Perched in the hills above Silver Lake, the Lee Residence is the personal home of the founding principals of leeMundwiler Architects.
The clients also prioritized the use of local materials, labor, and products while preserving as much natural stone as possible.
Remarkable for its walls of triple-glazed glass, Snorre Stinessen Architecture’s Ejford Cabin straddles two stone ridges on northern Norway’s Hallvardøy Island. Perched on a concrete slab, it intentionally capitalizes upon passive solar conditions and features thick insulation to minimize energy output.
The sauna interior is lined with hygroscopic aspen slats. One-way glass separates the sauna from the hallway and provides views out into the landscape.
"It’s actually a beautiful love story," says Stinessen. "These two people met at a grown-up age, each having their own children, and live on opposite sides of the country—Frode lives in Tromsø, Tone in Elverum—but this project became their place to meet and spend as much time together as possible." The couple recently married, and they spent their honeymoon at the Efjord Cabin.
The north side of the cabin is mostly closed off for privacy.
Set on a concrete slab, the site-built cabin is strategically oriented to take advantage of passive solar conditions. Triple-glazed windows and thick insulation help reduce energy demands.
When Frode Danielsen invited his then-girlfriend Tone Beathe Øvrevoll on a holiday to Hallvardøy Island in northern Norway, little did he know that she would fall so deeply in love with the area that they would spend the next two years putting down roots on the remote island. With the support of Danielsen’s family (who lived nearby) and the design expertise of award-winning architect Snorre Stinessen, the couple dove headfirst into creating the retreat of their dreams.
House in the Landscape floor plan
The bottom level maximizes indoor-outdoor living with access to the garden juxtaposed with a contemporary fireplace.
When looking to add an ADU to their backyard in Highland Park, Oni Lazarus and her partner Didi went with Cover’s turnkey offering. The Los Angeles–based prefab builders managed every step, giving the couple an idyllic, indoor/outdoor rental unit that capitalizes on sunny Southern California weather.
The black facade of the Yatabes’ house may turn a darkly futuristic face to its suburban block, but behind it the house is full of light. In Saitama, a tightly packed neighborhood near Tokyo, the black metal screen affords the family privacy without sacrificing outdoor space.
