Marcel Luchian Studio designed the minimalist M House in Singera, a town in the Republic of Moldavia. Composed of unconventional forms, the residence’s concept design also does a brilliant job of marrying materials with a combination of glass and concrete, both inside and out. The house’s structure is made up of two off-center forms, one on top of the other, steering clear of a traditional box-like design. The overhang from the second floor provides exterior coverage below, perfect for when it’s raining. The two stories also contrast in color, with the darker shade being on the bottom. The interior continues the harmonious use of light and dark materials with dark polished floors alongside white and neutral-toned furnishings and walls.
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The 18.36.54 House by Studio Daniel Libeskind is an angular wonder of a modern house. The clients wanted a house that would have these experiential qualities, as well as provide a place where they could relax, read, cook, and take in the landscape. Libeskind, who is not known for creating cozy cabins in the woods, wondered if the latter meant gemütlich. One of the owners recalls challenging him: “Whatever you design, we’ll ask you to make it more extreme.” Libeskind said yes, and did not even ask for a contract. The underneath surface of the stainless steel roof is clad in oak — dark, warm, comforting oak. Once inside, a ramp gradually draws you down to the living area and the fireplace around which a built-in sofa zigzags. Libeskind designed all built-in furniture, which includes a dining table, banquettes, and numerous fittings, although the clients salted in a few items, such as George III side chairs and traditional lamps, for a bit of contrast. Take a look!
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Juan Carlos Menacho Durán has designed the Chinese Coin House in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. “The sky is round and the earth is square. The supreme manifestation of the universal dialectic is the sky and earth, paired as a couple. In between both, lies man. This house inspires security and balance through its square form. Immersed in a round base, it inspires creativity and harmony from the sky. These two shapes -sky and earth- are present in the Chinese coin. The main shape of the Chinese Coin House relates to prosperity. On both its sides, the Milky Way was expressed, utilizing the concept that irradiates prosperity.” Have fun!
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“Rock It Suda” by Moon Hoon is a series of unconventional guest houses, or pensions as they are so called in Jeongseon, South Korea, that sit peering over the edge of a mountainside. The robotic structures are 6 houses, or rooms, that are each themed: Spain, Barbie, stealth, Ferrari, cave and korean traditional house. Their totally wild designs solidify Rock It Suda as the most unique accommodation its guests have ever stayed in.
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The old church of Valer, a small town in the southeast of Norway, burned down in 2009 and has left a void in a cultural-historical site. Copenhagen-based firm CEBRA has created a proposal for its replacement derived from obvious religious symbolism as a leaning cross that rises from the ground. Light and wood become the two most important building materials, merging a long standing Norwegian construction history with the quality of sacred spaces required of a place of worship. The particular shape of the cross also serves the building’s program as appropriately as it does metaphorically – an inhabitable "stairway to heaven". The new wooden structure is built on the opposite side of a central walkway from the location of the original chapel, where only the foundation remains in ruins. It creates a threshold between the cemetery and birch grove, and re-utilizes the original footprint as a reflecting pool, reactivating and respecting its history.
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In childhood almost each of us was dreaming to built a house on a tree where you could spend time with your friends. Nine years ago, residents of Dallas Steve and Jeri Wakefield decided to build such a house on a tree for their grandchildren. But not a small house – a whole cottage. They invited a family friend, a professional architect James Curvan. As a result, a fabulous tree house was built around the tree. It was equipped with air conditioning, ventilation and electricity. In fact it’s not just a house but entertainment center for children of all ages. The grandchildren have grown up, and the house on the tree became uninteresting. Steve and Jeri invite children from all neighborhoods for entertainment and leisure. Kids are happy to come to visit them and play at home on a tree.
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Check this hillside OLS House by J. Mayer H. Architects in suburban Stuttgart, Germany. With a composition of filleted corners and sweeping curves it is intended to maximize landscape views in an otherwise suburban area. A deep, recessed balcony characterizes the sinuous concrete form and protects the home from solar heat gain thereby continuing an environmentally friendly building system that includes weathered zinc and solar panels.
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The Chinese-based Sheraton hotel chain is planning an aggressive expansion in 2013, opening 30 new branches in the Asia-pacific area and four in Africa and the middle east; 15 alone will open in China within the year. The “Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort” is perhaps the most striking of this endeavor, designed by Beijing-based architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects. It could be described as horseshoe shaped, or maybe as a partially submerged bold serif-faced ‘O’, or even possibly a dipped elongated donut, but no matter how you describe it, the newly opened Sheraton Hushou Hot Spring Resort is not your average looking hotel.
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