Cool Houses

[Mike]

Now this house by Torafu is just COOL! Nice form, nice material, nice interior though my only critisism of the whole thing is the rather bland furnishings. The internal aspect of the house seems quite sterile by comparison with the rest of the building which is odd.

[mr_e]

Looks like a decent, simple design. Can't really take the shelving with you if you move: it also said it was single story, but then where do the stairs lead?

Doubt anything like this would get planning permission in most of the UK. Neighbours would be having fits.

[Mike]

Wood House by Ondrej and Josef Chybik is a new series of houses along a river bank. I have not heard of the architects before but their stuff looks good!

[Mike]

Lace Apartments by Ofis Architects is an interesting design idea using laminated cladding panels. The colours are very strong and striking on this project and some of their design drawings are very, very crisp and slick. I don't think I have seen a drawing that I have liked that much for a long time. On the building itself the depth of the facade lends the building quite a strength of character that is not found too often in designs. Building built tend to utilise a pragmatic flush profile for all windows and reveals that make the buildings look slightly flat. Not a problem here!

[Mike]

15sqm House by Sweedish Architect Jonas Wagell who has been dubbed as one of 50 hottest new Architects in the Wallpaper Magazine in 2008. This was designed in response to a new law in Sweeden where you are able to build a 15sqm house without requiring plannign permission. Nice idea!

[Mike]

Hotel De Reposo is quite raw but is very beautiful!

[Mike]

Another cool house in Platform Arquitectura

[Mike]

Artechnic Architects have produced what has to be one of the most beautiful houses I have ever seen. This type of Dinari-esq loop structure where the walls, floor and ceiling are one continuous form is often replicated but infrequently done as well. I love love to design or own a house a beautiful as this. . . saves on the old decorating too, after all you don't have to paint the inside of the concrete (or put up some wall paper!).

From an Architect's perspective the drawings don't really show how you deal with the technical detail of waterproofing (more spec really) and dealing with insulation. I do know that you can insulate solid concrete but it is rather expensive. I think this house must have had a practically unlimited budget to be done this well. It would have been ace to see the 'Construction Issue' to see how much detail the Architect went into. The only down side with this type of design (where the furniture is bespoke) you can't just pop to the local shop and get a painting or a chair. It just will not go!

I have included some images below and picked out what I consider to be the best images.

[mr_e]

Roof and exterior walls (entrance): Exposed concrete with penetrative sealer and heat insulating paint finish
Ceiling and interior walls: Expanded hard urethane form t=60mm with synthetic resin with vermiculite material spray finish
Ceiling and interior walls (entrance): Heat insulating paint finish

Lifted from the article with regard to the insulation. Don't know how effective the heat-insulating paint will be though.

Otherwise, the building is looking pretty damn fine, especially seeing as it's a weekend villa. They can probably afford to heat it by burning pandas or something, as it doesn't look like cost's a major issue.

[Mike]

I sort of meant drawings. . . . the description is okay but I like to see what they drew to communicate that short line into a real building. I always wonder what is drawn to get the wonderful buildings and what is due to conversations on site etc. One day I may find out. . .

[Mike]

Zero Carbon Home revealed in Kent. This is a really nice home. I think that the texture and warmth of the internal materials is good and the only downside is the rather clumbsy feeling interal rooms. The internal rooms feel like they need to be less square and grating against the vaulted ceiling. Here are some nice images.

[Mike]

Jo Nagasaka creates a dumpster like house called Paco. The concept is very Japanese miniature living but I liked the idea that it could be installed next to a beech etc. Here are some of the images. I don't like the shower.

[Mike]

This Nuclear War Bunker House is just way cool! I would not want to live without sunshine but never the less this is now an impressive home. When it was first bought off the US government the place was 3/4 filled with ground water and a total mess. Now that must have taken some fixing. Apparently the retractable missile roof has broken with age!

The original missile!


The house

[Mike]

House of Inclusion by Japanese architects. This house has some beautiful materials, however, I don't think that I particularly like the high wall surrounding it. There is cutting out the world and being obsessive!

[Mike]

Egg-O House by 69 Architects. Don't know much about this house but it does look rather nice. It would not work in the UK as there is a massive area of glass there. With so much glass it would generate a huge heating bill. Nice concept I think you would all agree, the garden at the centre of the house is a nice touch as it is private and puts some nature right into the core. You would have to work very hard to keep the grass cut and neat though. At least when my yard gets overgrown I can ignore it for a couple of months!