As winter creeps up, we are beginning to think of our ideal warm and sunny getaways. This great vacation house in Tepoztlan, Mexico is perfect for those who want to relax in “nature” without having to rough it too much. Designed by Cadaval & Sola-Morales, this three-winged home is a concrete mass built right along of
Archivo de la etiqueta: Getaway
Trees Invade This Lush Concrete Getaway
As winter creeps up, we are beginning to think of our ideal warm and sunny getaways. This great vacation house in Tepoztlan, Mexico is perfect for those who want to relax in “nature” without having to rough it too much. Designed by Cadaval & Sola-Morales, this three-winged home is a concrete mass built right along of
Building Of The Day: A Japanese Tropical Bungalow By Shoko Murakaji
Building: Villa 921
Architect: Shoko Murakaji
Location: Iriomote Island, Japan
Why We Like This:
Everyone wants a private tropical getaway. Villa 921 is just that. Designed by Shoko Murakaji, the small dwelling features an open design and wall-length doors and windows that meld the home into the surrounding landscape. Tucked away on Iromote Island, which is 90% tropical forest and is designated as a national park, Villa 921 is a quaint place to be reminded of nature—and the simple things in life. Read more!
The house contains a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, storage, and room for agricultural tools. The east side of the house faces sprawling farms and is warmed by sunlight throughout the day, which is five times stronger than on nearby main islands. The west side opens up to a lush landscape of tropical plants and animals.
The homeowner opted to go without a roof terrace and gutter system, instead allowing rain to fall down the facades and windows for natural cleaning. Large wood sliding doors protect the house from intense storms and hanging roof eaves can accommodate wind-protecting nets and shading panels.
Villa 921 is part of Architizer’s extensive searchable database. Read more about the project here.
Photos courtesy Shoko Murakaji
What We Liked This Week: 9/7
Just one week after Labor Day, and we’re already pining for the next long weekend (Columbus Day, if you’re so lucky, Thanksgiving if you’re not). All the incredible homes we featured this past week were the ideal venues for wringing out the last hours of summer vacation. There’s a cantilevered, Jenga-like collage of a house in France, a pair of lushly timbered homes in Sweden, and two eclectic houses–the second the “sequel” of the first–on a small island in South Carolina. Have a look, a dream the day away. Continue.
R House, Sevres, France
The Mill House, Skåne, Sweden
Island House, Archipelago of Stockholm, Sweden
Brays Island I, Brays Island, United States
Brays Island II, Brays Island, United States
Whangapoua House, The Portable Getaway That’s Always Just a Sled Ride to the Shore
Whangapoua Sled House by Crosson Clarke Carnachan
You want the oceanfront view, seaside breeze, and sandy floor of New Zealand’s Coromandel Peninsula but can’t build on the erosion zoned beach. What to do? Hire crafty architects, who then go about designing a mobile beach hut that can be towed to and from the shoreline at your leisure. Continue.
The compact structure–the box measures a mere 40 square meters–straddles a pair of timber sleds that enable it to be towed up and down the beach. The hut houses a family of 5 while on holiday, with a large living space, dining area and kitchen up front, plus two sleeping zones and a bathroom located to the rear of the volume. The lush, well-lit wood interiors contrast with the more rugged exterior shell, covered in what looks like driftwood to withstand the elements when not in use.
It’s the raw simplicity in the form and materials that make this an idyllic vacation home. A shutter on the front façade winches up to form an awning that blocks excessive sun while revealing large glazed doors. Small shutters on the sides of the building reveal additional windows, while a roof top deck is hidden by a parapet wall. With a worm tank water system to separate portable grey water tanks, use of timber and its overall modest size, this beach retreat also manages to be entirely sustainable accommodating the sensitive nature of the beach locale.
Inhabiting Geometry:A Bespoke Private Getaway that Fits in Your Backyard
For those who want a home away from home, but on a budget, consider the “Habitable Polyhedron”, a small geometric pod that’s a small private getaway from domestic life. The project was built for clients with young children as a secondary, “doll-house” structure situated adjacent to their suburban home just outside of Bogota. Tucked away in a garden several yards away from the main house, the shed offers a cozy retreat where the family can relax together or separately, with space to take tea, read, draw, or just doze off.
Designed by Colombian architect Manuel Villa, the structure consists of a wood frame configured into what Villa describes as a “truncated cubic-octahedron”–a series of octagonal panels connected by squares and aggregated in a sphere-like volume. The structure is wrapped in a layer of shingles stained black which lends it the appearance of a large dark orb. The glass facade breaks with the geometric pattern to open up the shrouded interior to the sunlight and landscape of suburban splendor (“sculpted” trees, manicured lawn, pebble “terrain”) that lies beyond. Continue.
A wooden deck projects from the base of the structure, acting as a kind of plinth to elevate the strange object. Inside, sky portals and obliquely placed apertures funnel in light and help to circulate air throughout the space. Built-in furniture such as shelving units and desks, are grafted onto the geometric wall panels, meeting them at interesting angles and heights.
[via inthralld]