When Pablo Pérez Palacios’ Mexico City–based architecture firm PPAA was tasked with building an apartment tower to meet La Colonia Roma's need for additional housing, he faced a problem familiar to developers in historic neighborhoods everywhere. The site was occupied by a dilapidated home that dates to 1925, and local laws required that the facade and part of the structure be maintained. PPAA’s innovative approach was to cut the original three-story home in half, preserving enough of the building to front the street and hold two apartments replete with classic Victorian details like high ceilings and restored millwork. In the back of the lot, they designed a sleek eight-story apartment tower that would hold an additional nine apartments, for a total of 11 units. Not bad for a site that was previously an uninhabited single-family house.

A vibrant yellow pocket door adds a playful splash of color in the bathroom/laundry area on the lower level.

Apparel options for a 56-degree day from wevther.com.

A small terrace outfitted with an H55 easy chair by Björn Hultén offers a view of the San Francisco Bay.

By knocking down walls, Dominguez was able to open the previously cramped kitchen and add extra cabinetry and counter space. He was also able to make room for a peninsula with a waterfall edge.

from Sthlm website

The kitchen’s original galley layout was retained, and the walls and utilities were kept in place.

"As a brief reality check, 800,000 people were killed in the 100 days of genocide in Rwanda. That's 5.5 a minute.." --Ebbe Strathairn, designer

The cabin’s concept was simple: To create a cabin that is small and sparse yet spatially rich. The 55-square-meter (592-square-foot) cabin, commissioned by a private client and completed in 2016, comprises a large living room, bedroom, ski room, and small annex with a utility room. It functions off the water and electricity grids.

The concept of this Scandinavian getaway was simple: To create a cabin that is small and sparse yet spatially rich. The 55-quare-meter (592-square-foot) cabin, commissioned by a private client and completed in 2016, comprises a large living room, bedroom, ski room, and small annex with a utility room. It functions off the water and electricity grids.

The concept of this Scandinavian getaway was simple: To create a cabin that is small and sparse yet spatially rich. The 55-quare-meter (592-square-foot) cabin, commissioned by a private client and completed in 2016, comprises a large living room, bedroom, ski room, and small annex with a utility room. It functions off the water and electricity grids.

A 55-inch Samsung Smart TV, a gift, is one of few indulgences.

A super minimal World Cup calendar helps us keep up with the schedule.

A 55-foot nautical-themed sofa runs along one side of the pool deck.

Available for as low as $55,000, the Artist Bothy is a multipurpose, prefab hut designed to promote a creative spark in residents.

This Beverly Hills kitHAUS is comprised of modernist prefab modules that can accommodate a variety of uses: from yoga studios to home offices, and from weekend retreats to pop-up kiosks and guest rooms.

At 55 Monterrey, historic details like the bay window seen here are rolled into a space that feels very modern.

Wedge by Wheelhaus

100 Contemporary Green Buildings, Volume 1 is available through Taschen

A contemporary apartment tower rises behind the restored townhouse at 55 Monterrey Avenue in Mexico City's Colonia Roma neighborhood.

On the exterior of the office, a mural called “Awakened Flow” by Seb Humphreys (AKA Order 55) echoes the tranquil energy of the home.

Studio visit with Scholten & Baijings.

100% Bollocks by The Wooden Truth, approximately 17 x 12 inches, $38

100 Quotes By Charles Eames, $25

Random Studio, an interactive digital design studio based in Amsterdam, and Petrovsky & Ramone created Our Kisses, a wish-bone shaped contraption that invites viewers to kiss one end while a camera hidden at the other end records them. The project aimed to bring strangers together onscreen with a simple human gesture that extends beyond race, age, and gender. The installation was originally created for the Oxymoron exhibition of Petrovsky & Ramone during Beijing Design Week 2013.

Inspirational spaces

Delta Shelter, a cabin getaway on the same property as the Rolling Huts. We visited the owner and his wife during one of our visits to get an in-person reference for Tanner Construction. It was wonderful to see the house in person after drooling over it in the pages of Tom Kundig: Houses. Photo by Tim Bies.

Website design for Attariat.

Mamukko's website design by Tatabi Studio.

Website design for RBA.

Seen on a tablet, HSC's website features a beautifully-lit photograph, while a white "flag" creates a simple division.

Hangar Meeting Table for MG LAB – This table premiered in 2012. It was designed with a space underneath the tabletop to stow away electronic devices that need to be close at hand without contributing to tabletop clutter.

When chilled to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, Wisner said, the taste of Newton Vineyard’s Chardonnay “explodes in your mouth.”

Our original notes of space needs for our house program.