Collection by Chad Johnstone
Escapes
Homes away from home that will provide you an escape from reality and some peace of mind.
On the more high-tech end are renderings, which were historically done by hand but now are often done on a computer. Whereas architectural drawings provide a flat, orthographic view, renderings provide a more three-dimensional understanding of a space. Renderings can really help those who have trouble visualizing spaces, because they can be so refined and carefully done that they almost resemble photographs.
With design aesthetics akin to the mid-century modern movement in the united states, this exceptional home is perched atop the iconic Queenstown Hill and boasts incredible views. Complete with meticulously manicured grounds, five spacious bedrooms and a fully equipped modern kitchen, this residence is quintessential Queenstown living.
Floor-to-ceiling windows enclose the living and dining space, flooding the room with sunlight. This warmth is retained by a radiant heating system in the concrete floor, which significantly reduces heating requirements during the night. The exterior features a concrete skirt that’s impermeable to snow pack moisture, and weathering steel panels that are resistant to brush fires.
Cedar slats mark the facade of Floating House, Doug and Becca Worple's lake house in Ontario. The architects, MOS, chose materials and shapes that wouldn’t stand out. “They’re really simple, almost Platonic forms,” principal Michael Meredith says. The modest cabin has boat, a gabled roof and a cladding of untreated cedar, a material that shows up on docks and homes along Georgian Bay. “Allowing the buildings to weather seems the right thing to do,” Sample says. And it’s ready for winter: Sliding barn doors seal the place up as an impenetrable box.