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The Monocular - Entrance

Designed by Atelier Lina Bellovicova, House LO marks the first residential project in the Czech Republic to use hempcrete, a sustainable and fire-and-mold-resistant material.

Homeowner and surfer Christopher Hansen envisions a secluded oceanfront retreat that lets him keep an eye on the waves.

These multifunctional marvels are a step above your average pull-out couch.

La Cantina doors slide open for a seamless connection between the living spaces and the outdoors.

The two-bedroom, two-bath Courtyard House is located in a clearing in the New South Wales coastal suburb of Hawks Nest, just a few minutes’ drive from the beach.

Cabin in La Juanita floor plan

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

The built-in kitchen features a black polished granite countertop that’s complemented by Ardosia stone floors.

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

A full bathroom is located across the hall.

The entry door opens up to direct views of the central courtyard. "This view replaces the traditional accent wall, or piece of artwork, with a glass opening framing the sky and exotic plants (with a 500-year-old ironwood tree focal point) drawing your eye through the courtyard, expanding the feeling of the space," note the architects. The black lighting fixture is from Restoration Hardware.

Slatted walnut walls are located on either side of the main living area. "We found in many modern homes with open floor plans that there is a really poor sound quality," explain the architects. "We wanted to design a solution that was not only aesthetically pleasing, but solved this issue—so both sides of the main living space have wood slat walls backed with acoustic felt."

"Playing the piano is a large part of their life, so we wanted to give it a great space to be played and to be heard," explain the architects. The piano area is located to one side of the open-plan living space.

An extremely rare stump Ironwood specimen with a gnarled growth habit serves as the centerpiece of the interior courtyard. "It’s used to create a metaphor that this new house was built within a native grove of Ironwoods," says Matt Thomas. The courtyard also helps passively cool the house.