* Residential Architecture: House in Monasterios by Ramon Esteve

Residential Architecture: House in Monasterios by Ramon Esteve: “..The house is located in an elevated area, from which it dominates a hillside leading down to the sea. This view marks the direction the walls will take and, in an abstract form, define the project. The house is structured as a compaction of volumes of varying heights, and the form established by the main walls..The articulating space volume of this sequence is obtained from opening courts and patios in the central space of the house. A series of open courtyards are formed, covered in its perimeter like an atrium, in search of the access to the house, obtaining different perceptions of the house..The views from any point intersect and are never interrupted along the permeable sequence at the end of which, limited between glass membranes, is the lobby. Thus, it creates an approach path that exposes the more intimate side of the house so that, once inside, you discover the long views over the hillside to the sea..Among the great defining walls, the space is closed with large glass panels protected with wooden movable planes, graduating the closing level of each piece..The housing program is focused very clearly in the direction marked by the walls, and volumes depend on the spatial hierarchy of spaces. Two wooden emerging volumes, materialized by the chimneys, mark the counterpoint to the horizontality that defines the entire house..”  Extensive glazing, natural light, views; interesting fenestration, interior details and materiality..

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image: © Mayte Piera; article: ”House in Monasterios / Ramon Esteve” 09 May 2013. ArchDaily

* Residential Architecture: De Wet 34 House by SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects

Residential Architecture: De Wet 34 House by SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects: “..The site is positioned in the heart of Bantry Bay in Cape Town, South Africa, on the slopes of Lion’s Head overlooking the bay. The brief was to create a home with all the spectacle of an Atlantic Seaboard showpiece but also to respond to the practical needs of family life and to create a feeling of sanctuary..Built over four floors, the living areas are open-plan yet have distinct identities. A minimalist weathered redwood and grey-shale street façade opens on to a sculptural arrival courtyard which in turn leads to an entrance gallery. Dramatic volume, far-reaching views, sculpture and raw textures – rock, timber, concrete – are the cornerstones of this house, designed to form a canvas for the setting and develop a patina over time..The Family room, placed on the mountain side of the courtyard garden, provides for cocooned living while the double volume Living and Dining area on the sea side is more dramatic, with its rippling concrete feature fireplace wall and commanding views. This ocean fronting section is a soaring space anchored by concrete and rock – a five-tonne cocktail bar of rough-hewn granite holds down one side of the living space. Although sea-oriented, with the pool terrace to the west, the main Living area also opens onto the courtyard garden on the east, with access to both by the way of sliding glass doors which open up so completely that it’s little more than a roofed outdoor space..One descends through a double volume ‘under water’ atrium to the Bedroom floor and down another level to the Guest and Playroom areas..The interiors create an emotional and sensory journey when moving through the house. Furnishings are minimal and lines are kept simple & neutral. By utilising a restrained and raw base of textures and finishes, the décor feels natural and subtly organic; the overall ambiance is one of calm and serenity. Colour is kept to a bare minimum; the interior works predominantly with a light and shade tonal range, allowing views of the mountain, the ocean and sky, and also the artwork to introduce colour..”  Extensive glazing, natural light, views; interesting form, interior volumes, details and materiality; indoor / outdoor sensibility..

See our posts on other homes by SAOTA:

• Residential Architecture: Cove 6 House by Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects (SAOTA)
• Residential Architecture: Plett 6541+2 House by SAOTA
• Residential Architecture: Glen 2961 House by SAOTA and Three 14 Architects
• Residential Architecture: 6th 1448 Houghton ZM House by SAOTA and Antoni Associates
• Residential Architecture: Voelklip House by SAOTA and ANTONI ASSOCIATES
• Residential Architecture: Montrose House by SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects
• Residential Architecture: Nettleton 198 House by Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects (SAOTA)
• Residential Architecture: Victoria 73 House by SAOTA and Antoni Associates
• Residential Architecture: La Lucia House by SAOTA and Antoni Associates

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image: © Adam Letch; article: ”De Wet 34 / SAOTA – Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects” 06 May 2013. ArchDaily

* Residential Architecture: 128G Cairnhill Road by RichardHO Architects

Residential Architecture: 128G Cairnhill Road by RichardHO Architects: “..Our initial survey of the property revealed the building’s good bones. The house’s original condition was quite good but its configuration did not suit modern living. A primary concern was that the kitchen and bathrooms were located at the back of the house, away from activities of the living and dining rooms and inappropriate for entertaining..We retained the building envelope and reconfigured the layout to create a single, seamless living-dining-kitchen volume, taking special care to maintain the hierarchy of space so central to the design of pre-war shop house. The resultant scheme is a distinctly modern take on a traditional shop house. It received an instant stamp of approval from the owners. “I love the fact that when you enter, you can see straight through the back, but know that the various areas are designed for specific purposes,” says the owner..To recreate the shop house essence, we redefined two characteristic features of shop house architecture – the skylight and the air well. To emphasise the importance of this space as the fulcrum of the house, we introduced a water feature and koi pond and made the staircase wind around this water feature. Where the air well was once exposed to the elements, it is now equipped with a retractable glass roof and independently operated blinds that reflect 75 percent of the heat back into the atmosphere, keeping the internal temperature comfortable. Depending on the extent to which the blinds are retracted, the time of the day and the intensity of the sun, the shaft of light streaming in casts shadows in varied patterns. On moonlit nights, the glass roof can be fully retracted to take in the view..The second storey has one wing housing the master bedroom and ensuite bathroom, and the other containing the nursery and daughter’s bedroom. We custom-designed and installed a series of child safety doors at strategic locations, which can be removed once the owner’s daughter comes of age. The master bedroom is a self contained volume reminiscent of a luxury hotel suite: a divider at the entrance doubles up as the bed’s headboard, while a bank of wardrobe in a high-gloss white finish lines walls on either side. The piece de resistance is the master bathroom, with its view of lush greenery that whisks one away from the hustle and bustle of city life..The guest room on the attic level functions as the owners study when there are no visitors. Here, an enormous 4m high glass door and glass wall are used in place of the usual timber and brick counterparts. We wanted to enhance the sense of space. If you open the door, air can flow through and ventilate the space. Our rationale resonated well with the client, who picked this as his favourite room in the house. The room is large with high ceilings and a real ‘loft’ feel. “Sitting at my desk, I can look down into the kitchen and my family room”, says the owner. A surprise awaits intrepid visitors who make the journey all the way up to the rooftop: an outdoor terrace with an infinity edge pool and a panorama of green, the same view shared by the master bathroom..This is one of the most contemporary shop houses we have done so far. But it has the unmistakable feel of a shop house, because we do not believe in creating space in a conserved house that do not have memories of its past. It would be like a person with amnesia. The owner agrees. “I love the clean feel and while the house is very modern, there is no question about its origins:, he says. Asked if the house suits his family’s needs, the owner replies, “Very much so. There are spaces we can do things as a family, and there are spaces we can do things separately. It is great for entertaining but also quite intimate at the same time.”..”   Extensive glazing, natural light, privacy, garden views; interesting interior volumes, details; historical, social and contextual sensibility..

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image: © Vineyard Production; article: ”128G Cairnhill Road / RichardHO Architects” 17 Apr 2013. ArchDaily

* Residential Architecture: Lavaflow 7 – Mayer/Penland House by Craig Steely Architecture

Residential Architecture: Lavaflow 7 – Mayer/Penland House by Craig Steely Architecture: “..the dense ohia forests on hawaii‘s big island is home to countless species of plants and wildlife, as well as the ‘lavaflow 7 – mayer/penland house’ by local practice craig steely architecture. the linear one-storey home is based around a continuous concrete beam measuring 140 feet long, 48 inches tall and 12 inches wide, that runs the span of the entire dwelling. it is supported by three cast-in-place concrete vertical partitions that separate the public and private program and allow the glazing to take on larger proportions that create an invisible threshold between interior and exterior spaces. a swimming pool bisects the living area perpendicularly creating an outdoor courtyard that separates the living room from the bedrooms and kitchen. large retractable glass walls also allow the user to connect with the ideal climatic environment with a series of patios and small verandas and overhanging wooden roof structure that shades the inside from direct sunlight..”  Extensive glazing, natural light, views; extensive wood interiors..

image: © bruce damonte, courtesy of craig steely architecture; article: Designboom

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