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Collection by Trentina

Container Homes

Contemporary Container Homes

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"The longer I work as an architect, the more I want to deepen my skills as a gardener," says Yuri Zagorin Alazraki, founder of the Mexico City firm ZD+A. In building his own house in Mexico City’s Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood, his commitment has produced results that appear miraculous. In fact, they grow out of a carefully choreographed series of bravura design moves.
"The longer I work as an architect, the more I want to deepen my skills as a gardener," says Yuri Zagorin Alazraki, founder of the Mexico City firm ZD+A. In building his own house in Mexico City’s Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood, his commitment has produced results that appear miraculous. In fact, they grow out of a carefully choreographed series of bravura design moves.
In the outdoor dining room, wire chairs by Harry Bertoia for Knoll surround a mango wood table made by a local carpenter, Diego Madrazo.
In the outdoor dining room, wire chairs by Harry Bertoia for Knoll surround a mango wood table made by a local carpenter, Diego Madrazo.
The house features several courtyards, conveying an ever-present sense of indoor-outdoor living. Concrete walls are lined with yellow jasmine, and the wall sculpture is taken from Manuel Felguérez’s fence for the National Anthropology Museum.
The house features several courtyards, conveying an ever-present sense of indoor-outdoor living. Concrete walls are lined with yellow jasmine, and the wall sculpture is taken from Manuel Felguérez’s fence for the National Anthropology Museum.
The master bedroom is shaded by exterior slats in cumaru, a sustainable tropical wood. Alazraki designed the custom bed frame.
The master bedroom is shaded by exterior slats in cumaru, a sustainable tropical wood. Alazraki designed the custom bed frame.
A vintage Lightolier pendant and sleek Arclinea cabinets by Antonio Citterio stand out against a wall paneled in reclaimed pine in the kitchen. Seating is a mix of Bertoia wire chairs and armchairs by the Mexican designer Hector Esrawe.
A vintage Lightolier pendant and sleek Arclinea cabinets by Antonio Citterio stand out against a wall paneled in reclaimed pine in the kitchen. Seating is a mix of Bertoia wire chairs and armchairs by the Mexican designer Hector Esrawe.
Architects Simone Carneiro and Alexandre Skaff transformed a cramped São Paulo apartment into a mid-city refuge for Simone Santos. On the terrace, plants, vines, and pergolas form a barrier against the city’s notorious noise and pollution.
Architects Simone Carneiro and Alexandre Skaff transformed a cramped São Paulo apartment into a mid-city refuge for Simone Santos. On the terrace, plants, vines, and pergolas form a barrier against the city’s notorious noise and pollution.
They replaced the tile floor with perobinha, an inexpensive local wood, and enclosed part of the terrace, integrating it into the dining room. J104 chairs by Jørgen Bækmark for Hay are arranged around a freijo wood dining table by Etel Carmona.
They replaced the tile floor with perobinha, an inexpensive local wood, and enclosed part of the terrace, integrating it into the dining room. J104 chairs by Jørgen Bækmark for Hay are arranged around a freijo wood dining table by Etel Carmona.
The living room is furnished with a cherry-red Rest sofa and ottoman by Muuto, a Nest footstool by Foersom & Hjort-Lorenzen for Cane-Line, and a Redondo armchair by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso. A Kast modular storage unit by Maarten Van Severen for Vitra sits under the television.
The living room is furnished with a cherry-red Rest sofa and ottoman by Muuto, a Nest footstool by Foersom & Hjort-Lorenzen for Cane-Line, and a Redondo armchair by Patricia Urquiola for Moroso. A Kast modular storage unit by Maarten Van Severen for Vitra sits under the television.
A Flag Halyard chair by Hans Wegner in long-haired sheepskin occupies one end of the living room.
A Flag Halyard chair by Hans Wegner in long-haired sheepskin occupies one end of the living room.
Perforated concrete blocks in the guest bathroom provide ventilation and discreet views of the patio.
Perforated concrete blocks in the guest bathroom provide ventilation and discreet views of the patio.
SAO Arquitetura designed the bed and the board-formed concrete headboard in Santos’s master bedroom.
SAO Arquitetura designed the bed and the board-formed concrete headboard in Santos’s master bedroom.
In the kitchen, Silestone countertops were installed above custom plywood cabinets finished with automotive paint.
In the kitchen, Silestone countertops were installed above custom plywood cabinets finished with automotive paint.
Rocks that were unearthed while digging the foundation make up the hardscape in the rear, beyond the open porch. “It’s one of my favorite parts of the house,” says resident Laura Sohn. Sanders Pace Architecture finished the exterior in western red cedar treated with Sikkens Cetol.
Rocks that were unearthed while digging the foundation make up the hardscape in the rear, beyond the open porch. “It’s one of my favorite parts of the house,” says resident Laura Sohn. Sanders Pace Architecture finished the exterior in western red cedar treated with Sikkens Cetol.
The metal cladding, inspired by a nearby zinc mine, continues seamlessly onto the house’s roof for a minimalist shed effect. “The drip edge turns to make the wall,” explains architect Brandon Pace, “but changes above the window to accommodate a downspout. Any place where the metal contacts glass, or where you walk underneath, we have an internal gutter.”
The metal cladding, inspired by a nearby zinc mine, continues seamlessly onto the house’s roof for a minimalist shed effect. “The drip edge turns to make the wall,” explains architect Brandon Pace, “but changes above the window to accommodate a downspout. Any place where the metal contacts glass, or where you walk underneath, we have an internal gutter.”
The pavilion concept of this cabin is emphasized by its large roof which also serves as a shelter for rainy days and makes for a greater sense of space.
The pavilion concept of this cabin is emphasized by its large roof which also serves as a shelter for rainy days and makes for a greater sense of space.
The concept of this Scandinavian getaway was simple: To create a cabin that is small and sparse yet spatially rich. The 55-quare-meter (592-square-foot) cabin, commissioned by a private client and completed in 2016, comprises a large living room, bedroom, ski room, and small annex with a utility room. It functions off the water and electricity grids.
The concept of this Scandinavian getaway was simple: To create a cabin that is small and sparse yet spatially rich. The 55-quare-meter (592-square-foot) cabin, commissioned by a private client and completed in 2016, comprises a large living room, bedroom, ski room, and small annex with a utility room. It functions off the water and electricity grids.
Cabin Knapphullet is small cabin inspired by its location nestled between large rocks and low vegetation of the Sandefjord coast in Norway. It is only 323 square feet, but contains an open living space with a bathroom and a mezzanine bed that sleeps two people. Although the building occupies a small footprint, the space expands vertically over four levels including a roof terrace.
Cabin Knapphullet is small cabin inspired by its location nestled between large rocks and low vegetation of the Sandefjord coast in Norway. It is only 323 square feet, but contains an open living space with a bathroom and a mezzanine bed that sleeps two people. Although the building occupies a small footprint, the space expands vertically over four levels including a roof terrace.
Ample windows cut into the north elevation of the Valentine House, behind which live the architects. The openings reveal lofty double-height spaces inside. The ground-floor garage often serves as a shop for architectural model-making.
Ample windows cut into the north elevation of the Valentine House, behind which live the architects. The openings reveal lofty double-height spaces inside. The ground-floor garage often serves as a shop for architectural model-making.

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