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Beyond the large, pivoting wooden gate lies the front entry.

The view from the indoor pool.

There, a kitchen and dining area bleed into indoor and outdoor living spaces that have unobstructed views of the city skyline.

The all-timber build helps establish a continuous indoor/outdoor living experience. The interior cross-laminated timber flooring transitions to radiata pine at the outdoor deck.

This uber-green dwelling not only walks the walk, it talks the talk.

The goal for the first floor was to embrace the shade provided by the mature trees, create a rich material moment, and incorporate all of the storage that the family would need.

Park Avenue Prewar Apartment by Michael K. Chen Architecture

The outdoor living space of the Birch Le Collaboration House features a wood-burning fireplace under large, covered porch.

The pool and covered patio sit on the corner opposite of the entrance courtyard. The patio can be accessed through sliding glass doors from both the dining room and kitchen, and the master bedroom. Having lived on the site for so long, designer Jamie Chioco was able to quickly make informed decisions about the design—for example, one of the neighbors uses his backyard for large family gatherings and barbecues, and so it was decided early on to not to have many openings on that facade in order to give both homes privacy.

Surman Weston delivers a contemporary twist on the mock-Tudor style with minimalist interiors and intricate brickwork.

“My brother-in-law is an avid gardener, so pairing rooms with gardens, and experiencing the house as a series of spaces with different relationships to plants and trees, evolved naturally,” explains George.

Given the home’s tight and efficient footprint, the architects sought to use simple materials and strategic moves to delineate different spaces and uses. The lower ceiling height of the living room, for example, distinguishes it from the dining area, which has a taller ceiling.

Large windows and a white bedspread lend an airy atmosphere to a California bedroom in the first home Geremia designed from the group up.

The addition of the antiqued mirrored panels amplifies natural light that the living room receives from the adjacent sunroom.

The concrete hearth at the fireplace has angled sidewalls and a bevelled edge.

The sunken living room is just one of many grade changes inside the structure. “We were adamant that we didn’t want something domestic,” says Andrew. “We wanted something surprising, that was hyper-animated, and that, when you moved through it, changed all the time.” The sofa, designed by the couple and Levenbetts, is upholstered in cotton velvet. The Habibi side tables are by Philipp Mainzer for e15, the fireplace tools by Fort Standard, and the doors by Fleetwood.