house

The interiors frame selective views of the existing rock walls, and contrast them with light finishes of white walls and wood furniture and shelving.

The three structures are linked by a covered walkway and surround a north-facing courtyard protected from coastal winds. There is no fence to encourage interaction with neighbors.

The stair treads are structural steel clad in stone over a steel plate stringer created by West Edge Metals.

Bracketed on one end by glass, the living room captures a view through the guesthouse breezeway to the cypress trees beyond. The sculpture “Big Red Poppies” by Donald Sultan provides a pop of color on the lawn.

A glass entry connects the addition and offers a clear view of—and direct access to–the natural landscape surrounding the site.

How a highly productive collaboration among a trio of creative Angelenas—and a good dose of Barragán—turned a dark and beleaguered midcentury house into a family home for the ages.

A spectacular southeast-facing view greets guests in the great room. Full-height Fleetwood glazed doors pivot open to connect the living spaces with nature outside.

Homeowner Simon Doonan stands next to the front door. "We have flamboyance, and we’re not inhibited about anything. [Architect] Gray Organschi gave [the house] that intellectual rigor needed to make it beautiful. We were well matched."

A skylight in the ceiling floods the house’s double-height wood trellis bridge with plenty of natural light.

In the bathroom, perforated-metal screens create a pointillist perspective on the landscape.

In the master bedroom, the same perforated material that was used in the bathroom gives a sense of sunlight filtering through leaves.

The house comprises a series of modules, with the main living areas occupying the center and the master bedroom on the right. A large deck juts off the living room.

On the fringes of Genk, Belgium, Peter Geraerts of Cocoon Architecten and his wife live in this minimalist abode that wraps around an inner courtyard. Geraerts punctuated the wooden facade with intentionally placed square windows that maximize sight lines. Inside are Zen touches like a Noguchi coffee table and tatami mats.

The exterior is clad in Siberian larch, which doesn’t require paint and will develop a gray patina.