Cabin

The project was completed entirely remotely. Since then, the husband-and-wife team have moved back to Santiago, where they had met as young architects working for local firms.

Whether it’s cross-country skiing in the winter or trail running in the summer, the 330-foot home’s minimalist design encourages Catherine to be outside in the surrounding landscape throughout the year.

This rugged holiday home in Outer Hebrides, designed by Izat Arundell, was created with stone sourced from its small isle.

Blue Sky Building Systems was chosen because its steel structure could be customized to fit the frame of this highly specific home.

Since moving in three years ago, the family has adapted to the smaller size of the home, especially as the children have become teenagers. “There's a shed outside that was for our gardening tools and surf boards and stuff, and we've just converted that into a living room for them,” says Maclean.

Almo Troup repurposed nearly all of the materials from a tumbledown shack to create a dreamy, minimalist workspace in his backyard.

The couple took advantage of numerous municipal programs when landscaping the backyard. Mandy recently completed a free course through LADWP, who also promotes resources for the SoCal Turf Replacement Program, to become a certified California Native Plant Landscape: “There is an amazing amount of knowledge and resources for transitioning yards with more native/drought-tolerant plants through LADWP and the Theodore Payne Foundation,” says Mandy.

Built using the prefabricated Blue Sky and IT House systems, the residence comes with a guesthouse, a sparkling lap pool, and 10 wooded acres.

A variety of factors—the site, the topography, the dramatic cantilever above the water—led to the home’s specific square shape and position on the site.

The home features a combination of interior and exterior living spaces that afford privacy to the occupants. “There are social spaces for everyone to be together, but also spots outside the building where people can have a private coffee—and that’s so important,” says architect Line Solgaard.

There are three base models and eight variations of Collective Home prefabs, and clients are welcome to slightly modify them to suit their needs.