Who doesn’t dream of building their own tiny woodland getaway? This dreamy cabin in Topanga Canyon, California, was designed and built by designer Mason St. Peter. The whole venture was sparked by an invitation to his friends’ cabin on the property and the prompting of the property owner to build a day use studio out of leftover and available materials. Continue reading →

This project demonstrates the finest qualities of adaptive reuse…of a former brewery. Built in Berlin over the late 1800s and early 1900s, the building’s five distinct parts were restored and unified by a two-story addition. Julian Breinersdorfer Architekten removed the plaster coating on the original brick facade. With little historical data, recreation of the pre-World War I elements was tricky but successful. Continue reading →

Once the home of a train station master, this expanded Montreal house adapts remarkably to its evolved surroundings. The train tracks have been replaced by an urban park with mature trees. On the east side, the elevated highway addresses the street face of the home. The discreet and sober brick facade hosts a swath of vertical wood slats and limited-in-number windows and doors. Their blackened steel frames enhance the iron tones of the original rusty brick. Continue reading →

Once again, creativity takes limited space to new heights and spatial richness. FRENTE Arquitectura carved a small artist studio in to the plot of a former storage space in Mexico City. In this residential neighborhood, they were restricted to a tiny area of just 27 sq.m. Day light is an artist’s best friend yet worst enemy if it’s too direct and glaring. Their challenge was to maximize useful light, garden views, and the sense of space. Continue reading →

Simple typology extruded to new levels creates a brilliant home focused on spectacular views. Room 11 architects designed this modern residence for a gently sloping coastal site in Port Arthur, Australia. For their semi-retired-couple clients, the home’s design is extremely private at the entrance. Clad in vertically oriented timber, the façade of the triple gabled house is permeated only by an elongated hexagonal window. Black steel track reveals the nearly hidden sliding door. Deep roof overhangs, also clad in wood, cast a dramatic anticipation for those about to enter. Continue reading →

Two stacked and overlapping white rectangles rest on the top of Mount Kamakura in Japan, overlooking Sagami Bay’s stunning vistas. APOLLO Architects & Associates designed the sleek modern home for a husband and wife who left behind the bustling city life of downtown Tokyo. Continue reading →

This secluded weekend retreat in Quebec is all about enjoying the area’s winter sports. YH2 Architecture took cues from its log cabin ancestors in clarity, warmth, and materials to create a modern getaway for all group sizes. Continue reading →

In Charlevoix, Quebec, a modern farmhouse is defined by the subtraction of space. MU Architecture designed the 3,400 sq.ft. family home for an idyllic rolling site overlooking the St. Lawrence River. Based on barn typology, the three-story home is a tall and slender version. Extracting volumes from the rectangle at the entrance and terraces emphasizes the elegant geometry. By changing the metal siding to white cedar these subtractions create a surprising balance, lightness, and harmonious contrast. It’s intriguing how dark siding wraps just one side of the balcony over the entrance. Glass railing protects the river side and maintains the views. Continue reading →

Near McGill University in Montreal, KANVA architects designed an infill project that bridges the past with the present. The site, formerly occupied by a 19th century historic stone home, fell victim to a fire in the early 1900s. Proximity to the university made student housing a logical choice for this urban revitalization project.
In this heritage zone locale, only masonry could be used as an exterior material. Inspired by the past, the architects sought a method for the 9,000 sq.ft. building itself to tell a story. Continue reading →

Elodie Nourrigat et Jacques Brion architectes nestled a dramatic Individual House, comprised of three separate elements, in to a steeply sloped country side in France. At 170 sq.m., the home’s scale is reduced by its site placement and nearly independent elements. Continue reading →