The new dining area takes shape via a pair of IKEA floating shelves installed below the glass block window, which Xu and Becker painted blue along with the other window sills. "Once the blue paint was on, it really made the frame glow with natural light,
A Go-Box can be transported to different locations easily, making it an ideal alternative for "van life
Jeff Waldman and Molly Fiffer built this 200-square-foot cabin on the site of their 10-acre property in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Their previous cabin, which they also built by hand, was destroyed in a forest fire in 2020.
One side of the building contains two simple bedrooms and a bathroom. The other, larger side houses the open-plan living area, kitchen, covered deck with fireplace, and additional bedroom.
The deck-hallway that runs the length of the building is partially covered, but the decking boards and inset fiberglass door panels allow air and light to penetrate. The architects wanted to suggest that moving between the different living spaces involved a trip through nature, as it does in traditional camping.
It was essential that the home felt nestled into the landscape, rather than perched on the edge of the dramatic clifftop site. “My client had commissioned a house design that was rejected by members of his family—the formidable force that is his sisters,” says architect Belinda George. “They felt the site deserved a more considered approach. As I had worked for Tom before on more urban projects, he asked me to design a bach for him and his family. He wanted it to feel relaxed and connected to the land.”
Designed for off-grid functionality out of necessity, the self-sufficient bach that Herbst Architects designed for their friend is a stellar getaway on New Zealand’s Great Barrier Island. Clad in cedar, the modestly sized abode embraces outdoor living and views of the Pacific Ocean.
In Lorne, Victoria, Austin Maynard Architects gave an old shack near the beach a modern revamp and a timber extension that allows for elevated sea views. With interiors lined in recycled Silvertop Ash, the house oozes a cozy, cabin-like feel.
A crooked little fisherman cottage gets a new lease on life in the hands of owners Jamie Kwong and his wife, Ingrid, who renovate the seaside shack with an eco-friendly approach that includes recycled and repurposed materials wherever possible. Located across the bay from Australia’s Palm Beach, the Little Black Shack has been made available to rent for your next dream vacation getaway.
The build team added 25,000 pounds of concrete and lead to ensure ballast, or that the house would be level on the waves. “It’s a tiny home, so you have all the same things you would worry about in a tiny home, but with this added challenge of having to be as stable as possible,” says David.
The sofa flips into a comfortable queen-sized bed. “We’d rather have the space be mostly available for hanging out, but able to convert when we need to," says David.
Concrete floors were polished a few extra times to reveal the pebbles and stones for a terrazzo-esque effect.
Wood panelling brings a warmth to the concrete-and-white space.
Staircase with rift-sawn white oak handrails and pour-in-place terrazzo in green.
Day time facade looking straight on: A private residence in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, with its perforated brick facade being devised by programmatic needs.
The Cotage
