eyebrow raise

The fireplace is a salute to midcentury-modern design. Brick is used both here in the living room and in the den.

Beams of morning sunlight fill the living area thanks to tall windows that run the length of the room.

A dumb waiter connects the pantry and parking area.

Designed by Luis, the house flows openly to the outdoors. Materials on the roof include concrete, flat clay tiles, curved terra-cotta tiles, steel, and glass. “This project is all about layering—juxtaposing techniques, materials, and textures,” says Luis. The charred wood on the second-story facade is a twist on traditional yakisugi. “Instead of cedar, it’s made of reclaimed wood from pallets used to ship cars across the Atlantic,” says the architect.

But the views work both ways -- the atrium glows at night, creating a sense of warmth from the garden into the glazed space.

The 50-degree pitch of the rear facade is evident in a side view.

The new main bedroom is a relaxing sanctuary—perfect for hardworking farmers.

Rifugio Capanna Regina Margherita is the highest-altitude building in Europe, at 14,941 feet. It opened in 1893, one of the oldest refuges for hikers in the Italian Alps. It was prefabricated by the Italian Alpine Club in the valley and transported to the top of the mountain in pieces. The hut’s dedicatee, Queen Margherita of Savoy, was carried up for the opening.

Climbers ascending to Bivacco Gervasutti.

A lofted drawing studio features a sawtooth roof with expansive skylights that frame the branches of a jacaranda tree overhead.