Exterior

“Unfinished House is a two bedroom, two bathroom 1,400 square foot home in Canada that is a prototype for panelized prefabricated construction with a high-performance envelope,” says Workshop Architecture. “Panelized prefab means that instead of being framed on site, the house comes flat-packed on a truck, a jigsaw puzzle of 8-to-16 foot-wide pieces that have the structure, insulation, and vapor barrier all pre-assembled.”

Upon install, the visual effect of the shou sugi ban could be fully appreciated. “Its black and charcoal texture was much richer than black stained cedar, and was both matte and silvery under various lighting conditions,” says Hale. “Its charred surface also lends a softness to the form of the building.”

Lake|Flato designed a weekend home on North Fork, Long Island, that references the rustic agricultural structures dotting the region. Western red cedar siding stained black makes the home’s three structures recede into the setting.

A taste for art and architecture runs in the family: Julián’s grandfather was the distinguished Argentine architect Alberto Prebisch, who designed the Obelisk and other notable buildings in Buenos Aires.

Watercolour perspective of Ao Marama Retreat by Common Space.

The retreat sits on an exposed high point giving it views of the forest, Bay of Plenty coastline, and city lights of Tauranga in the distance. "This exposure is part of what causes strong winds to buffet it,

The hardy exterior cladding needed to cope with cows grazing in the paddock around the hut.

The three attached structures house an office, guest suite, and game room, used by the family to watch football games.

A sedum roof spans the entire extension giving a beautiful view from the first floor bedrooms. The sedum roof also acts to encourage biodiversity and collect rainwater.

"Fantastically secluded, the house is surrounded by rolling countryside,

The “Casita” gave the family 1,095 square feet of extra space, and has multiple functions, including flexible space for guests, a home office where they can host firm meetings, and an exercise area with a traditional Finnish sauna.

The view from the courtyard at the Casita, added in 2020.