The Leonard Residence by Ehrlich Architects

Ehrlich Architects has designed modern concrete house design combined with glass material creating beautiful 4000 sqf modern residence located on a 45-degree-angle downward sloping canyon site in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles. Embracing an entry courtyard, the structure is a composition of vast areas in glass supported by steel and concrete, tracing its lineage to the case study houses of LA.

The hillside-bound site presented the most obvious challenge as well as opportunity for design. To achieve the vision objectives, the house is spliced into multiple levels to accommodate and embrace the steep slope yet make the most of all useable space, nearly panoramic views and augment privacy from the closely adjacent homes. Each level fluidly caters to specific living, working and relaxation needs of the residents, allowing for utmost efficiency and comfort.

The entrance level is greeted by a permanently-installed corten steel and glass dining table designed by the Architect. A two-story living room is suspended over the canyon on a structured concrete slab that also serves as the finished floor. From this level, a floating tread stair ascends to the master bedroom/bath suite and a floating reading loft affords classic LA views through the 20-foot high glass walls. Access to a roof terrace above the garage fosters sunbathing and relaxation.

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The Scholl Residence by Studio B Architects

The Scholl Residence is one of the best modern home design ideas created by Studio B Architects located in Aspen, Colorado. The steep site possessed challenges with drainage, topography, a small footprint, restrictive easements and was required to address very limiting neighborhood design review standards.

Contextually, the area was developed in the 1960’s and surrounding residents were quite resistant to the architectural direction. Although the neighborhood is one of transition, this was the greatest challenge in realizing the project.

The clients dwell between Miami and Aspen and are avid collectors of videography and photography. They requested a solution and an architecture that would exhibit their expanding and revolving collection. The exterior is composed of custom zinc panels, sand-blasted concrete, aluminum window/door glazing system and tempered glass railings

The interiors consist of darkened oak flooring, cantilevered pickled oak stairs and floors, European engineered cabinetry, Carerra marble, porcelain tile shower enclosures and integral plaster walls and ceilings. The architecture is reduced to its essence and is calculated and sober in its detailing. Resolution of plan and elevation were reduced to the lowest denominator and honesty of a process.

The lower level is completely below grade and houses the formal gallery space, large wine cellar and provides two guest suites with an attached massage room.

The entry level offers the client’s office, a guest bedroom, laundry/mudroom area and the garage. The upper level contains the living, dining, kitchen, master suite and opens to the balcony and private garden with access to a roof terrace via a cantilevered steel stair. A small dumbwaiter shuttles wine from cellar to rooftop.

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House 14 by Dane Richardson

Designed by Australian architect Dane Richardson, this architectural design of House 14 with its large open plan on its main living room that form the central core of the building is located in Eagle Bay, Western Australia.

The House 14 space was divided into areas with clear functions. The north facing terrace with its built in “fire box” is the focus of all outside entertaining. The open “fire box” provides a fantastic place to sit and star gaze in the evening.

The planning divides the building into three wings. Children’s bedrooms, guest room, bathroom and games/tv room to the western side. The master bedroom and study to the eastern side and the main living volume & court yard central to these wings.

Cantilevers and exposed structural elements feature and further add to the strong lines of the building. Upper levels provide shelter for lower levels. The entry is screened with high stone walls and a planted court yard; this rustic relaxed threshold must be crossed prior to entering the sharper aesthetic of the building. Stone work is featured in other areas and on the main terrace. The owners shipped a set of old Indian temple doors to the project which were integrated into the stone walls of the entry court, this rustic touch ties in with the coarseness of the stone.

The combination of timber and stone is used to soften and relax the harder geometry of the building. The 4.5m high glazed walls of the main living room open the space to valley views. Sun penetration and heat loss is controlled via electronic window blinds and low emission glass.

The home engages a range low energy use systems and passive solar design principles. It is equipped with a home automation system, collects all potable water, re-uses grey water, utilises low energy & low water use fittings.

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Wilson House Architecture in Yarra Valley Victoria

Designed by Denton Corker Marshall, this modern concrete wilson house design is located in Yarra Valley, Victoria. Two thin rectangular plates – roof and floor – lay into a gentle rise above the vineyard stretching down to the main road. The black metal floor plate is supported by a series of parallel black pigmented concrete walls set at right angles to it. One end rests on the hillside; the other cantilevers 11 metres beyond the supporting wall. The identical roof plate floats above, separated by full-height glazing on the front and ends, and on the back by two vine green sticks laid longitudinally between the plates.

Each plate is 50 metres long and 11 metres wide. Their singularity and clarity is reinforced by deep setbacks – two metres on the front and rear, and five metres on the cantilevered projection – to the external wall. The roof plate is supported by internal steel columns.

The lower lever, defined by the black concrete walls, contains entry, car parking, wine cellar, study and guest bedrooms. The upper level – conceptually a single space – contains the master bedroom, second bedroom, living, dining and kitchen.

A floor-to-ceiling glass wall with sliding external doors extends the full length of the house, and opens onto an upper level terrace stepping down to an outdoor swimming pool.

Floors are honed mid-grey pigmented concrete, and ceilings white plasterboard. Internal spaces are defined by sycamore panelled volumes inserted into the space, and held free of the ceiling and the long glazed wall.

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La Finca 4 House in Somosaguas by A-cero

A-cero Architects have designed this stunning reinforced concrete house design of La Finca 4 House located in Somosaguas, a suburb of Madrid. Thiese 1.200 m2 compact single-family house floor plan has the form of a greek cross, and is delimited by the access pathway and the other properties on both of its sides.

The la finca 4 house is guided by 2 main concepts: a great functionality in the distribution of the interior spaces and their openness to the exterior to make the most of the views. Both ideas are also present in the interior design and in the selection of the construction materials.

The design follows a functional structure evolving around the hall stairs, an central design element that provokes a surprising visual and spatial effect. Another breathtaking space is the double height volume that contains the living room.

The building is divided in three levels according to the program’s needs. The access is on the ground floor, where all the more public spaces are located: hall, living and dining rooms, office, TV room and kitchen. The living room occupies a double height space open to the exterior views through great glass panes. All the objects that could interfere with the contemplation of the views, like railings or walls, have been suppressed or replaced by transparent elements. The main entrance door is made of a 6 m high glass pane, letting the visitor perceive the interior of the house.

On a lower level are located the technical installation rooms, laundry, indoor swimming pool, games room, wine cellar, garage and a leisure area with a reading space, dining room and TV.

A staircase with glass railings and a glass corridor that goes through the double height space takes to a studio on the upper level overlooking the living room. Next to this area are the master bedroom, equipped with a walk-in closet and bathroom, and four more bedrooms with bathrooms, organized around a corridor covered with shelves.

The richness of this spatial composition is also apparent in the exterior, and organizes the connection between the house and its surroundings. This dynamical and rich design is also translated to a structural system made only of reinforced concrete walls, avoiding intermediate columns that could alter the space’s scale and cleanliness.

At some point, the structure pierces the façade to form a porch that finishes its composition, protects from the sunlight and creates an interesting play of light and shadow. The house is covered with white travertine, creating a clean and smooth finishing, the porch’s floor and the deck surrounding the pool and jacuzzi are made of ipê wood . The garden on the front of the house is organized in terraces and parterres, forming a decorative outline surrounded by a surface covered with white gravel. Three sculptures are carefully placed in this place, marking the entrance.

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Modern House Design | House 14 by Dane Richardson

Located in Eagle Bay, Western Australia, This australia modern house design is created by the Australian architect Dane Richardson. The house features built in fire box outdoor terrace facing the north provides a fantastic place to sit and star gaze in the evening.

The combination of timber and stone is used to soften and relax the harder geometry of the building. The 4.5m high glazed walls of the main living room open the space to valley views. Sun penetration and heat loss is controlled via electronic window blinds and low emission glass. The owners shipped a set of old Indian temple doors to the project which were integrated into the stone walls of the entry court, this rustic touch ties in with the coarseness of the stone.

The planning divides the building into three wings. Children’s bedrooms, guest room, bathroom and games/tv room to the western side. The master bedroom and study to the eastern side and the main living volume & court yard central to these wings.

The large open planning of the main living room form the central core of the building; the space was divided into areas with clear functions. The volume of this space was divided by a large fire place and level changes.

This achieved a connection with others in the space but enabled the different activities to seem slightly separate which has proved very beneficial when the house is at capacity.

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CF Residence, by Thiago Bernardes and Paulo Jacobsen

Thiago Bernardes and Paulo Jacobsen have designed this ultra modern CF residence for their client, Carlos Firme. The house features 4 bedroom layout with en-suite bathrooms and the entire ground floor dedicated to the pool, dining and entertaining. As you enter the residence through its large dark wood doors, the bedrooms act as blinkers, focusing the view out to the water beyond. The thin steel structure and stretched horizontal roofline give it the appearance of a lightweight marque or stretched canvas roof. This modern and luxurious CF Residence will provide a great weekend spot for years to come.

Located on a plot in the picturesque condominium Portogalo in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Paulo Jacobsen and Thiago Bernardes wanted to accommodate a large family retreat taking full advantage of the plot and its location. The challenge was how to minimise the buildings impact from roadside - difficult with such a large house.

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