find that this lodging comfortably sleeps four people. Whatever the reason for your visit may be, the Drangonfly’s large panoramic windows are sure keep you feeling close to nature.

The UFO

The name helps paint an accurate mental picture of this silver orb nestled into the trees. To top it all off, guests gain entry to the UFO via a retractable staircase that stretches down to the ground. Inside, you’ll find a much cozier scene, with a main room that accommodates up to five people.

The Cabin

On first approach, the Cabin appears to float weightless in the trees. Intended for two guests, it’s a long capsule-shaped room with a double bed, bathroom, and terrace.

The Bird’s Nest

Camouflaged in the surrounding trees, one might trek right past this room if they didn’t know what to look for. Completely encased in branches like the massive nest of a bird, the Bird’s Nest is also accessed via a retractable staircase.

The 7th Room

As you’ve probably already guest, this addition came about only after the first six rooms were designed and built. Looking up at it from ground level, you’ll see a reflection of the surrounding forest printed on its underside. But while it blends into its surroundings on the outside, the 7th Room offers a very different atmosphere inside, with contemporary decor and massive northern-facing windows that facilitate views of the northern lights. Guests can even lay in a large cargo net off the deck to take in the sounds of the forest and obstructed views of the sky from a height of about 32 feet off the ground.

The Mirrorcube

Distinct even among unique designs, the Mirrorcube looks exactly like its name suggests. Its aluminum-framed base was contoured around the base of a neighboring tree before the reflective glass walls were added to complete the cubical concept. Like the other rooms, though, its interior brings nothing but warmth, comfort, and sleek amenities for two guests to enjoy.
Nearby buildings offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, as well as showers, a sauna, and a bar. When you’re not too busy enjoying the spectacular views from your room, visiting with other patrons in the sauna or Guesthouse, or eating your way through Swedish delicacies at the on-site restaurant, you might find yourself taking in the nearby hiking, rafting, kayaking, wildlife viewing, horseback riding, fishing, or fat bike riding options.

The post Sweden’s Treehotel Offers Offbeat Lodgings in Cozy Forest first appeared on Dornob.

“Suspension House” preserves all the charms of this very special setting but lessens the home’s impact on the creek. The project presented an engineering problem at the outset: how would the architects expand and modernize the home without changing its outline? Their solution was to stack a whole new level on top of the two existing ones and modify the structural supports so they could accommodate the extra weight.

The original 1970s version of the home was built on columns driven into the creek bed. The new structural system uses steel supports under the floors to anchor the home to the bedrock so that no part of it is touching the water. The tranquil flow is unimpeded, and nearly every living space inside the 2,500-square-foot dwelling enjoys a beautiful view. Each level has its own glass-enclosed balcony, and a spacious deck (also following the contours of an existing structure) spills out onto the hillside. From inside, massive new floor-to-ceiling windows create an immersive experience.

Set at a 90-degree angle to the two original floors, the new addition contains the home’s primary suite, bedroom, and flex room. The shared spaces like the kitchen, dining area, and living room are on the middle level, and the spaces closest to the water include a guest room and utility room. The pale zinc cladding and black steel framework coupled with the stacked rectilinear shapes preserve the original home’s modernist feel.

“Transparent materials and carefully considered sight lines merge the home with this dramatic landscape,” say the architects. “The two lower floors stay studiously within the confines of the original building; yet the minimal glass volumes, steeped in the surrounding beauty, feel more expansive than ever. A third floor addition strikes a more slender profile facing east to engage the breadth of the site. The experience is one of being in nature and also humbled by it.”

Of course, the project calls to mind the famous Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright, a 1935 home in southwest Pennsylvania built partly over a waterfall on the Bear Run creek. But that’s not the only beautiful home that enjoys such unusual surroundings. “Bridge House” by architect Dan Brunn hovers above a small natural stream in the mid-Wilshire area of Los Angeles, using lightweight modular steel for a low impact on the natural site. And in rural Australia, architect Max Pritchard built a similarly bridge-like home with recycled corrugated metal siding, set across a seasonal winter creek that divides the property.

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“We’ve tried to take all the iconic qualities of Quito – such as the enjoyment of living in one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, in a city on the equator where the seasons are perfect for both human and plant life – and bring that experience into the vertical dimension,” says BIG’s founder Bjarke Ingels. “IQON is an entire vertical community of individual homes; an extension of La Carolina Park that now climbs all the way up to the rooftop.”

BIG approached the design in characteristically bold fashion. “IQON’s architectural identity is defined by its ‘stripped back’ facade.” the BIG website says. “The raw, exposed concrete simultaneously functions as the building’s structure. Individual ‘pixels’ are stacked 32 floors high and rotated to provide the best possible views while simultaneously creating terraces for the apartments.”

The building consists of 220 residential apartment units ranging from one to three bedrooms in size. Some apartments even have panoramic views of the city and the nearby Pichincha volcano. “Each apartment floor features through-units – apartments that have terraces on both the north and south facades – which not only allows for views across the entire city, but also offers the opportunity for cross ventilation and a sense of openness, ” explains BIG partner Thomas Christofferson.

The country’s rich biodiversity is fully embraced in the IQON plan. “Celebrating native trees and plants, the building integrates greenery wherever possible to take advantage of Ecuador’s temperate climate and ecology – the country with the most plant species per square meter in the world,” the company website says. Trees and shrubs adorn each balcony, and the ground floor features a public vegetable garden.

The building’s ecosystem is intentionally circular. As the company explains, “The building also acts as an urban tree farm; once the vegetation planted on the terraces outgrows its planter, it can be replanted in parks all over the city. In this way, the building becomes part of a green cycle – from park to building, and back to park.”

The lower floors incorporate room for five retail shops and 36 commercial offices, and the inside of the ground floor offers a soft contrast to the building’s sharp-angled exterior. “The ground floor plaza includes generous public spaces, retail units, and public art. This central plaza functions as a new east-west pathway, connecting the park to the rest of the neighborhood,” the BIG website says. “Upon entering the lobby, the material palette transitions from the raw, pared-back exterior to a more refined aesthetic; marble stone pavers complement the custom millwork reception desk, and concrete touchpoints nod to the facade. Deep emerald green tones are utilized on the ceiling tiles, mailboxes, and through to the elevator lobby – an area located beyond a blackened-steel portal.”

IQON also boasts a rooftop pool and terrace, sports and spa facilities, a music room, and a bowling alley.

“IQON…represent[s] the ongoing transformation of Quito into a cornerstone of architecture, design, and innovation,” said Uribe Schwarzkopf’s co-founder Tommy Schwarzkopf. “As the first residents move in and businesses begin to take space in the building, we are looking forward to seeing [it] come to life and become part of the fabric of the city.”

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The coolest thing about the Living O’Pod is the fact that it rotates in a full circle, spinning on its base to change up the views whenever you feel like facing a different direction. Depending on where you put it, you could be gazing out at the forest by day and enjoying the moonlight glimmering on a body of water after dark. Though it looks like it a lack of insulation would make it hard to keep cool or heated in extreme weather, UN10 Design says the pod is equipped with a thermal insulating layer and heating system to ensure normal operation in winter.

The interiors are designed to be comfortable enough for two people, featuring a kitchen, bathroom, and living room on the lower level and a curving sculptural white staircase leading up to the mezzanine bedroom, which is itself large enough to include a desk and seating area. The entryway is a circular glass door that appears to be the only part of the pod’s shell that opens to the air. The interior elements are all made of plywood.

The Living O’Pod is hypothetically set within the Repovesi National Park in Finland, one of the country’s most popular parks featuring picturesque hilly landscapes and forests that are now recovering from heavy commercial timber production. It seems that the company hasn’t yet built an actual prototype, but they explain that all of the pod’s components, including the main steel frame, would be prefabricated in a factory and transported to be assembled onsite to ensure the precision of the spherical shape.

UN10 Design doesn’t get into the technical details, so it’s unclear whether this glass living pod is just a beautiful dream or a fully fleshed-out concept ready to hit the assembly line. In either case, it at least seems possible to achieve. Glass dome homes and houses that rotate on a spinning base both already exist, so why not put the two ideas together in a form as captivating as this one?

“Home should be a personal space where you feel secure, creative, and inspired,” says UN10 Design. “The next housing concept should nurture the habitant’s soul, mind, and also be resilient for upcoming social, environmental, and technological challenges. Minimal, decentralized but connected, smart, and functional spaces need to be considered instead of the conventional urban fabric. The Living O’Pod is a space where you can communicate with mountains, trees, the sky, and streams.”

The post Glass Living O’Pod Rotates 360 Degrees for Unmatched Views first appeared on Dornob.

The idea for Muuw started during the pandemic when Tommy Truup, an expert in steel fabrication, decided he wanted to create work-from-home spaces that could also act as backyard retreats. Truup founded Muuwspace and designed his ideal one-room escape, with a shape inspired by beehives and the carbon structures in human cells.

Three of the pod’s six walls are floor-to-ceiling windows, so the 100-square-foot space feels much more expansive than it really is. Insulated glazing from Saint-Gobain features a metallic blue external reflection so you can maintain privacy and avoid getting overheated.

The cabin is constructed from durable galvanized steel, insulated fully for all climates, and capable of withstanding a heavy snow load on its roof. It also boasts luxurious floor heating, a quiet speed-controllable ventilation system, dimmable LED lights inside and out, a triple-glazed aluminum entry door, wall-integrated speakers, five electrical sockets, and two separate USB charging sockets. It even comes with an attached terrace with a frame made of hot dip galvanized steel.

A variety of interior finishes are available for the Muuw backyard work pod, including oak laminate on the ceiling and walls. The outdoor deck and screen at the entrance of the pod can be made of ash or pine wood. Buyers customize the Muuw to their liking and send the order to Muuwspace’s factory, where it’s built and delivered to the installation site in separate pieces. Assembly takes just one or two days depending on access to the installation site, which could be a backyard, garden, terrace, or even remote land. The whole thing is delivered on the back of a truck.

“Muuw can be used as an add-on to your main home or placed in a completely separate area of your choice – depending on whether you’d use it for focused work, productivity, reading, self-development, hobbies, or full relaxation,” the company says. “The interior is a calming, personal space – fitting snugly inside the building’s hexagonal structure. Each Muuw space boasts modern interiors and vast, panoramic views.”

“The unique exterior design also feels incredibly contemporary, using minimalistic materials combined with warm, traditional wood that’s sure to attract everyone’s attention. Just picture yourself stood in the Muuw, looking out over the horizon – we guarantee it will provide you with the feeling that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, with relaxation being the key to productivity and accomplishment.”

Pricing for each Muuw pod starts at $32,000, depending on the options you choose. Muuwspace is currently able to deliver and assemble the pods throughout Europe and the United States, including the UK, Ireland, Norway, and Switzerland. It takes 8 to 16 weeks to receive your Muuw after ordering.

The post Upgrade Your Home Office with the Muuw Backyard Work Pod first appeared on Dornob.

The problem? The property’s location, though lovely, was on a somewhat busy street that faced the late afternoon sun and fell victim to the punishing winds from the southwest.

Enter Heliotrope Architects: A Seattle-based firm that, according to co-founder and principal Joseph Herrin, is “[known for their] west-facing, Puget Sound and Olympic Mountain-view, house on a hill” aesthetics. One need only look at their portfolio rife with projects like the “Cascade Residence” to see that the group was up to the task.

The key was creating a home that was private enough to be secluded from street view, but open enough to enjoy the Pacific Northwest scenery. A house that blurred the lines between indoor and outdoor living without being too exposed, and a contemporary, stylish space that was still cozy enough to act as a family home.

Heliotrope met these challenges and then some. Through the use of more layered design, they managed to overcome the paradox of protecting the home from the elements while also welcoming them in with open arms. An open, water-facing dining and living area is tempered by deep overhangs, while “smaller, ‘punched’ windows provide more of a feeling of protection,” according to Herrin. As a result, the afternoon sun peeps in the windows just enough to reflect off the Sound for a “here comes the sun” feel that’s a welcome balm to those ever-cloudy Washington days.

The clients also wanted to enhance the “Fauntleroy” home’s sense of privacy without making it feel too sheltered. To address this, the firm built a sturdy cedar fence that’s virtually indistinguishable from its surroundings. The result is a quasi-courtyard formed from a clever combination of the fence, juxtaposed walls, hedges, and a water feature that not only creates a private space, but the perfect outdoor lounge.

Inside, the home’s theme of indoor/outdoor living is continued through ocean-facing rooms dominated by warm tones that make the perfect backdrop for the stunning views. White oak floors, floating wood benches, and a connecting garden/porch/side window further enhance the feeling of letting the outside in.

As for the outdoors, Heliotrope wanted to maximize the location’s beach proximity, so they created the perfect haven for going from porch to ocean and vice versa — an unfussy space exposed to the elements, yet elevated with creature comforts like an outdoor shower, fire pit, sauna, and wine bar. Best of all, the space sprouts organically from the main structure, a natural addition that also blends seamlessly with the scenery.

As Herrin says, “While there is a natural desire to open up to [the weather from the southwest], there is also a need to protect oneself from it.” Thanks to the Fauntleroy home’s thoughtful design, the occupants will undoubtedly be able to weather any storm for years to come.

The post This Puget Sound Home by Heliotrope Architects Effortlessly Blends In and Outdoor Living first appeared on Dornob.

Set on the grounds of Fiskars, an art and design hub, the KOJA treehouse has been realized in 1:1 scale for the Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale. Made of sustainable materials like wood and wool, the treehouse captures Polestar’s design language and planet-protecting values, “symbolizing a shift in both the way we use materials and the way we define a space,” as the brand explains.

Designer Kristian Talvitie was inspired to create a structure that allowed people to immerse themselves in nature without traveling far. The idea is that while it’s important to make the technologies we use to travel more sustainable, it’s also important for everyone to travel less in order to respond to the climate crisis. The treehouse nestles up into a tree canopy, which can be located virtually anywhere — even in a backyard, or a public park in a major city. That makes the experience of relaxing among the branches more accessible, reducing the need to intrude upon the wilderness.

The design is a black capsule with a nearly 360-degree ribbon of glass along the facade, granting occupants sweeping views of their surroundings. Stairs at the back grant access, and inside, visitors will find a bench wrapped around the tree trunk, essentially turning it into a sculptural focal point. Padded benches and work surfaces also line the interior walls. The roof is made of glass, too, so you can look up and gaze at the stars. This modern treehouse is made of locally sourced materials to help it blend in with its environment but has a futuristic aesthetic, demonstrating that sustainable design can be sleek and interesting, too.

“It’s amazing how well it embodies our brand values,” says Martin Österberg, Head of Marketing for Polestar Finland. “It’s beautiful in its simplicity, and the fact that it’s made from locally sourced spruce really emphasizes our focus on sustainability. We think we found the perfect home for it here at the Biennale.”

KOJA wasn’t the only sustainable micro-house displayed at the Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale. As part of the exhibit “House by an Architect,” it joins six other mini-homes which are available for rent through Airbnb. KOJA will remain open to the public through September.

The two other winning designs of the 2021 Polestar Design Contest are “Glad to Be Dirty” by Mingwei Liu in the Student category and “Polestar H_UB” by David Vultaggio in the Professional category. The former is a small, geometric car which an architectural take on Polestar’s design vocabulary that actively filters dirty air as it goes, “allowing the user to feel proud of driving a dirty car.”

The H_UB is both a brand experience center and a place to hang out while charging your Polestar vehicle, which generates its own electricity and produces hydrogen from a biomass roof. The design is “a comprehensive reimagining of what once might have been called a garage.”

The post Electric Carmaker Polestar Translates Its Brand Identity to a Modern Treehouse first appeared on Dornob.

“This project was an opportunity to make new experiences within the Gomos building system: in each house, all the technical installations (water, electricity, and climatization) were concentrated in just one module and extended to the other models externally,” the architects say. “This procedure was standardly repeated in the whole project, accelerating its production/assembly process.”

Summary’s Gomos building system consists of concrete modular elements that simplify the building process. Derived from the way ordinary sewer pipes are constructed, the system is redesigned in order to make it habitable while preserving the stability and rapid deployment abilities of the concrete shells. It takes just a few days to assemble the buildings once they arrive on site.

Summary calls this system “evolutionary,” explaining that each module leaves the factory completely ready to live in, including all interior and exterior finishes, insulation, windows, water and electricity, and even built-in furniture. The system is designed to be flexible, so the structures can be sized up or down or given slightly different proportions according to the user’s needs.

In Paradinha, this translates to a series of angular modern buildings sheltered from the harsh sunlight and set at just the right angles to take advantage of the views. To the casual observer, the location of each one may seem a bit random, as if they were scattered across the plot and allowed to remain where they fell. But in reality, they were carefully arranged to follow the contours of the landscape and create privacy for the inhabitants of each one.

“They are distributed across the plot according to the natural configuration of the terrain, altering it as little as possible,” say the architects. “The old stone walls and the existing trees were preserved — the houses were carefully placed around them. Combining this apparently arbitrary positioning with different orientations allowed the houses not to block each other’s views. From the balconies, behind the wooden slates, we can see the forest and, in some cases, the river.”

The project proves that modularity doesn’t have to mean cookie-cutter identical structures all in a row. The concrete prefab cabins consist of four different shapes and sizes, ranging from 300 square feet to 625 square feet. Some are oriented horizontally, others vertically, their layout determined by pre-existing trees and landscape features. Each one features inscrutable concrete facades pierced by geometric windows, with one all-glass facade screened with latticed wood for shade in the heat of the afternoon.

“Resorting to prefabricated structures was not just a choice, but the only efficient option we had to simplify the building process within such conditions,” the architects explain.

The post Modular Concrete Cabins Offer Guests Privacy and Picturesque Views in Portugal first appeared on Dornob.

The latest project from Mexico City architects PALMA is a shining example of how designers are re-envisioning mixed-use spaces. No stranger to innovation, the firm designed “Chiripa” to “see how different users would interact with one another in a hybrid building that’s part house, part hotel.” The result is a spacious yet unassuming space that stuns visually without overpowering the landscape’s natural beauty. Unobstructed views of Mexico’s Bay of Sayulita complement the complex’s white stucco and exposed concrete slabs, while the clean lines and curvy staircases and bridges add a touch of understated luxury to the scene.

The building’s distinct but connected volumes were placed at opposing orientations to allow for an airiness and openness that lets natural light into every nook and cranny while simultaneously creating a separation that allows for privacy within. Two of the four levels are cleverly built into the site and concealed from street-level views, further highlighting the space’s perfect integration into the surrounding landscape.

Comprised of six total units, Chiripa is accessed through a central walkway/entrance hall at the top. A half-circle staircase allows residents to traverse both blocks, while a series of open-air connecting bridges builds on the complex’s airy vibes. Here, the natural surroundings aren’t just a backdrop: they’re part of the space itself, blending seamlessly with the central garden and views of nearby bay.

While the site’s multi-use configuration does overlap in common areas like kitchen and dining spaces, the privacy of the additional rooms cannot be overstated. All in all, it’s an ideal space for both short and long-term residents. Each level also features its own covered terrace that extends from both the common areas and bedrooms. Both structures boast their own rooftop pool and shared terraces that offer panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Hybridity isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a way to create spaces that are multi-use and convey a sense of fluidity in both commercial and residential spheres. With their new complex overlooking Mexico’s Bay of Sayulita, PALMA does exactly that, showing that functionality and style need not be mutually exclusive.

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Built as a summer home in the Chilean coastal city of Puertecillo, the beach bungalow was organized to fit the spatial needs of the client’s five family members plus guests. A complementary design imperative was to create a place where the energizing sea air could flow freely on nice days.

Accordingly, Estudio Valdés used the bulk of the 1820-square-foot dwelling for living space, separating the house into “transparent” and “opaque” sections. The transparent common rooms include an enclosed kitchen and family room, a connected open air sitting room, and a dining area with a covered pavilion. Large wall-to-ceiling windows line most rooms, with wide sliding glass doors allowing them to become one with the outside when the weather allows. That same glass can protect against the elements when shut. An indoor fireplace and an outdoor firepit further accommodate inclement heating needs.

The opaque segment is visibly divided from the rest of the house by an entry courtyard and compact hallway. The three bedrooms are economical but comfortable, with the primary bedroom tucked at the very back for the greatest privacy and the two others fitted with built-in double and triple bunkbeds to accommodate various combinations of kids and friends. Bathrooms between the sleeping chambers add a layer of noise insulation between the spaces.

The firm says the shape of the house is that of “an elongated shed, which occupies its height according to its uses.” Skylights along the entire ridge of the A-frame roof harness the power of the abundant sunrays to provide daytime light for the occupants.

The architects focused on locally sourced resources for the interior, lining the walls with planks of lenga beech wood. The light color provides brightness while the natural grain continues the pattern of “blurring the boundaries between inside and outside.”

The exterior is covered in dark-stained pine boards, a tree also native to the region. The pine slates are interspersed with sections of more organically shaped eucalyptus branches, creating privacy screens around the bedrooms and exterior gathering areas. The combination of branches and planks helps the retreat blend effortlessly with the surrounding forest.

The entire house rests on stilts to achieve a “clear view of the sea above the treetops,” and every enclosure is directed toward vistas of the Pacific Ocean. A collection of loose native plant species makes up the perimeter garden that also acts to hide the home’s structural supports, further adding to the camouflage effect.

Estudio Valdés was founded in Chile in 2003 as a “modern response to the needs of the new times.” In addition to concentrating on a more efficient architectural process, the studio also pledges a “greater commitment to art and aesthetics.” Although they have a strong emphasis on urban design, the M House, completed in 2020, fits their M.O. of “passionate work in the search of different architectural expressions, with original and expressive materials.”

The post Chilean Summer House Seamlessly Blends into Its Coastal Surroundings first appeared on Dornob.

Completed in 2021 by Invisible Studio, “Beezantium” is a fun project acting as an apiary for honeybees on the grounds of The Newt in southwest England’s Somerset hotel. Hives built into its walls accommodate the buzzing insects, which are visible from inside through panes of glass. But the structure also serves as a wildlife center for visitors, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere lined with polished honey oak. The educational showcase inside was created in collaboration with Kossmanndejong, an Amsterdam-based design agency.

The whimsical design of the exterior takes inspiration from traditional “follies,” strikingly ornate buildings commonly seen in English and French landscape gardening that are purpose-built as ornaments. Not having a purpose is part of the point, actually. Beezantium’s unusual silhouette, fish scale-shaped copper roof tiles, two oval windows, and raw cladding pay tribute to these structures, but it’s not just for decoration. Nearly every feature aims to draw in bees of all kinds.

The oversized timber panels are made of unseasoned oak, which allows the bees to enter their hive either through natural holes or copper pipes built into the structure. Beekeeper Paula Carnell consulted on the project to make sure it would be welcoming not just to the honeybee hives relocated to the apiary, but to wild bees, solitary bees, and other species, as well.

From far away, the apiary looks much smaller than it really is. It’s not until you enter that you realize its true scale, with a copper-lined ceiling that rises all the way to the peak of the roof. The exhibits and seating inside were arranged so that you wind your way through, taking it all in before reaching the final reward: the view. Invisible Studio designed the picture window so it juts out from the wall, its glass floor offering a view straight down into the water below.

Best of all might be the fact that the architects successfully crafted this lovely attraction on such an unlikely site. Occupying a former landfill, the apiary certainly makes better use of the lakeside location.

“The Beezantium has been designed to provide a sensory, otherworldly experience,” says Piers Taylor, director of Invisible Studio. “It appears jewel like, quirky, and playful – almost like a folly in landscape with a glowing copper roof, but instead of being only about pleasure, the Beezantium is a purposeful building designed to house bees in observation hives in the external walls, that can be viewed in a range of habitats internally. There is a huge extraordinary interactive and immersive exhibit that describes the world from the bees’ perspective, that is hung from the ceiling and contained within a honeycomb structure, enabling visitors to understand bees and their place in the world.”

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Vaguely Brutalist in style, the three-story home features views of the Pacific Ocean from every level, and even doubled as an art gallery to exhibit Sach’s contemporary art collection. Its roughly 4,000 square feet of interior space contains three bedrooms on the lower level, a kitchen and living room on the middle level, and a master bedroom on the upper level. In addition, 1500 square feet of outdoor decks allow sunbathers a vantage point from which to view dolphins, seals, and whales.

Sachs bought the land in 2003 and commissioned Ando to design the home, which was built in collaboration with local architecture firm Marmol Radziner. Made with 1,200 tons of concrete, 200 tons of steel reinforcement, and 12 pylons drilled more than 60 feet into the sand, the residence is a prime example of Ando’s iconic style. The home was completed in 2013 after a decade of work, and Sachs says he’s only letting it go because he spends too much time on the East Coast.

Japan’s most famous architect, the self-taught Ando is known for his mastery of concrete and for rooting each of his works in a foundational ideology he calls “pure geometry.” As seen in such works as his Church of Light in Osaka (1989) and The Oval at Benesse Art Museum in Naoshima (1995), this philosophy results in spaces that make daylight, air, and views of the landscape as important as the structures themselves.

Kanye West first became enamored with Ando’s designs after a 2018 visit to Naoshima, the “art island” in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea that hosts Ando’s Benesse House Museum and sculptures by James Turrell. In 2020, West told GQ that he wanted to build a home “where every room is a Turrell,” so it’s no surprise that he fell for a home with a similar vibe.

His new Malibu beach house was initially listed for $75 million and purchased in an off-market deal, so real estate images of the interiors aren’t publicly available. If the museum-like Axel Vervoordt-designed Los Angeles home West spent $20 million renovating with his former wife Kim Kardashian is any indication, they’re probably minimalist to the extreme, soon to become a backdrop for a handful of painstakingly curated objects (i.e. almost nothing at all).

Reportedly worth $6.6 billion, Kanye West also owns a Brutalist-inspired condo in Calabasas, two minimalist condos in a New York City building, a 300-acre California plot that temporarily hosted some experimental domes, and an enormous Wyoming ranch near the picturesque town of Cody, about 50 miles from the eastern edge of Yellowstone National Park.

The post Kanye West Just Bought a $57.3 Million Minimalist Malibu Villa by Tadao Ando first appeared on Dornob.

That’s what architecture firm KRADS has achieved with its “Holiday home by Þingvallavatn,” which perches on a densely vegetated hilltop sloping in the direction of Lake Þingvallavatn. This lush, intensely green landscape, with views of viridian and black hills in the distance, informed the shape, appearance, and layout of a vacation home for a couple. The design consists of three staggered planes following the contours of the terrain, almost as if the home were a natural extension of the hill.

“An essential part of a good building is a good client, they say,” explain architects Kristján Örn Kjartansson and Kristján Eggertson of KRADS. “This general principle felt particularly present in the process surrounding Tina Dickow’s and Helgi Jónsson’s holiday home. As performing artists, they showed an unusual understanding around the creative process, and all the aspects it involves. This led to a journey that was characterized by an enthusiastic exchange of thoughts and ideas which were anchored in a common understanding of materiality and general expression. This created an atmosphere of mutual trust and openness between the architect and the client that one rarely experiences. We hope this feeling is conveyed in the finished house.”

The north-facing facade of the home faces the sparkling lake, poking up and out of the hill like new growth. The roof, planted with grasses and moss in the Icelandic turf house tradition, slopes down toward the ground on the south side, interrupted by a void that separates this section of the building into two volumes. KRADS designed the layout to take full advantage of the lake view while integrating the home into its surroundings. A southwest-facing terrace ringed by trees provides peeks of the mountains Jórutindur and Hátindur.

The design team explains that “apart from the terrace, the immediate surroundings of the building are so densely vegetated that they are close to impenetrable. Preserving the landscape as pristine as possible was a major intention in both the design process and during the construction of the house. In return, the greened roof is established as an accessible plane. Access to the roof can be gained from inside, from the house’s sleep and play loft, or from the outside where the slope starts at the foot of the integrated boat shed. Following the ascend, standing at the top of the roofs edge above the trees, the landscape opens up in a magnificent and ever-changing panorama towards the lake and the surrounding mountains.”

Inside, an older turf home dating back to the 18th century or earlier would most likely consist of either earth, stone, or timber panelling (usually imported, since Iceland doesn’t have a lot of timber of its own). But this home is all contemporary luxury with its smooth white walls, whitewashed wood floors, and timber details. A sunken living area and an adjacent tile-clad tub hidden beneath bench seating enjoy some of the home’s most stunning views.

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The condo-style unit is currently being listed by Emily Beare of Core Real Estate with a price tag of $35,000,000, well exceeding the age-old adage of a “million dollar view”. In fairness, this luxury pad does offer more than a single view, with all-encompassing skylines in every direction.

In the spirit of Provenance, the building got its start as a design by the iconic Robert A.M. Stern. When it came time for a facelift, however, an equally notable name entered the cast. Architect Jeffrey Beers, founder of Jeffrey Beers International, found inspiration from the client’s passion for art and travel, creating copious space for her to display her extensive collections.

Also capturing the idea of bringing the outdoors in, Beers wanted to make sure the new space was open and naturally-lit from nearly every angle. To that end, ample windows were put in to provide expansive views of Central Park and the surrounding cityscape from the living room, dining room, library, and kitchen.

The complete redesign took two years to complete, resulting in maximum opulence throughout the 4,200 square-foot unit. For example, not many apartments can boast a proper foyer and central gallery, yet 15 Central Park West features both.

Of course, truly great designs offer function and style in equal measure. This can be seen in the renovated apartment’s custom floor-to-ceiling glass-panel and bronze sliding doors, both of which can be opened or closed between different parts of the unit to create entirely new spaces as the occupant’s needs change.

As expected, the apartment’s kitchen was also fully renovated and reconfigured to perfectly frame Central Park views. Stylish zebrawood makes a statement on the island countertop and shelving, while top-of-the-line appliances highlight the function of the space, including a Sub-Zero refrigerator and wine refrigerator, two Miele dishwashers, and a fully vented Thermador six-burner cooktop with dual ovens, grill, and griddle.

The unit’s luxurious master suite boasts similarly impressive views while also offering the cozy vibe of a gel fireplace. The master bath makes a statement with Italian Silver Travertine, a deep soaking tub, steam shower, double vanities, radiant-heated floors, and spa-like cove lighting. On the west side of the residence sit three well-appointed bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. A home office, den, and laundry room round out the space.

While the captivating scenery certainly takes center stage, tasteful touches inside the space serve to accentuate the overall lavish feel. Moroccan wall tiles, 12-inch solid wide-plank flooring, hand-blown glass fixtures, and specialized warm ambient lighting (with recessed ceiling fixtures to accentuate the art) all provide justification for the big price tag.

Of course, the unit itself is cozy, but the building offers amenities that add even more to its appeal. The complex features a full-time staff, landscaped porte-cochère, garage, 14,000-square-foot fitness center, 75-foot sky-lit pool, sauna, private dining, wine cellar, library, business center, private screening room, meeting space, game room, outdoor terrace, and children’s playroom.

Although it’s obviously a residence, the vibe of 15 Central Park West resembles that of an art gallery rather than a traditional Upper West Side residence. For a cool $35 mil you can be beguiled by architecture, views, and amenities without ever leaving home.

The post $35 Million Central Park West Apartment Draws Inspiration from Art, Travel, and the Outdoors first appeared on Dornob.

In Rankoshi, Japan, Tokyo-based architecture firm Florian Busch Architects has created a retreat that balances individual privacy with the companionship of large gatherings, giving everyone a chance to enjoy the peaceful seclusion of the forest. Designed to mimic the shape of a branch, “House in the Forest” acknowledges that solitude is good for the soul, especially when set within a beautiful natural environment.

Feeling “disturbed” by the encroachment of suburbia driven by the nearby ski slopes of Niseko, the clients, a large family, wanted a place where they could enjoy a little peace and quiet. “Consequentially, the brief is not for a house but for a time in and with the forest,” say the architects. The roughly seven-acre property is almost completely wooded, cleared only in a narrow area to accommodate the new timber-framed flat-roof structure.

Many vacation homes would prioritize giving the best views to a common space. “House in the Forest” does exactly the opposite. Ten “branches” are capped on each end by a glass wall, each one pointed in a different direction. No window gazes directly on another. Some contain social areas like the kitchen and living room, but many are meant to be private spaces where you can spend time alone or in small groups. The interior design is strikingly, meditatively minimalist, and the exterior wooden cladding harmonizes with the natural setting. The house is also lifted off the ground slightly, giving it a light footprint and allowing firewood to be stored underneath.

Few family vacations give people the chance to be “alone, together,” but “House in the Forest” makes a strong argument for creating more of these contemplative getaways.

“Moving through the house is moving through the forest,” say the architects. “As our views keep changing from far to near, the forest is both distant background and tactile environment. The end of each branch is cut open. The closer we move to the extremes (the end of the branches), the more we are drawn into the forest. While the protection of the inside separates us physically from the experience of the forest, the focus and scale of the windows to the forest intensifies it. We are sitting in the forest. In the house’s central spine, this focus of selection is replaced by a multi-faceted instantaneity. As a multitude of views of the forest around us are filling the space, the original experience inside the forest is always present.”

“The House in the Forest is not about a fixed form but an ever-changing dialogue with the forest. The eventually built is merely the result in a process of probing and responding to the surroundings to create a place where the family can be both together and by themselves, where they can become part of the forest.”

The post Branch-Shaped House in the Forest Enables Solitude at Family Gatherings first appeared on Dornob.

Designed in collaboration by the firms Atelier Oslo and Lundhagem Architects, the library has serious curb appeal for visitors arriving from Oslo’s central station, with its stepped and cantilevered upper story jutting out 65 feet. Plus, the building’s facade combines glass windows and translucent walls, and after dark, the whole structure glows.

Inside, the floor plan revolves around a central atrium going all the way up to the building’s striking honeycomb-patterned concrete ceilings and skylights. Every level has access to daylight and lots of wide-open spaces, but there are cozy reading nooks to be found, too. The building feels enormous, but not in a way that’s necessarily overwhelming or uninviting. Instead, it feels like a bit of an adventure, offering much to be discovered.

In addition to all those books, the library features a theater, a podcast studio, instrument stations to learn how to play music, space for ongoing art installations, a cinema, an auditorium, a canteen, and a restaurant. And of course, the cantilevered level on the sixth floor has plenty of seating and tables near the windows to take in the sweeping views.

Atelier Oslo and Lundhagem won a 2009 competition to design the building, which had options for the library to be placed on two different sites near the Opera House. They chose the more challenging and limiting site, but it paid off, especially in the way their design’s unusual silhouette reflects on the water at night.

“The librarians wanted a house that would inspire visitors to explore all the new facilities and activities the modern library can offer,” explains the Lundhagem team. “This motivated us to create an open and intriguing building in which you are constantly invited around the next corner to discover new places. With its central location in Bjørvika, the new library is set to become a vibrant hub — a modern meeting place for learning and exchange of knowledge.”

“The site is relatively small. In order to avoid building too many floors, the building cantilevers out above its footprint: the first floor above the street to the east, and the fourth floor almost 20 meters out above the urban plaza, creating a protective covering. Three ‘light shafts’ cut diagonally through the building from each of the entrances, giving a glimpse into different sections of the library. The light shafts connect the floors and distribute daylight downwards from three big skylights in the roof.”

The library will receive an estimated two million annual visitors with a capacity of 3,000, though for the time being, only 1,000 people will be allowed inside at any one time due to the pandemic. It officially opened its doors this summer.

The post Oslo’s Stunning New Public Library Cantilevers Over the Waterfront first appeared on Dornob.