Rather than a lush garden, the architect opted for a singular green expression. This was done by planting a sole Caesalpinia ferra tree at the atrium - a natural sculptural at the heart of the home.
Stone stairs on the perimeter of a main courtyard ascend to a rooftop garden. Large windows on the other side of the living area overlook an enclosed water feature with a statue of a monk.
A peaceful corner of Casa Meleku.
Architectural designer Sebastian Mariscal and project manager Jeff Svitak created a house in Venice, California, for Michael and Tamami Sylvester. Known as Dwell Home Venice for its role as an exemplification of modern architecture, the house is an homage to indoor-outdoor living. Photo by Coral von Zumwalt.
The west patio
Fashion designer Josie and her husband Ken Natori are big fans of traditional Japanese architecture, so when Brooklyn-based practice Tsao & McKown Architects designed their home in Pound Ridge, New York, they used a heavy, exposed-timber structure, and included Japanese-style gardens and landscaping.
Chickens foraging in an enclosed garden with vertical planters.
Sunken Garden
The view from the indoor pool.
Tombs are erected as monuments to those buried beneath them, but they can also be places for people to reflect more generally. In an isolated village cemetery towards the foothills of the Dolomites, Carlo Scarpa composed a mausoleum of such poetic proportions that it communes with all who enter it.
The steel-framed doors fully open to the courtyard, maximizing indoor/outdoor living space on the small lot.
On an undulating stretch of California coastline, a hidden guesthouse runs free of the grid. "The house is elemental," says project architect Dan Weber of Santa Barbara–based firm Anacapa, who collaborated on the project with designer Steve Willson. "We endeavored to make it out of materials that would wear and take on a patina over time, so they could feel like part of the landscape." Unfinished steel, board-formed concrete, and glass continue inside, where rich black walnut—used for ceilings, cabinetry, and furniture—provides an inviting contrast. "On a foggy day, you want that feeling of warmth around you," says Margaret. Brass fixtures complement the deep-hued wood.
In the wintertime, the living room is cozy and welcoming with its large fireplace and warm lighting.
To most eyes, Ezequiel Farca’s 1970s-style concrete home in Mexico City looked like a teardown. Even the lot itself—shallow and crammed against a steep hillside—wasn’t particularly alluring. But Farca saw through all the restraints to create a spa-like refuge in one of the world’s most energetic cities. "It’s is such a hectic place. You’re bombarded by so much information the moment you step into the streets," says Farca, who first gained prominence as a furniture and interior designer. "So we envisioned this house as a retreat, a kind of a temple." The rooftop courtyard is lined with a verdant mix of indigenous plants, including banana trees, palm trees, lion’s claw, Mexican breadfruit, and native vines. The chaise longues were designed for Farca’s EF Collection.
Photo caption: The wall beneath the stairs of this Beverly Hills home holds hidden storage, including an Enomatic wine dispenser and Sub-Zero refrigerated drawers.
Light-pink built-ins flank one wall of the bedroom, providing storage and a bit of fun flair.
On San Juan island, Pole Pass is an intimate waterfront retreat built to serve as a gathering space that takes advantage of the temperate Pacific Northwest summers.
The corrugated metal walls carry inside at special moments, such as in the master bedroom.
The master bedroom.
Bathed in west-facing light, the master bedroom includes a large window (also created in the shape of the roof) with views of the rear garden.
Per the client's brief, the master bedroom is separated from the master bath and closets.
Sleeping Room
Karen and Stephen made their bed using wood from an old weathered deck. A quilt by Karen hangs above it. The wall lamps are by Artemide, the bedcover is from North Shore Linens, and the antique bench is from China.
The bedroom doubles as the living area.
The firm relocated the master bedroom to foster privacy, and it is joined by an en-suite bathroom and private study, seen down the hallway. "Black Laminate was used as the finish for the wall paneling, and provided concealed storage behind the master bed," says the firm. "This black laminate continues around all exterior surfaces of the master en-suite, powder room, and study joinery, to form a ‘black pod’ of sorts."
Even the bedrooms integrate the outdoor spaces into the design.
A window nook is used as a study desk in the bedroom.
Every room of the house is light, bright, and comfortable to be in.
The chandelier in one of the bedrooms is by David Weeks.
A long window frames panoramic views of the setting beyond.
Sitting on the edge of Puertos de Beceite national park in Aragon, Spain, is Casa Solo Pezo, the first property in the Solo Office collection of cutting-edge, architect-designed vacation rentals.
Designed by the award-winning and MoMA-exhibited Chilean architects at Pezo Von Ellrichshausen, Casa Solo Pezo features a large concrete square structure that's set on top of a smaller concrete square base.
Light streams into the bedroom through walls of floor-to-ceiling glass. The windows are triple-glazed, creating a tight, eco-friendly seal.
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