STRKTR

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House / Daniel Norman

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Cabin Norderhov / Atelier Oslo

Situated in the Krokskogen forests of Norway with views over the Steinsfjorden, this cabin is a hidden oasis in the woods.

Exposed to the wind, the cross shape of the building shelters the outside spaces.

Stone slabs cover the façade, contrasting greatly with the curving, plywood interiors. This contrast is what makes the inside space such an escape from the harsh, cold forest.

The interior’s centrepiece is a 360° fireplace resembling an open campfire.

Every space has access to this fire and this adds an aspect of comfort, warmth and homeliness to what would be an otherwise cold environment.

Project - Atelier Oslo Architects.

Photos © Atelier Oslo Architects.

Text © Luke Reveley.

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Off Grid House / Abaton

Spanish studio

Ábaton

converted this abandoned stable, in western Spain, into a family home which operates completely off-grid.

It uses both solar and hydro power to generate electricity, taking advantage of the sun’s energy in summer and the increase of rainwater in winter.  

Facing south, the sun is used as a heat source in winter, while in summer; an extending eave allows the interior to remain cool. Large wooden shutters, which look like an original feature, trap heat in at night.

The house features an open living space and a pool which runs along the south face of the building.

Project - Abaton.

Photos © Abaton.

Text © Daniel Norman.

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Cliff House / Dualchas Architects

Hidden within a cliff on the Isle of Skye is a private residential project by Dualchas Architects.

The entrance is almost hidden to the visitor from the rear. Just the tops of stone walls can be seen until the dip in the landscape which reveals the gap for the door.

Once indoors, the bright, white, clean interior contrasts well with the rugged terrain outside which can be seen through a swathe of glass across the front of the house.

Simplicity rules this house and with the bare essential furniture and fittings this house still manages to become a home.

Project - Dualchas Architects.

Photos © Andrew Lee and Alistair Nicholls.

Text © Luke Reveley.

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Gap House / Jakub Szczesny

Built in a gap between two buildings, this house designed by Polish architect Jakub Szczesny is only 122 cm at its widest point. It is a fully functional space in which one can live as well as create.

‘That is why at first it seems that the construction of living space within such premise is impossible. Keret House is to contradict that false image, simultaneously broadening the concept of impossible architecture’, says the architect.

Project - Jakub Szczesny.

Photos © Bartek Warzecha.

Text © Daniel Norman.

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Skyhouse / David Hotson Architects + Ghislaine Vinas

Designed by David Hotson Architects and Ghislaine Vinas Interior Design, the Skyhouse is a modern four-storey penthouse set in one of New York’s oldest skyscrapers.

The entire dwelling, including the old steel beams, has been beautifully whitewashed and interior designer, Ghislaine Vinas, has filled it with a selection of colourful artworks and sculptural pieces.

The penthouse also features its own stainless steel slide, which runs from the attic space all the way down to the bottom floor of the home, where the metal tube flares out to create a distorted rectangular mirror.

As well as a slide, the penthouse has its own climbing wall, which allows the residents to climb up to a secret reading balcony in the attic space.

Project - David Hotson Architects / Ghislaine Vinas Interior Design.

Images © David Hotson Architects / Ghislaine Vinas Interior Design.

Text © Daniel Norman.

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House NA / Sou Fujimoto

This Tokyo house, designed by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto, is made from nothing but glass and a steel frame, giving it the appearance of scaffolding.

House NA was designed around the idea of living in a tree, so there in no staircase in the house. Instead, a series of twenty-one floor plates, situated at various heights, allow the occupants to climb through the house.

The split floor plates divide the house up into distinct spaces to distinguish between the different functions, while the lack of partitions creates a sense of unity between the spaces allowing for a more social dwelling.

Project - Sou Fujimoto.

Images © Iwan Baan.

Text © Daniel Norman.

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Buddhist Temple / Miliy Design

Mathematics can often be found within architecture. In this case, the form of a proposed Buddhist temple in Shanghai has taken inspiration from a Mobius Strip. 

Constantly changing ceiling heights and the basis of the design aim at the concept of reincarnation.

‘Formless’; a word which could describe this building, with no beginning or end, such is a Buddhist life.

The architect behind the project, Wang Qing of Miliy Design said “All the temples we see are traditional Chinese buildings” and his design mission became bringing something new to the community. A change to the usual stupa style temple. 

Project - Miliy Design.

Images © Miliy Design.

Text © Luke Reveley.

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Paper Cabin / White Arkitekter

Made entirely of paper, this cabin designed by architect Mattias Lind of Swedish firm 

White Arkitekter

, changes appearance depending on the angle on which you view it from.

Achieved using a corrugated outer surface, from one angle the cabin bears a black marble effect façade, while from the other it appears plain white. 

Lind designed the cabin in order to show how architecture can be perceived in motion. The corrugated façade causes the cabin’s appearance to change depending on the viewing angle. It also acts as support for the structure and allows the cabin to be extended in length.

Project - Mattias Lind at White Arkitekter.

Images © Rasmus Norlande.

Text © Daniel Norman.

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Jellyfish House / Wiel Arets Architects

This house in Marbella, Spain features a rooftop swimming pool which cantilevers over the building’s entrance. Wiel Arets Architects, who designed the Jellyfish House, installed a 6cm thick glass underside in the pool, allowing light to flood the house and terrace below.

The pool also has an infinity-edge, so that the water merges almost seamlessly with the nearby sea.

The Jellyfish House also has five bedrooms, two of which are guest rooms that face onto a private terrace. The kitchen runs along the southern face of the house’s first floor, with a window into the pool at one end.

Project - Wiel Arets Architects.

Images © Jan Bitter.

Text © Daniel Norman.

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Casa Garcias / Warm Architects

A modern house in Cancún, Mexico, designed by Warm Architects in 2014. The open, flowing, visually accessible space was designed for a couple with no children. 

Simple materials, different concretes and planar design strategies led to an affordable project for the clients. 

The staircase is one of the standout elements within the building. Polished concrete shows a strong juxtaposition between ruggedness of materials and simplicity of form across the project. 

A marriage can be seen here between the inside and outside; the concrete spilling in as the floor and staircase and also from nature flooding in through the large windows.

Project - Warm Architects.

Images © Wacho Espinosa.

Text © Luke Reveley.