Home Reviews

Modern Exteriors

Bear House for Be@rbrick Collectors by Onion Company
Very unusual and interesting project, called Bear House, was realized by the architects of the Onion Company. The house in Cha-Am Beach, Thailand, is built as a tribute to the collectible Bearbrick toy series, produced by the Japanese company Medicom Toy Incorporated. The owners of the house - Sittawat Sahawat and Nipapat Sahawat - are the Thai Be@rbrick collectors. Earlier the house looked as a three-storey building, which needed to be renovated. Now the house looks more like a larger version of the exhibition pavilion of the collectible bears, suitable for human habitation at the same time. An exclusive wardrobe, consisting of many levels and filled with tiny ladders, was designed especially for the collection. The British fashion designer Vivian Westwood and Stash have painted the big bears on the walls of the living-room and of the terrace.

More photos →
  • G+ it
  • Pin it
Share this post
Citrusy freshness for Kindergarten: by RipollTizon
This cheerful building for Consell Kindergarten (Mallorca, Spain) has been incarnated by the architects of the Spanish Office RipollTizon. The building has an unusual Z-shaped form and includes a few classrooms, psychomotor classroom and a dining area with a kitchen. The form of the building was chosen as necessity of creating a connection with the adjacent housing, and opportunity for entering the kindergarten from the main avenue. The coloration of the kindergarten repeats the colors of the groves nearby, where oranges, lemons and limes grow. The classrooms are clustered by two; the clusters have a glazed facade and a porch towards an outdoor playground. The construction protects the terrace against rain. Orientation to the east provides natural daylighting.

More photos →
  • G+ it
  • Pin it
Share this post
Renovated Penthouse with a Slide by David Hotson
We often do not have enough fun in our life. We used to do everything according to the rules and plans. The architect David Hotson decided to remedy this situation by turning the space of renovated 19th-century penthouse in New York City into an amusement park for children and their parents. The first and the most remarkable thing have been added to the four stories building is a silvery tubular slide, made of polished stainless steel, spiraling down through all four stories and giving an exit only on the third floor and then at the very first floor. Of course, it is not the only way to travel between the floors. There is a beautiful white staircase that offers a slower path between floors, where you can enjoy many interesting playful details, including neon furniture and artwork. At the center of the building there is a well-like four-story entry hall that brings daylight down. This penthouse is a really brave architect's decision and a wonderful work of art.

More photos →
  • G+ it
  • Pin it
Share this post
On the Land as Well as on the Sea:  H3 House by 314 Architecture Studio
The inspiration of this extraordinary wonderful project was love for the yachts, which the initiators of the project feel. "H3" is located in a very picturesque place in Athens. The two-floor house was designed by Greek firm 314 architecture studio for single family. The main part of the house, supported by special pillars, 'hovers' over a large swimming pool. Thanks to a large area, the house accommodates a large number of rooms. Garage, technical rooms, a gym and sauna, two bedrooms with private bathrooms designed for guests are located on the first floor. On the second floor, in the lower part of it, there is a dining room and a large living room. These spaces are separated from the terrace by sliding glass partition. On the upper part of the second floor there is the green terraced platform. Inside of the upper console volume, supported by the pillars, there is a bedroom, lounge with exit to the roof, bathroom and cloakroom. The house is eco-friendly and ‘provides energy saving for cooling and heating systems through the means of the coil fan’.

More photos →
  • G+ it
  • Pin it
Share this post
House with a Garden by Durbach Block Jaggers Architects
This house with an unusual architecture is situated in a suburb of Sydney. It has a simple L-shaped plan incarnated by Durbach Block Jaggers Architects. But at the same time, it is full of interesting architectural ideas. Due to the shape of the home, the impression is received as though the house embraces incredibly beautiful garden located in internal court. The most of the windows are oriented to the northern sun and the garden. The facade of the house tilts and lifts in some parts of it, providing light to the ground floor. The house was a winner of Horbury Hunt in Residential Category in 2010 and in 2011 NSW AIA Architecture Award.

More photos →
  • G+ it
  • Pin it
Share this post
House Hafner with Area for Guests by Hornung and Jacobi Architecture
This house ('Hafner') in southern Germany with a total size of 180 sqm is located at the end of an alley facing the beautiful forest and valley. The building was designed for a couple with a requirement to organize an independent area for guests. Achieving the goal became possible due to the slight remodelling of the topography with a difference of 3 meters height. As a result the house was divided into two parts. One part for guests ('extroverted area'): cubic-shaped glazed area with kitchen and dining room. From this opened for seeing area offers a beautiful view of the forest and valley. Whilst the other, private part ('introverted area'), is hidden from view. There are bedroom, bathroom, dressing room and a library are located here. The roof is gabled and repeats the roof shapes, which is common in southern Germany. A green lawn in front of the main entrance is linked to a flight of stairs and the parking lot. This beautiful and unusual project is designed by Hornung and Jacobi Architecture.

More photos →
  • G+ it
  • Pin it
Share this post
X House on the Hill by Cadaval & Solà-Morales
This home is located in the picturesque outskirts of Barcelona, right on the hillside in Cabrils. The architects Cadaval & Solà-Morales have built the house in the shape of the letter X by pursuing several design goals: to provide wonderful spectacular valley views, while avoiding looking towards the neighbors. Moreover, this form proved to be very comfortable and unique. When building the house a rare technique was used, which is regularly used for the infrastructural construction such as bridges and tunnels. The use of high-density concrete allowed to create single-sided formwork of high structural resistance which serves as a structural skin. The access to the house is possible from a streetside, located at the top of the two levels. The X house has two floors and parking zone. We suggest you to look at the wonderful views of interiors and exteriors of the home.

More photos →
  • G+ it
  • Pin it
Share this post
Floating Bridge by Olivier Grossetête
'Pont de Singe' bridge by Olivier Grossetête hovers over the lake in Tatton's Japanese Garden, a historic estate in north-west England, just like a floating gateway, leading into the unknown fairy tale. French artist experiments in the field of design and engineering. The construction consists of three large helium-filled balloons which support the bridge made of cedar wood in the air. Only the ends of the bridge are left to sail on the water. From the words of the artist, his surrealistic creation is designed for contemplation rather than function, though it is strong enough to hold the weight of a person.

More photos →
  • G+ it
  • Pin it
Share this post

clear