outside

A sleek version of the traditional parrilla, or grill, handcrafted by Oficios Asociados, has pride of place on the patio counter. - Buenos Aires, Argentina Dwell Magazine : September / October 2017

Outside, the couple clad the house with a rain screen of 1.5-by-1.5-inch strips of spruce to create a “modern rustic barn.” The extra-deep sills of the first-floor window become a bench on the outside and a shelf on the inside.

This elevation photo of the same house from 1961 shows Cohen's fascination with clean, vertical lines and the influence of Japanese design has had on his work.

The residence is built on the same lot as the William Theisen mansion, a sprawling 20,125-square-foot house that was the largest in Omaha when it was completed in 1983. A family currently resides in the seven-bedroom, five-bathroom house, which features a swimming pool located on the western side of the house.

The house is transformed by inserting a minimalist glass corner into the kitchen. This single move creates a sculptural statement that becomes a foreground element and allows the rest of the house to become background to the glass form.

Aniket Shahane of OA muses, “...the building becomes much more an active participant in the lifecycle of its inhabitants, encouraging them to stay longer, maintain their property, and contribute to a culture that is truly sustainable.”

The house is also Build it Green Certified, beating the sustainability requirements of Title 24 (guidelines issued by the California Energy Commission Building Energy Efficiency Program) by over 50%. The house’s laundry is hooked up to a grey water irrigation system and its gutters drain rain into barrels for reuse. The concrete also incorporates 25% fly ash.

Architect Brian White clad the new second story of his formerly dark and cramped ranch-style home with a black-stained cedar rain screen. The large opaque window lights up the stairwell and the second floor.

This outdoor fireplace in Austin, Texas is generously sized and created out of board-formed concrete, with a spot directly adjacent for firewood storage and a wood shelf running in front for added storage.

The outdoor fire pit.