Gardner Road Ideas

One of the building challenges was transportation through the steep and windy roads to the isolated site, which is 0.5km away from Cornwall, one of Connecticut's smallest towns.

A young fisherman walks under the root bridge at Mawlynnong village. In the relentless damp of Meghalaya’s jungles, the Khasi people have used the trainable roots of rubber trees to grow bridges over rivers for centuries. A new jingkieng dieng jri, which translates to "rubber tree bridge," takes one generation to grow using a construction system passed down through many generations before.

Riffing on local farmhouses, architects Patrick Walker and Elizabeth Demetriades covered the 4,000-square-foot house in rough-sawn red cedar and capped it with a standing-seam galvalume roof.

Vibrant red siding references the original buildings on the site.

Los Angeles–based writer Leslie Longworth knew she’d found the perfect retreat when she spotted a five-acre lot in Pioneertown. Immersed in the rugged beauty of Joshua Tree with a dirt road for access, it was an ideal creative space. Seeking a low-impact build, she hired prefab company Cover to draft, construct, and install a custom home. The prefab came complete with fixtures, finishes, Wolf Sub-Zero appliances, and a state-of-the-art radiant heating and cooling system. In order to design around endangered Joshua trees, boulders, and the view, Cover used a combination of 3D mapping via drone imagery and handheld photos.

The living room extends into the great outdoors with a spruce deck.

The main entrance to the home is located opposite the door of the outbuilding.

The home’s geometric silhouette echoes the classic typology of the region’s gable roof barns. “We took our inspiration from this vernacular architecture and re-interpreted it with a contemporary twist,” Dworkind says.

Set on 21 acres at the top of the Snoqualmie Valley, the 3,200-square-foot Maxon House represents a major lifestyle change for the Maxons, who previously lived in a split-level in a planned subdivision. "When you’re here, you just sit and watch what’s happening outside," says Lou. "It’s like the Weather Channel. We don’t even need the TV." Kim adds, "In spring everything explodes." Cedars, hemlocks, and vine maples shoot up from the fern-covered hillside.

Bright and spacious, the top-of-the-line chef's kitchen is full of high-end touches. The sub-zero refrigerator even includes integrated wine storage with a shelf for a cigar humidor.

A look at the upper-level floor plan.

With large glass panes covering the cabin's walls and gabled roof, the changing light outdoors encourages guests to sync their sleep schedules with the sun.

The poured concrete foundation is clearly visible when viewing the back of the home.

Nestled into the surrounding forest against a dramatic backdrop.

Landscape architect Jamie Purinton blanketed Debbie Cooper and Dan Sternberg’s Hudson Valley property with native species. Among them are purple love grass and prairie dropseeds, which grow by the Cor-Ten garage. “Both have wonderfully airy flowers and fall colors that connect well to steel,” says Purinton.