Architecture

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 wildflower roof has reached a sufficient height now that from within the living room and main bathroom grasses and the occasional flower (and occasional cat) can be seen through the circular roof lights,” notes Pile.

The idea for a new 1,722-square-foot house was born when the home's owner spoke to Ziyu Zhuang of RSAA: "Look at the tallest tree that survived in our village. It’s beautiful. It should be seen in this house after it's been rebuilt." And so the design of the home, named Tongling Recluse, evolved around preserving the tree and elements from the old ruins.

Minimally separated by LaCantina walls of glass, the interior white-washed fumed oak flooring flows into the Alaskan yellow cedar deck built at the same elevation.

The existing driveway was rerouted to a lower elevation, and the garage tucked underground so as not to detract from the surrounding views.

The entry is marked by a thin, cantilevered canopy hovering over the front porch.

An overview of the courtyard.

Thanks to a careful renovation that included a handful of preservation challenges, a family's Spanish beach house is given new life—and a big dose of light. Situated along the historic Camí de Ronda footpath in Spain's Costa Brava region, the Es Garbi beach house was renovated by Nook Architects to reflect the light and tranquility of the surrounding Mediterranean landscape, as well as to function as a well-designed family home.

Art House 2.0 Exterior