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Collection by Zach Edelson

Homes with Weathering Steel Designs

Often referred to as "Cor-Ten" steel—which is actually a specific brand name—weathering steel offers a durable and industrial feel. The metal accumulates a stable layer of rust that protects against the elements: everything from moisture to brush fires. From stairwells to entire exteriors, take a look at this material's diverse uses.

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The home's outer walls were dry-stacked with limestone cut from a Texas Granbury quarry, and its gabled roof was made with weathered Cor-Ten steel that emits the same maverick spirit as a Richard Serra sculpture. The freestanding fireplace just inside the courtyard was even salvaged from the old house’s living room. Clean stucco walls contrast with the grass and trees, while reclaimed wood siding complement them.
The home's outer walls were dry-stacked with limestone cut from a Texas Granbury quarry, and its gabled roof was made with weathered Cor-Ten steel that emits the same maverick spirit as a Richard Serra sculpture. The freestanding fireplace just inside the courtyard was even salvaged from the old house’s living room. Clean stucco walls contrast with the grass and trees, while reclaimed wood siding complement them.
The architect Jorge Gracia sits on his handiwork, an unusual custom-made Cor-Ten stair leading from the courtyard to the guesthouse.
The architect Jorge Gracia sits on his handiwork, an unusual custom-made Cor-Ten stair leading from the courtyard to the guesthouse.
Architect Andrew McAvoy created an earth-sheltered house in Scotland for Gavin and Angelique Robb and children Scarlett and Gus.
Architect Andrew McAvoy created an earth-sheltered house in Scotland for Gavin and Angelique Robb and children Scarlett and Gus.
The Treehouse, also part of the Post Ranch Inn, features Cor-ten panels.
The Treehouse, also part of the Post Ranch Inn, features Cor-ten panels.
At Sea Ranch, a half-century-old enclave of rugged modernist houses on the Northern California coast, a new home captures the spirit of its surroundings. The client, a couple, were guided by the Sea Ranch rules—local covenants guide new designs—didn’t mean slipping into Sea Ranch clichés. Lovers of Cor-Ten steel, with its ruddy and almost organic surface, the architects made it the main exterior material, along with board-formed concrete and ipe wood. The Cor-Ten, which quickly turned an autumnal rust in the sea air, and the concrete, with its grain and crannies, mean the house isn’t a pristine box, Ramirez says. His Neutra house "was very crisp and clean," he says. "This house is more distressed, more wabi-sabi." Together, the Cor-Ten steel and board-form concrete give the exterior a weathered look.
At Sea Ranch, a half-century-old enclave of rugged modernist houses on the Northern California coast, a new home captures the spirit of its surroundings. The client, a couple, were guided by the Sea Ranch rules—local covenants guide new designs—didn’t mean slipping into Sea Ranch clichés. Lovers of Cor-Ten steel, with its ruddy and almost organic surface, the architects made it the main exterior material, along with board-formed concrete and ipe wood. The Cor-Ten, which quickly turned an autumnal rust in the sea air, and the concrete, with its grain and crannies, mean the house isn’t a pristine box, Ramirez says. His Neutra house "was very crisp and clean," he says. "This house is more distressed, more wabi-sabi." Together, the Cor-Ten steel and board-form concrete give the exterior a weathered look.