In Montara, California, architect Michael Maltzan designed a home for, his sister and
brother-in-law. From certain vantage points, the home’s unique angles result in M.C. Escher–like optical illusions.
When Abbie and Bill Burton hired Marmol Radziner to design their prefab weekend home, their two requests were “simple-simple, replaceable materials,” says Abbie—such as concrete floors (poured offsite in Marmol Radziner's factory) and metal panel siding—and “the ability to be indoors or outdoors with ease.” Deep overhangs provide shade and protection from rain, so the Burtons can leave their doors open year-round and hang out on their 70-foot-long deck even in inclement weather. They visit the house once a month, usually for a week at a time, with Vinnie and Stella, their rescue Bernese Mountain dogs. Their two adult children occasionally join them. The couple hopes to one day retire here.
Modern Fan Company’s Cirrus Hugger models help the breeze along. She had low-level Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances as well as pop-up vents installed in the kitchen so there’s nothing at eye level.
The wall and floor tile in the bathroom is from Statements Tile. The fixtures are Kohler.
In the master bedroom, a small, cramped closet was replaced with a wardrobe that is partially obscured by a slatted wooden screen that was built by Metalworks & Design Studio of Seattle. "The idea was you see through it, so in a sense it doesn't feel like a small space," Smith says.
A wood-lined outdoor shower adds a modern touch to one of the decks.
The family room, on the second story of the old building, is a place for gathering and relaxing. Behind the balcony doors, the room is accented by Modernica Case Study V-Leg daybed and BluDot ottomans and coffee table.
Designer Jonathan Adler and his partner Simon Doonan, an author and creative in his own right, own a getaway house on New York’s Shelter Island. The colorful abode, a one-story house and pool pavilion designed by Gray Organschi Architecture, has a seventies California feel that was created by the homeowners themselves, including this relaxing poolside retreat with a chair swing.
Photo courtesy of Allan Maldonado
Nicole Hollis designed this contemporary home in Hawaii for a couple who were Southern California natives that fell for the coast of Kona long ago. The home boasts indoor/outdoor living that’s complete with a relaxing bench swing to enjoy the Hawaiian breeze.
Photo courtesy of Laure Joliet
The Parsonsons' dog takes a breather.
A second green roof is planted with sedum and plays host to one of the family’s favorite spots: a hammock. Bentheim suggested adding a trellis overhead to soften and balance the appearance of the facade.
The kitchen and dining area opens onto a patio. Photo by Ken Pagliaro Photography.
The Bullitt Center, a self-sustaining building collects rainwater and relies on renewable energy and solar power to generate it's electricity opened in Seattle, Washington on Earth Day, April 22, 2013. Photo credit: Brad Kahn
Through an integral relationship between use, form, and material, the Low/Rise House responds sensitively to site, nature, and neighborhood, creating a new type of suburban living – both urban and rural.
Ornamenting the eastern facade of the Sunrise House, slotted windows set in one-foot thick walls introduce light into the home without inviting in excessive amounts of heat.
A view of the house from the front. Photo by Ken Pagliaro Photography.
Redesigning the cramped bathroom was one of the project’s biggest challenges. The original space had small and dated bath fittings, as well as intrusive plumbing pipework. The entire bathroom was taken down to the studs and pipes were redirected. The chimney was removed from the adjacent bedroom, increasing the available interior space. The tile floor in the bathroom is the only new flooring in the entire house.
Another view of the upstairs hallway, which features bamboo flooring. Photo by Ken Pagliaro Photography.
The relationship between interior and exterior becomes crucial in the articulation of the residence.