Collection by Ronald Dean Nolen
Favorites
The motto for the Panorama Glass Lodge states "Where the sky is," which works as a fitting descriptor for the design of this cozy 248-square-foot vacation cabin. Thanks to the glass panels that wrap around a strategically placed bed, the bright dancing lights of the aurora can be viewed from the most comfortable spot.
Inspired by the surrounding landscape of chestnut trees, rocky hillside, and bubbling stream, Portuguese architecture firm 3r Ernesto Pereira chose to blend into, and take advantage of, the local geography rather than fight against it at this sleek, modern home near the coastal city of Porto. At a cost of €100,000 (approximately $125,000) and measuring about 140 square meters, this stunning, wood-and-glass retreat took about four months to construct.
Architect Tom Kundig’s assignment was simple enough: Build a tiny, Thoreau-like getaway for an Atlanta-based writer who owned ten acres on San Juan Island in Puget Sound. "The idea was not to clutter anybody’s thinking, especially a writer’s," he said. So he designed a 500-square-foot retreat that’s both womblike and open to its surroundings.
Originally designed in 1957 by SOM partner Roy O. Allen, this four-bedroom, three-bathroom house in Briarcliff Manor has been meticulously restored, while many of its original midcentury design details have been preserved and even emphasized. In fact, much of the design is reminiscent of the work of midcentury luminaries like Ludwig Mies van Der Rohe and Philip Johnson.
Two trunk-like columns support an aluminum-and-zinc-clad home in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains designed by architect Craig Steely. With an intention to disrupt as few oak trees on the dense site as possible, Steely built the glass-walled house to nestle against the steep hillside. Visitors access the entrance from above, descending to the living spaces via a native grass-covered roof.
Atop a ridge in the Santa Lucia Preserve, Halls Ridge Knoll guest house takes advantage of passive design opportunities in its temperate climate. Expansive windows provide natural lighting throughout, while a broad overhang shades interiors from the summer sun. Sliding doors and operable windows use the prevailing winds for natural ventilation, and provide expansive views of the surrounding mountain range.