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.

from Sthlm website

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.

The apartment in the heart of São Paulo, Brazil, that FJ55 Arquitetos renovated for Carolina Quevedo and Marcus Watari was once a podcast studio. The space's wide open living area, kitchen, and dining space are outfitted with Tauari wood floors and feature raw concrete ceilings, beams, and pillars.

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

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

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.

Inspirational spaces

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.

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.

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.

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.

Floor Plan of WT Apartment by FJ55 Arquitetos

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Floor plan of WT Apartment by FJ55 Arquitetos

For the living room of their house in Genk, Belgium, Michaël Verheyden and Saartje Vereecke mixed furnishings of their own design with classic pieces. Their G55 sling chair and Michel Ducaroy’s Togo sofa for Ligne Roset are both clad in black leather.

Law Estates Wines spans 55 acres with full panoramic views of the Paso Robles countryside. The building reflects that of their varietals—showcasing natural characteristics in minimalist style. The design is a direct response to the natural materials of the site, its hillside topography, and climatic influences of the sun and wind.

5.5 x 5.5 m. house in Hokkaido

Method Homes website design by Autograph

Method Homes website design by Autograph