Private House | Ljubno ob Savinji | Architecture

Architects Anton Žižek and Marjan Poboljšaj, both of whom graduated in 1997, are being noticed consistently at European events and competitions for their progressive design work — from interior design and furniture concepts to architecture. They are the founders of Superform, based in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia.

Recently, Superform created an interesting retreat for a private client by combining two existing buildings in the town of Ljubno ob Savinji, 70 kilometers from the capital.

The first house that resembles the traditional buildings of the valley is monolithic and introverted and contains the bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchen. Its main materials are wood and stone.

Housing the living room, dining room and a large hall, the second house resembles a boat anchored in the green bay and is more extroverted, open an modern than the first. Its materials are glass, steel, Rheinzink and wood. The combined structure looks bold, yet agrees with its environment and looks entirely livable. Not an easy feat to achieve. - Tuija Seipell

Courtyard House | Studio Junction | Architecture

Studio Junction designed an infill housing as an alternative urban typology.

By converting a contractor warehouse in a mixed-use industrial neighborhood, the ambition was to create a modern, affordable home and studio for a family of four.

The design of the house is generated by an emphasis on the views and activities of the interior courtyards, where all the windows look inwards.

Photos by Rob Fiocca & Peter Tan

Casax5 | MZC Architettura | Architecture

Casax5 by MZC Architettura in Treviso, Italy.

Called Casax5, the project features a pool on the wood-clad rooftop.

The interior predominantly consists of white and reflective surfaces, with grey resin flooring in areas for daytime use and wooden floors in the bedrooms.

A big apartment in the outskirts of the city, near the railway. The principal floor is for everyday functions. The upper floor is for the body, for relax, for playing.

A central part is rounded by a black wall/furniture/wall. This black wall/furniture/wall is like a scenic curtain, a filter between day and night and viceversa.

A big space living-kitchen is completely white: walls, furniture, ceiling, lamps etc. The flooring is like a water surface where white colour reflects itself.

The interior concept is that every part has a individual life: every part contains space, light, colour and is composed by elementary volumes.
All the surfaces reflect natural and artificial light giving to the space an overexposure effect.

Crossing the black filter we enter to the night part of the house where the effect is similar to the day part. The difference between the two pars is the flooring: grey resine for day, cool grey wood board for night. Going up throught the grey stairs we arrive on the upper floor.
On a side we find the pool with a big wooden solarium around; on the other side a concrete outside kitchen with a concrete table.

concept: 2008 executive project: 2008 execution: 2008/09
project: mzc architettura, mario marchetti, fabio zampiero, giuseppe cangialosi
collaborators: elena jodice, alberto buso, vittorio massimo

House in Menorca | Dom Arquitectura | Architecture

Dom Arquitectura projected this summer house in Menorca inspired in the typical “tanca” of the region.

Being a summer house, the main idea is not only creating the interior spaces of the house, but distribute all outer space. The interior spaces seek good relations with the outside world, colonizing their surroundings and their views.

Inspired by the typical Menorca “tanca”, stone walls divisions of the realm.
The plot is organized from a space frame, fully passable, based on a trace orthogonal, combining floors, platforms, water, trees, plants, tanca, pergolas, walls and the house itself.

By combining these elements we are encountering this approach in which each piece is delimited and acquires its own identity and use within a harmonious whole. The diversity of outdoor stays provides the site a space balanced richness.

The house is situated in the center of the outer solar stays divided in two, front and rear. The hall of the house with two large openings on each side operates as a mixed external-internal transition. Falls outside the pavement causing a passage that connects the back yard with the front porch.

Based on typical lattices menorquinas designed a sliding wooden slats fixed set a filter to the outside, they act as sunscreens, giving privacy and multipliplying the usability. They combine the vertical slats of the east and west facades with horizontal south facade. Most of these openings are floor to ceiling, allowing for greater continuity to the outside and making the most magnificent views of the site.

Dom Arquitectura

Lindale Bach | Herbst Architects | Architecture

Herbst Architects Lindale Bach

Sticks and stones - Blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior, Lance and Nicola Herbst have become the masters of the simple, elegant, functional beach retreat. If they'd take the job, Lance and Nicola would be my choice for designing an eco retreat.

Overview
Built on an island with no mains electricity and daily ferry connections, the Lindale residence on Great Barrier Island HAD to be as energy efficient as possible.

Minimal materials were freighted in and the central Gabion wall of the residence an ideal solution. Using local river stones, the wall provides a fantastic heat store and structural backbone to the build. The wall also counters the wind in covered outdoor spaces, together with a cosy fire making this retreat and so special.

Prior to the build beginning, large rainwater and sewage treatment tanks were buried under the site. The cooler environment promoting less bacterial growth and leaving the relatively pure rainwater, collected from all roof sections, requiring no treatment to drink.

A Full functional kitchen the heart of the residence is flanked by a covered porch to the right with open fire and shaded midsummer dining area to the rear. Sunken, in front of the kitchen and nearest to the beach, is a cosy built in couch and tv nook.

Traversing the Gabion wall to the rear of the house is the bedroom tower and bathroom. Two bedrooms with surf views or walk out patio respectively.

Our primary concerns in the design of this building have been to:

- create an environment that facilitates and enhances the experience of living outdoors

- challenge convenience as the driving force behind decisions, concentrating rather on the rituals associated with space

- establish a range of spatial, light and textural experiences be responsive to the small scale of the existing builtenvironment.

In order to articulate the building in a scale of forms appropriate to the environment the functions of the house that require complete weather enclosure are broken into three individual masses:

- a horizontal structure housing the living functions

- a tower housing the sleeping and bathing functions and a boatshed.

prevailing south-west wind a spine wall of gabion baskets is set at right angles to the site. The wall sets up a strong enclosing edge for the main covered living deck and provides an intimate textured backdrop to the bathroom space. The masses of the building are arranged around the gabion wall to form edges, create a range of negative spaces and provide wind shelter to two covered outdoor living spaces.

Lance Herbst

Project location Great Barrier Island, New Zealand

Architect Herbst Architects

Plans

Photos Patrick Reynolds