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A glimpse into the main bedroom at the end of the day. Windows on the south facade are oversized for solar gains, views, and a robust indoor/outdoor connection.

Built to commune with its scenic surroundings, this sustainable home embodies understated luxury.

A view of the parklike retreat from the backyard pool shows how the glass-enclosed entryway connects the living and sleeping areas.

Cathie and David Partridge, both avid art collectors, commissioned TOLO Architecture to design a new home for them to respond to their interest in art and design. Cathie is an artist and former dancer, and David—who sadly passed away shortly before construction began on the home—was the founder of a successful manufacturing company and was instrumental in launching UCLA’s business school. The couple were also committed patrons of a number of art organizations in Los Angeles, and were involved in the founding of MOCA, the Pasadena Museum of California Art, and Kidspace Museum.

The undulating wood-and-steel structure is engineered to hide a 90-foot steel structural beam that supports the cantilevered canopy and creates the illusion of a floating pavilion from the front.

The pool volume features an 80' x 10' glass facade that slides open to connect the interior to the garden. “Minimizing the amount of deflection of the cantilevered roof at the sliding glass panels to a 10-millimeter max was a challenge,” say the architects. “We had to reinforce and brace the main structural beam greatly to stiffen up the roof, as well as double up our cantilevered beams.”

The structure’s “undulating belly” is exposed above the cave-like pool pavilion. The floors and outdoor paving feature locally sourced Eramosa limestone, a rock unique to Owen Sound.

The wavy roof cradles a black steel staircase with Eramosa Stone treads that appears to levitate above the ground and leads up to the terrace.

The stairs lead up to a green roof that camouflages the building amidst the landscape and protects it from direct solar heat gain in the summer.

The rear of the bedroom module is enclosed in timber slats for privacy. The slats allow light through the hidden windows.

After the home was assembled, a local contractor built the outdoor concrete patio and barbecue on site.

The three buildings are strategically organized around a central courtyard, creating an outdoor room that is protected from sun, precipitation, and wind. The openings between the buildings frame the predominant views.

The site is a generous lot at an estate in Cotia, on the outskirts of São Paulo—an area that has plenty of greenery. Part of the concept for the home was to replace some of the existing exotic trees with native plants.

Winkelman Architecture delivers grown-up summer-camp vibes with this unassuming retreat on the coast of Maine.

The home connects via breezeway to a 900-square-foot garage with a studio bedroom that’s currently used as an office.

The driveway concrete is colored with exposed aggregate river pebbles so that it matches the soil.

The Wave House's roof is composed of curved steel beams interspersed with wooden beams. Thermal insulation and ventilation is incorporated into the structure.