Architecture

In addition to reconstructing an open living room, Loft Szczecin had to subdivide four smaller spaces to create privacy in the expansive warehouse.

A food-service area with a bar is a defining feature.

To further connect the indoor spaces with the New England landscape outside, glass walls in the living and dining areas slide open to eliminate the barriers between indoors and outdoors. Green slate tiles compose the flooring inside.

People frequently talk about "good bones" when it comes to purchasing a home, but it's not crystal clear what that actually means. Here, we walk you through the process of spotting a diamond in the rough.

A view from the foyer into the living room, which features shelves of varying heights, shows the interplay of the bamboo-veneered plywood used throughout the house and the natural light.

“This house is actually quite demanding; you have to be committed.”—Resident Nathalie Vandemoortele

Masahiro and Mao Harada of Mount Fuji Architects Studio wanted to break with the traditional definition of a house when they designed this small Tokyo home. They achieved their goal by using the same material for the ceiling, the walls, and the floor, creating a space that flows beautifully. Photo by Ryota Atarashi.

Imai House by Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates “These windows were positioned in front of the children’s bedroom to give them their own personal scenery,” says Sasaki. Photo provided by Katsutoshi Sasaki + Associates

In contrast to the dark exterior, the interior is made of white concrete with aggregates of dolomite rock.

Western red cedar siding makes up the home's exterior. Salvaged pine beams are also integrated into the palette.

Each hut consists of two bedrooms with double beds, a small alcove, bathroom, shower, and small kitchen. Stinessen made sure to provide enough built-in storage for visitors, while also keeping the surfaces natural and raw.

The house was designed to be lightweight for easier transport. The timber frame includes LVL components, with steel used only where needed for subfloor columns and window lintels.

The architects maintained the midcentury post-and-beam construction and Japanese-inspired details of the original building, while brightening and expanding the interior living spaces.

Unlike the north-facing side of the home, the south-facing facade is completely windowless and opaque, with the exception of an outdoor hearth built directly into its side. The lounge chairs are from IKEA, and the MacNellys sourced the slate flagstones and gravel surrounding the home from a local quarry.

Here, the material palette continues: Plywood makes up the deep window frames, built-in shelving, and wall panels, which have been cut into gently jagged, unconventional forms.

Opacity defines the north facade, composed mostly of brick.

For the deck that overlooks the backyard, they installed LED Outdoor Floodlights. Shown here is their third-floor office that looks out to these outdoor spaces.