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Modern Minarets: 6 Contemporary Mosques Celebrating Cultural Diversity
CategoriesArchitecture

Modern Minarets: 6 Contemporary Mosques Celebrating Cultural Diversity

By Zarkon Group,

The judging process for Architizer’s 12th Annual A+Awards is now away. Subscribe to our Awards Newsletter to receive updates about Public Voting, and stay tuned for winners announcements later this spring.   

“Islam is like a crystal-clear river that takes the color of the riverbed it flows over.”

Through those words, Dr. Umar Faruq Abd’Allah described the religion of Islam and the way it reflects the different cultures and regions it spreads in and flows through. In architectural terms, this analogy extends to mosques and their designs. Over time, mosque designs have been influenced by the diverse cultures, climates, building materials and traditions of the various regions in which mosques were built.

This amalgamation has led to a multitude of designs and typologies for mosques worldwide, evolving alongside cultures, populations and advancements in building technologies. These designs preserve core Muslim values while simultaneously celebrating the diversity of the different cultures and communities. Through this collection, six mosques from around the world are showcased to show how the design of Muslim sacred buildings has evolved and what mosques look like in this time and age.

Al Musalla – The Mosque – Al Hosn Area

By CEBRA and DCT Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Jury Winner, 2020, A+ Awards, Architecture +Ceilings

Photo by Department of Culture and Tourism, DCT Abi Dhabi

Inspired by the geology of the area, this mosque has the design of what could be described as manmade nature, appearing as a group of rocks emerging out of water. To enter the mosque, worshippers traverse a network of pathways that wind around the water, symbolically cleansing them before prayer while also shielding them from the noise and commotion of the nearby streets.

The mosque is located within a historically significant site with a number of landmarks, managing to calmly integrate into the park while also offering a remarkable experience to its users. Inside, the distinctive geometrical shapes of the exterior are reflected on different elements of the design including the ceiling, complemented by lighting design that aimed to represent a desert sky adorned with stars, in a manner that does not only connect the mosque with earth and water, but also with the sky and what’s beyond.

BRICK VEIL

By LUCA POIAN FORMS, Preston, United Kingdom

Produced through an artful stitching between the Islamic traditions and the history of the area, between the universal values and the local culture, this mosque design was conceptualized as a landmark within the existing site, through its scale, meticulous façade design, building materials and relationship with the surrounding.

Inspired by the textile manufacturing history of the region, the pleated brick façade gives the building a strong sculptural appearance, while also referencing the traditional design of Mashrabiyas, which is a traditional element in Islamic architecture used to enhance privacy. Erected at the south western end of the hill, the mosque is reached through a processional ramp that slowly disconnects the arriving worshippers from the city and the gradually welcomes them into the sacred space of the mosque.

Yesilvadi Mosque

By Adnan Kazmaoğlu Mimarlık Araştırma Merkezi, İstanbul, Turkey

Harmoniously nested into the site, the Yesilvadi Mosque is conceptualized as a social space that gathers people and brings them together, through its variety of functions that include the prayer hall, a meeting hall, a library, a courtyard and a square, inspired by the social role mosques and their courtyards have traditionally played in the design of Islamic cities.

The bold geometry of the mosque, where the volume of the dome is also the volume of the building, is inspired by Ottoman mosques which typically have circular forms, while also symbolically using the shape of the circle to represent infinity and unity. The seamless use of white for the building’s exterior was achieved through the use of White Marmara marble, which aimed to represent purity and good virtue, standing in contrast with the green landscaping and the complexity of the surrounding context.

Al-Islah Mosque

By Formwerkz Architects, Punggol, Singapore

Photo by Albert Lim Koon Seng

Situated in a densely populated residential area, this mosque demonstrates a harmonious connection with its surroundings, achieved through a meticulously crafted façade adorned with a range of openings and perforations These features serve to regulate indoor climate and invite worshippers inside, while also reflecting the difference in functions in each building.

Comprising three distinct volumes, the mosque includes facilities such as a seminar building and an administrative center, in addition to the main prayer hall that flows dynamically with its open design and vast area. These architectural elements are thoughtfully designed to mirror the permeability of Islamic principles and aspirations within the context of Singapore today.

Mohammad Rasul- Allah Mosque

By Paya Payrang Architectural Group, Shiraz, Iran

Photo by Ahmad Mirzaee

Photo by Samaneh Motaghipishe

The new volume of this mosque grew in the space between an array of old trees and the existing historic prayer hall at the center of the site, delicately engaging in a conversation between the old and the new, the natural and the built, the communal and the religious, as well as solidity and openness.

A long spine connects the two entrances at the opposite sides, encompassing the traditional “Riwagh” element that is common in the design of mosques in Iran, adorned with two minarets that vertically extend parallel to the huge old trees, and generously welcoming prayers in from the busy main road. Built out of stone, the design of the mosque is simple yet sculptural, standing out within its context and making a statement with its dynamic geometry and copper dome.

Al Rawda Mosque

By Uraiqat Architects, Amman, Jordan


The dynamic design of Al Rawda Mosque in Amman aimed to move beyond the limitations of the traditional mosque designs of the region and envision what a contemporary mosque could look like. Through a process of extensive research, the designing team engaged in an intellectual pursuit that studied and abstracted the different elements of a mosque, before reinterpreting them and combining them in this design.

The ornamented screens on the inside and the outside of the building created a rich interplay of shade and shadow and blurred the boundary between the inside and the outside, while also having environmental benefits that enhanced the indoor climate and user experience.

The judging process for Architizer’s 12th Annual A+Awards is now away. Subscribe to our Awards Newsletter to receive updates about Public Voting, and stay tuned for winners announcements later this spring.   

Reference

"The World’s First Horror Film Was All About Modern Architecture. Change My Mind."
CategoriesArchitecture

The World’s First Horror Film Was All About Modern Architecture. Change My Mind.

By Zarkon Group,

Architizer’s new image-heavy daily newsletter, The Plug, is easy on the eyes, giving readers a quick jolt of inspiration to supercharge their days. Plug in to the latest design discussions by subscribing. 

It is inevitable. At some point in the school year, a student in my AP Literature class will ask the dreaded question: what is “Modernism?” Usually, this happens in the afternoon before a full moon…

I try to keep it general. In literature and the visual arts — the representational arts, let’s say — modernism was an attempt to find new forms of artistic expression to meet the needs of a rapidly changing world where old certainties and trust in institutions were falling away. Often, this meant disrupting verisimilitude and drawing attention to the constructed-ness of the art object. As the caption of Magritte’s iconic painting declares, Ceci n’est pas une pipe! A painting of a pipe is not a pipe; it’s a painting.

Even though modern art seems “weird” to casual museum-goers, there was a method to the madness. Modern artists rejected representational conventions in pursuit of honest expression. Counterintuitive as it might seem, they wanted to bring art closer to life. This meant breaking the spell of illusion that had defined Western art since the Renaissance.

What kind of truth, though, does modern art speak to? Many kinds, to be sure, but I think they can be separated into two main buckets. (Or coffins to stick with the horror theme). On the one hand, you have the analytic tradition represented by Cubism, which, especially in its early years, involved a deconstruction of the picture frame. What you see in a Cubist painting is the underlying architecture of the composition. As with Brutalist architecture, the key gesture of Cubist art is to lay bare the object’s structure and not smooth it over with surface details.

A print by German Expressionist artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner titled “River Bank at Elisabeth, Berlin” (1912). The jagged lines and collapsed perspective anticipate the visual style of “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” (1920). National Gallery of Art, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

On the other hand, there is Expressionism. Influenced by psychoanalysis, Expressionists sought to represent the irrational elements of subjective experience. Artists like Edvard Munch and Ernst Kirchner created wildly distorted landscapes, portraits, and urban street scenes that were charged with emotion. Many of these artists were especially interested in capturing the alienation and loneliness of urban life.

So how does architecture fit in? It is perhaps not surprising that the analytic vein of modernism was more readily applicable to the design of buildings than Expressionism was. In architecture, the word “modernism” is today synonymous with the rationalist utopianism of Gropius, Mies, and figures like this. However, this is not the whole story…

Modern architecture as we know it had an evil twin — one that died in childhood, but still haunts us today. In the 1920s, there was such a thing as Expressionist architecture. It never really flourished — that is, not until much later when it was picked up by contemporary architects like Daniel Liebskind — but it existed in Germany, the Netherlands, and a few other areas in Northern Europe.  Distortion, fragmentation, and the expression of strong emotion were the key features of this type of architecture. Like the rationalist modernism we know and love, Expressionist architecture rejected tradition, but it did not do so in a Platonic pursuit of harmony. No — this architecture was not bound by anything but the architect’s imagination.

Let’s take an example. In Dornach, Switzerland, one can visit The Goetheanum, which is the headquarters of the anthroposophy movement. Anthroposophy is a form of mysticism, or more precisely, gnosticism. Its adherents believe that, through certain meditative techniques, people can gain direct knowledge of the spiritual world. Rudolf Steiner founded the movement in the early 20th century. Steiner also designed the headquarters, a flowing, bat-like structure made entirely of cast concrete.

The building still appears radical today, in an era when we are used to seeing sculptural architecture. But think about how it must have appeared to the citizens of Dornach when it was erected in 1928. Many of the design decisions, such as the chimney stack that seems to have been hastily molded out of clay by a gigantic hand, would have been totally incomprehensible to people used to architecture that followed programmatic conventions. The uneven windows still bother me when I look at them long enough.

Here’s another good example: the Het Schip apartment complex  in the Spaarndammerbuurt neighborhood of the Netherlands. The name means “The Ship” and I guess it looks sort of like a ship. Sure. This was designed by architect Michel de Klerk and erected in 1919.

With its brick façade and tiled roof, at first blush this building doesn’t seem totally out of place with its context in Amsterdam. However, the proportions are bizarre — unsettlingly so, as if the building was designed by an alien who had read a description of Dutch architecture but had never actually seen it. Inside, the situation is even stranger. Looking up from inside the tower, one finds a riot of intersecting wooden support beams. There seems to be no regularity, symmetry, or even method to the arrangement of the beams. There isn’t even that sort of irregular fractal harmony one finds in the work of Antoni Gaudi. It just feels wrong, albeit in an interesting and stimulating way.

The madness of Het Schip is more apparent on the interior. Here is the view inside the central tower. Arjandb, Rijksmonument 3961 Huizenblok Het Schip Amsterdam 23, CC BY-SA 3.0 NL

As stand alone objects, Expressionist buildings from the 1920s are really cool. One should not interpret my description of their weirdness as a dismissal of the structures in themselves. Every city needs discussion pieces, and expressive, sculptural architecture helps give definition to otherwise homogeneous urban environments. In our century we call this the “Bilbao Effect.”

Nevertheless, in the 1920s, the emergence of Expressionist architecture must have troubled some onlookers. Was this what the future would look like? Would built environments be just as disorderly and mercurial as the human mind? What would it even feel like to live — not just in an Expressionist building — but in an Expressionist city?

These questions seem to have been taken up by the art direction team of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, the 1920 German silent film that Roger Ebert once called “the first true horror movie.”

Lobby card of “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari,” showing the twisted and distorted architectural forms of the set design. Goldwyn, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is one of the most studied and discussed films of all time. The film tells the story of a power-hungry hypnotist who manipulates a sleepwalker into committing a series of murders. The screenwriters, Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer, were pacifists, like many Germans at that time. Janowitz had served as an officer in World War One, where he witnessed the nihilistic chaos and destruction of that conflict up close. The screenwriters both claimed that the film was intended as an allegory for the way authority was wielded during the Great War, with the older generation coercing the young to kill and die on their behalf.

In his landmark 1947 book From Caligari to Hitler, film theorist Siegfried Kracauer argues that the film is more complex than even its screenwriters understood. It does not just put forward a critique of irrational authority; it also shows how, in the 1920s, the German people craved this type of authority on a subconscious level. Kracauer points to the twist ending of the film, which the studio forced the screenwriters to add against their will. In the end, it turns out that Dr. Caligari was not actually a mad hypnotist, but rather the director of a mental hospital. The hypnotism and the murders never happened. They were simply a fantasy concocted by one of the inmates.

A conceptual preliminary sketch of the set design by Walter Röhrig. 1919. Note the fragmentary windows and staircase. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons

At some level, Kracauer argues, this inmate wanted to be hypnotized and ordered around by an external authority. This type of control would liberate him from the burden of his freedom. Kracauer believes this type of sentiment was  widely shared among the German people in the confusing and chaotic postwar period. He argues that cinema has a special ability to reflect collective sentiments, as it is a collaborative medium with no sole author.  By looking at German cinema from the 1920s until the rise of Hitler, Kracauer claims, one can observe the dreams, fears, and aspirations of a population that was in the process of rejecting democracy and embracing violent totalitarianism.

Kracauer’s reading of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, which emphasizes the unconscious forces at work in the narrative, is most powerfully expressed in the film’s radical set design, which was deeply influenced by the work of Expressionist painters such as Kirchner. Ebert described the world of the film as “a jagged landscape of sharp angles and tilted walls and windows, staircases climbing crazy diagonals, trees with spiky leaves, grass that looks like knives.” Black paint was used to create disorienting shadows in both the exterior and interior scenes. The proportions of everyday objects, like chairs, tables, and windows, are radically at odds with what one would expect. To use a German word, they are unheimlich: familiar yet strange and somehow sinister.

Model of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) film set: Alan’s Living room during the scene of the murder. Reconstruction by set designer Hermann Warm. Note the exaggerated height of the back of the chair. For some reason, this has always been a creepy detail for me. Displayed at the Museum of Film and Television Berlin, Deutsche Kinemathek, SunOfErat, Filmmuseum Berlin – Caligari Model, CC BY-SA 4.0

In short, the built environment of the film represents the world of the psyche. In here, it is hard to orient oneself, and there might always be killers lurking in the shadowy corners. As in a Kirchner painting, there is powerful honesty in the film’s lack of realism. But one thing must be acknowledged: this is not a city anyone would want to live in. Perhaps our inner lives are stormy and chaotic — we are, after all, creatures of desire and habit. But this does not mean our houses, apartments, and city streets need to express this aspect of ourselves. If anything, they should be designed to nudge us out of the darkness and into the light. 

Image: Still from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. CC BY-NC-SA via Norwegian Digital Learning Arena.

Architizer’s new image-heavy daily newsletter, The Plug, is easy on the eyes, giving readers a quick jolt of inspiration to supercharge their days. Plug in to the latest design discussions by subscribing. 

Reference

Exterior of Masná 130 house in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic by ORA
CategoriesInterior Design

ORA creates modern home in 500-year-old Czech Renaissance building

By Zarkon Group,

Czech architecture studio ORA has renovated a Renaissance-era house in the town of Český Krumlov, preserving original features like its carved wooden beams while adding free-standing contemporary furniture.

Local entrepreneurs Petra Hanáková and Radek Techlovský purchased the dilapidated house in the town centre in 2016 and asked ORA to oversee a modernisation process that retains the interior’s historical character.

Exterior of Masná 130 house in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic by ORAExterior of Masná 130 house in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic by ORA
Masná 130 is a renovated home by ORA in Český Krumlov

The 500-year-old building, now called Masná 130, had been neglected for decades and was not even connected to the town’s sewage system. It also had flood-damaged foundations and a roof in need of major repairs.

Despite its issues, the owners saw potential in the property and spent two years transforming its ground floor into a cafe that has become a gathering place for the local community.

Entrance of Masná 130 houseEntrance of Masná 130 house
The architects added bespoke furniture made from dark-stained birch plywood

The latest phase of the project involved renovating the first-floor living spaces. The original intention was to redevelop them as rental flats, but Hanáková and Techlovský eventually decided to create a single apartment that they could occupy themselves.

ORA’s design for the apartment reveals aspects of the building’s past while introducing modern features that reflect the owners’ love for contemporary design and minimalist style.

Living room of house in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic by ORALiving room of house in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic by ORA
The building’s original carved wooden ceiling beams are left exposed

“We did not want to create a historical ‘museum’ interior, nor a design showroom,” said Hanáková and Techlovský. “We wanted to organically connect the historical and contemporary layers.”

The architects began by removing an existing partition wall in the main living space and reinstating the original open layout. This created a large salon that reveals the full splendour of the Renaissance-era wooden ceiling.

Kitchen of Masná 130 houseKitchen of Masná 130 house
The kitchen was designed as a standalone unit that is raised above the floor

The restoration process also uncovered original stone walls that were painted a deep crimson colour. Together with the wooden rafters, this informed a material palette that complements these dark, saturated tones and creates a cosy atmosphere.

The apartment’s bedroom features a small remnant of the original ceiling fresco. The rest of the room is painted a cream colour to lend the space a calm and relaxing feel.

In the bathroom, ORA chose to combine cool colours with white tiles and large mirrors to brighten the space. Playful details such as the irregularly shaped bathtub, curved sinks and tiles with rounded edges help to soften the overall aesthetic.

Throughout the apartment, the architects added bespoke freestanding furniture that performs the necessary functions without disturbing or concealing the existing heritage features.

View to bedroom of house in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic by ORAView to bedroom of house in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic by ORA
The bed is dominated by an oversized headboard

“The interior design is approached as a collage of motifs,” said ORA. “The furniture is inserted into the historical space in the form of separate objects that create distance from the historical elements.”

The kitchen, for example, was designed as a standalone unit that is raised above the floor and stops well short of the ceiling. Its sink, hob and countertop occupy a central void, with all other functions concealed within the cabinetry.

Bedroom of Masná 130 houseBedroom of Masná 130 house
It takes pride of place in the centre of the bedroom

The bed features an oversized headboard that connects with a wardrobe on its reverse side. It is placed in the centre of the bedroom and is angled to provide the best view of the window and the original painted ceiling.

Custom-made furniture is built from dark-stained birch plywood with contrasting brass legs that help to enhance the sense of separation from the existing spaces.

Lighting is either freestanding or integrated into furniture such as the kitchen unit and bed. An overhead light above the dining table is mounted on a bracket so it does not touch the historical ceiling.

Bathroom of house in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic by ORABathroom of house in Český Krumlov, Czech Republic by ORA
ORA combined cool colours with white tiles in the bathroom

ORA, which stands for Original Regional Architecture, was founded in 2014 by Jan Veisser, Jan Hora and Barbora Hora. The studio is based in the small town of Znojmo, with previous projects including the conversion of a 16th-century home in Mikulov to create a modern guesthouse.

Other recent attempts at revamping the historical residences of the Czech Republic include a 1920s villa in Prague that was renovated by No Architects and a 100-year-old apartment in Karlovy Vary, where Plus One Architects uncovered the building’s original paintwork.

The photography is by BoysPlayNice.

Reference

Workstation Sinks By Delta Faucet Jury Winner, 2022 A+Product Awards, Kitchen & Bath, Fixtures & Fittings - Kitchen
CategoriesArchitecture

Smart and Stylish: 6 Innovative Home Products Deftly Designed for Modern Life

By Zarkon Group,

Architizer’s A+Product Awards is open for submissions, with the Extended Entry Deadline fast approaching on Friday, February 23rd. Get your products in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today.

The time we spend at home has been on a steep incline over the past few years. Much of this time is accounted for by the considerable rise in people working from home. However, it’s not all work. Spending time on other activities at home has also seen a dramatic surge. For many people, their home has become their sanctuary, opting for intimate dinner parties over visiting lavish restaurants and cozy movie nights on the sofa above dancing in crowded nightclubs. Our homes are our offices, our gyms, our libraries, our playgrounds, and, in some cases, even our supermarkets. It is thanks to this shift in societal behavior that we are changing our view of what our homes are and what we need them to do for us, and with that, how we choose to furnish them is changing, too.

Homeowners are investing more in their homes, aiming to make their places of refuge as functional, comfortable, and efficient as they can — adopting new technologies to create spaces that are adaptable and places that can cater to an evolving lifestyle.

As of 2024, there are over 400 million smart homes worldwide, expected to reach 478.2 million by 2025. In the United States alone, over 60.4 million households are using smart home devices as of 2023, and this figure has grown to approximately 69.91 million households actively using smart home devices in 2024. Ease of use and functionality have become key factors in how we use our homes. The following products were designed to be as practical as they are stylish — as A+Product Awards winners, they also all received accolades from Architizer’s stellar jury of industry experts, comprising 200+ renowned architects and designers that truly understand what it takes to create great buildings and spaces:

Enter the A+Product Awards

Workstation Sinks

By Delta Faucet

Jury Winner, 2022 A+Product Awards, Kitchen & Bath, Fixtures & Fittings – Kitchen

Workstation Sinks By Delta Faucet Jury Winner, 2022 A+Product Awards, Kitchen & Bath, Fixtures & Fittings - KitchenIf you’ve been on social media any time in the last year, you’re bound to have seen a workstation sink. The multifunctional units are the envy of every avid home chef, and this version by Delta Faucet is terrific. Designed to meet the evolving needs of modern kitchens, the workstation sinks are a blend of Delta Faucet water-delivery expertise and functional design. Each Workstation sink is sleek in design and offers a multifunctional workspace through its built-in WorkFlow™ ledge. The adaptable sink space is equipped with integrated accessories like cutting boards, dish racks, utensil holders and even a ledge to hold your phone or tablet. Constructed from durable TRU16 gauge stainless steel and featuring noise-reducing soundproofing, these sinks are designed for both durability and quiet operation.

Statement Showering Collection

By Kohler Co.

Jury Winner, 2022 A+Product Awards, Kitchen & Bath, Fixtures & Fittings – Bath 

Statement Showering Collection By Kohler Co. Jury Winner, 2022 A+Product Awards, Kitchen & Bath, Fixtures & Fittings - Bath Often, the goal of technology is to increase functionality and make things easier, but sometimes, it’s about pure luxury, and that was Kohler’s goal when creating the Statement Shower Collection—exquisite design paired with innovative performance to create the ultimate well-being experience.

The Kohler Statement™ showering collection transforms the shower experience, offering a unique blend of form, function, and flair. Drawing inspiration from furnishings and lighting, the collection’s designs integrate seamlessly into any space, encouraging personal expression through a variety of shapes, sizes, finishes and innovative spray experiences. This global line is designed for universal appeal, ensuring easy installation and specification across different regions. Kohler’s approach reimagines modern minimalism, blurring the boundaries between rooms and promoting a cohesive and warm aesthetic. The Statement collection marries powerful functionality with design sophistication to create an immersive environment.

36 Induction Cooktop with Integrated Ventilation

By Fisher & Paykel

Jury Winner, 2022 A+Product Awards, Kitchen & Bath, Appliances 

36 Induction Cooktop with Integrated Ventilation By Fisher & Paykel Jury Winner, 2022 A+Product Awards, Kitchen & Bath, Appliances The average kitchen extractor or cooker hood has never been the most attractive of appliances. While they have a valid purpose in most homes, bulky, shiny and painfully noisy are but a few choice descriptives for the standard extraction system, and because of these unfortunate characteristics, these silver suckers have been rapidly falling out of favor with designers and homeowners alike. But what do you do when you have poor ventilation and a fondness for aromatic foods? The answer— downdraft extractors. A relatively new innovation in kitchen design, downdraft extractors offer a sleek and discreet alternative to traditional overhead cooker hoods. They’re designed to be flush with the kitchen countertop and extract air directly from the hob when in use, making them especially suitable for kitchen islands or where a clear line of sight is preferred.

Fisher & Paykel have taken this innovation to the next level and integrated a downdraft extractor into their 36 Induction Cooktop. A true two-in-one appliance, the induction cooktop, with accurate temperature control, combines the precision of induction cooking with powerful extraction, meaning no more ugly overhead extractor.

30-Inch Column Refrigerator

By Dacor

Popular Choice Winner, 2022 A+Product Awards, Building Systems, Smart Design & Technology 

30-Inch Column Refrigerator By Dacor Popular Choice Winner, 2022 A+Product Awards, Building Systems, Smart Design & Technology A fridge is a fridge, right? Wrong! The 30-inch Column Refrigerator by Dacor is the epitome of refrigerator technology. Placing technology at the forefront, the innovative fridge boasts intuitive features such as the iQ Remove View, which allows users to control temperature and lighting remotely and even view the contents of their refrigerator to simplify grocery shopping and a hidden touch-control display panel regulates temperature, helping to preserve food freshness and extending the lifespan of your groceries.

The refrigerator doesn’t just stop at technological prowess, though; its sleek design comes in three high-end finishes and can be fully integrated to sit flush with other kitchen cabinets, while the water dispenser is ingeniously fitted inside the unit to maintain the uninterrupted exterior finish.

Wilderness Front Facing 31H

By Ortal

Popular Choice and Jury Winner, 2022 A+Product Awards, Building Systems > Building Equipment & Systems 

Wilderness Front Facing 31H By Ortal Popular Choice and Jury Winner, 2022 A+Product Awards, Building Systems > Building Equipment & Systems There’s nothing quite like sitting in front of the fire on a cold winter’s evening, but the thought of cleaning it out and lighting it, alongside environmental concerns, can quickly take the romance out of the idea of having a fireplace in your home.

The Wilderness Front Facing 31H by Ortal removes those problems altogether. Drawing inspiration from the natural world to redefine the fireside experience, the beautiful feature fire uses advanced ceramic log technology with a soothing, nature-inspired aesthetic. The collection aims to provide a tranquil and memorable ambiance while the Wilderness Burner technology, available in variations like Wilderness Burner Dark Brown and Wilderness Burner Chopped Wood, pays homage to the timeless tradition of humans gathering around the hearth to tell tales and watch the world go by.

Ortal’s Front Collection takes the whole concept a step further by achieving the seamless integration of high-end contemporary frameless fireplaces into a building architecture with passive cool wall technology and powerful vent systems, and over 100 models with various media options to create unique and extraordinary focal points in any space.

Architizer’s A+Product Awards is open for submissions, with the Extended Entry Deadline fast approaching on Friday, February 23rd. Get your products in front of the AEC industry’s most renowned designers by submitting today.

Reference

Mayfair office by Oskar Kohnen
CategoriesInterior Design

Oskar Kohnen fills London office with mid-century modern furniture

By Zarkon Group,

London studio Oskar Kohnen has outfitted a Mayfair office with mid-century modern furniture and contemporary pieces, which “are so well curated that no one would ever dare to throw them away”.

Spread across three floors, the office is housed within a rectilinear building in London’s Mayfair neighbourhood with a gridded facade.

Mayfair office by Oskar Kohnen Mayfair office by Oskar Kohnen
Oskar Kohnen designed the office in London’s Mayfair area

“It has a townhouse feeling,” studio founder Oskar Kohnen told Dezeen of the office, which he designed for developer Crosstree Real Estate.

At its ground level, Kohnen clad the entrance hall with dark-stained wooden panels and added sconce lights to subtly illuminate the space.

Djinn sofa by Oliver MourgeDjinn sofa by Oliver Mourge
A cream Djinn sofa was placed in the entrance hall

An amorphous Djinn sofa, created by industrial designer Olivier Mourge in 1965, was placed in one corner.

“We worked a lot with vintage furniture, and as for the new pieces we sourced, we hope they are so well curated that no one would ever dare to throw them away,” said Kohnen.

Living room-style space with an L-shaped sofaLiving room-style space with an L-shaped sofa
The first floor features a living room-style space

“Warm and inviting” interiors characterise a living room-style space on the first floor, which was created in direct contrast to the industrial appearance of the exterior.

An L-shaped velvet and stainless-steel sofa finished in a burnt orange hue was positioned next to white-stained brise soleil screens and a bright resin coffee table.

Kitchen with terrazzo worktopsKitchen with terrazzo worktops
Terrazzo accents were chosen for the kitchen

“The social spaces have an earthy and calm colour palette – yet they are lush and dramatic,” explained Kohnen.

A pair of low-slung 1955 Lina armchairs by architect Gianfranco Frattini also features in this space, while floor-to-ceiling glazing opens onto a residential-style terrace punctuated by potted plants.

Bright gridded ceiling in a meeting roomBright gridded ceiling in a meeting room
Oskar Kohnen added a bright gridded ceiling to one of the meeting rooms

Similar tones and textures were used to dress the rest of the rooms on this level.

These spaces include a kitchen with contemporary terrazzo worktops and a meeting room with a red gridded ceiling that was set against cream-coloured panels and modernist black chairs.

The second floor holds the main office, complete with rows of timber desks and an additional meeting room-library space characterised by the same reddish hues as the low-lit entrance hall.

“The idea was to create an office space that had soul to it and would offer a more personal take on a work environment, rather than the usual corporate spaces we are so familiar with in London,” Kohen concluded.

Desks within the main office areaDesks within the main office area
The second floor holds the main office

Founded in 2011, Kohnen’s eponymous studio has completed a range of interior projects, including a mint-green eyewear store in Berlin and a pink-tinged paint shop in southwest London.

The photography is by Salva Lopez.



Reference

Mid-century modern home
CategoriesInterior Design

Eight homes where mid-century modern furniture adds a stylish touch

By Zarkon Group,

Pieces by designers Charles and Ray Eames and Isamu Noguchi are on show in this lookbook, which features homes with eye-catching mid-century modern furniture.

Mid-century furniture, which often has simple lines and a sculptural feel, adds a modernist touch to these homes, which range from period properties to newly built and renovated houses.

Among the interiors showcased in this lookbook are iconic architect Le Corbusier’s own home and a residence in London’s upmarket Mayfair area that has been filled with mid-century modern and art deco details.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring perforated brick-walls, budget home interiors and immersive saunas in peaceful settings.

Mid-century modern home Mid-century modern home
Photo by Mariell Lind Hansen

Zero House, UK, by Ben Garrett and Rae Morris

Owners Ben Garrett and Rae Morris updated Zero House, which was informed by Californian Case Study Houses, themselves in a way that would honour its mid-century roots.

The living room features a striking floor-to-ceiling fireplace clad in tiles, as well as a number of furniture pieces in warm colours. Among them is a classic Eames office chair in a dark-brown leather colour that matches the wooden panelling that decorates the room.

Find out more about Zero House ›

Hudson Woods house by Magdalena KeckHudson Woods house by Magdalena Keck
Photo by Jeff Cate

Hudson Woods home, US, by Magdalena Keck

Located in upstate New York, this holiday home has an interior that fuses Danish and Japanese design. A dinner table and chairs by designer Finn Juhl are among the Danish pieces used in the house, where they look both functional and elegant.

A simple lamp with a gold-coloured shade above the table adds a decorative touch and matches the brass fastenings at the backs of the chairs.

Find out more about the Hudson Woods home ›

Interior of Madrid apartmentInterior of Madrid apartment
Photo by Polina Parcevskya and Julie Smorodkina

Radikal Klassisk, Spain, by Puntofilipino 

The interior of this Spanish apartment in a former bank building has a moody, interesting colour palette and features richly textured materials including terrazzo, clay-rendered walls and marble tiles.

In contrast, the furniture is streamlined and unfussy, including a sculptural lounge chair by Danish designer Hans J Wegner in the living room.

Find out more about the Radikal Klassisk ›

City Beach residence in Perth by Design TheoryCity Beach residence in Perth by Design Theory
Photo by Jack Lovel

City Beach House, Australia, by Design Theory

American artist and designer Noguchi’s iconic coffee table, made from a heavy glass tabletop that rests on two undulating wooden legs, has pride of place in the living room of City Beach House.

The interior, created by Australian studio Design Theory, responds to the design and natural material palette of the house itself, which is from the 1960s.

Find out more about City Beach House ›

White home in Sweden by Asa Hjort ArchitectsWhite home in Sweden by Asa Hjort Architects
Photo by Jim Stephenson

Hallen, Sweden, by Åsa Hjort Architects

This newly built home in the southern Swedish region of Österlen has a blocky geometric design and large windows that provide views out across the Baltic Sea.

An Eames lounge chair adds a comfortable resting space in one of the rooms, where its dark hues contrast against sheer white curtains and pale wood flooring.

Find out more about Hallen ›

Moore HouseMoore House
Photo is by Joe Fletcher

Moore House, US, by Woods + Dangaran

A pair of vintage globe-shaped pendants by Dutch designer Frank Ligtelijn light up the bathroom in this 1960s California home designed by architect Craig Ellwood.

The bathroom also features a dark Emperador marble countertop and a wall clad in Japanese porcelain tiles.

Find out more about Moore House ›

Mid-century modern interior by Child StudioMid-century modern interior by Child Studio
Photo by Felix Speller and Child Studio

Mayfair residence, UK, by Child Studio

The “Pernilla” lounge chair by Swedish designer Bruno Mathsson is among the many mid-century modern furniture pieces on show in this London apartment.

Local practice Child Studio told Dezeen that the spacious lounge that houses the chair was informed by the grand salon in fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent’s Paris home.

Find out more about the Mayfair residence ›

Le Corbusier's studio apartmentLe Corbusier's studio apartment

Studio apartment, France, by Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier’s apartment in his Immeuble Molitor apartment building in Paris, where he lived for more than three decades, reopened to the public in 2018.

Visitors to the modernist flat can admire mid-century modern furniture pieces including a black leather edition of the designer’s signature LC2 lounge chair, which sits next to a cowhide rug at the entrance of the apartment.

Find out more about Le Corbusier’s apartment ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring perforated brick-walls, budget home interiors and immersive saunas in peaceful settings.

Reference

Dense Cities, Open Homes: 8 Multifamily Housing Projects Built for Modern Life
CategoriesArchitecture

Dense Cities, Open Homes: 8 Multifamily Housing Projects Built for Modern Life

By Zarkon Group,

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletters.

Housing is central to architecture and cities. Across generations and socio-economic backgrounds, a mix of housing options makes cities more lively, sustainable and human. Amidst global housing scarcity, the need to build more multifamily and affordable housing is widespread. Equitable housing begins with policy and planning, but it’s also tied to design. Architects worldwide are considering this idea and how to create more beautiful, integrated housing that reflects how we live today.

Multifamily housing is key to creating more equitable cities. In this type of housing, multiple separate units are contained within one or several buildings within one complex. A key benefit of multifamily in the current market is that it’s usually more affordable than single-family housing. With real estate today, it’s increasingly difficult for people to buy a home, especially for first-time buyers. In multifamily housing, less land is needed, and it helps to meet the growing demand for households of all ages and income levels. As architects consider the impact of housing, the following projects represent multifamily housing design across the world. Made for residents to either rent or own, they represent a cultural shift and underline the importance of housing in architecture today.

Timber House

MESH Architectures, Brooklyn, NY, United States

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Multi-Unit Residential Building

New York is a city known for housing scarcity, and a place that’s defined by reinvention. For Timber House, MESH Architectures was inspired by natural finishes and “botanical architecture.” The idea was not only to foster well-being, but create a new model for timber construction in the city. The project is the first mass-timber condominium in New York, and the structure was built with glue-laminated timber columns, beams, and floor plates. The six-story, multifamily project is comprised of fourteen homes.

Beyond the novel material approaches to construction in Timber House, it was also a test in learning from passive-house design. Those principles informed its high-performance envelope, with “intensive insulation, smart air sealing, and triple-glazed wood windows.” Less interior finishes were required thanks to leaving the wood structure exposed, while the team also prioritized low-carbon material choices. For Timber House, MESH wanted to demonstrate that sustainable multifamily buildings can balance well-being and comfort, as well as beauty.

Valley

MVRDV, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Architecture +Façades

MVRDV has earned a reputation for reinvention and creating new building forms. That same approach extends to housing, where the team designed Valley with a more “green and human” touch. Built for developer Edge, the project is located in Amsterdam Zuidas. Rising to three distinct towers, the façades shift across the complex. The outer edges are mirrored glass, while the inner façades are clad with stone and swaths of greenery.

Valley was built for a mix of residents, as well as workers and visitors. Not only for multifamily housing, the project also includes offices while much of the building is open to the public. For the materials, over 40,000 stone tiles of varying sizes were used throughout the building’s façades. “Each of the 198 apartments has a unique floorplan, made possible by the interior designs by Heyligers Architects.” Outside, the team worked with landscape architect Piet Oudolf on the placement and selection of trees, shrubs and approximately 13,500 smaller plants that are in within the natural stone planters.

One Hundred

Studio Gang, St. Louis, MO, United States

Jury Winner, 9th Annual A+Awards, Multi Unit Housing High Rise (16+ Floors)

Few locations are more prominent for multifamily housing in St. Louis than Forest Park. Designed by Studio Gang, One Hundred is a residential tower overlooking the park and the studio’s first project in the city. The tower includes a mix of housing, retail and amenities on four-story stacked tiers. The apartments were designed for views of Forest Park and east to the Gateway Arch.

From a formal approach, Studio Gang designed the tower with an angled façade that creates a series of large outdoor spaces atop each tier. This move also produces outdoor space for residents atop the green roof podium. The team notes that, “each apartment features its own corner living room with double exposures that, in addition to offering panoramic views, enhance the amount and quality of daylight within the units.” The tower includes public and retail spaces at ground level adjacent to the park, while establishing a new landmark for St. Louis.

Cirqua Apartments

BKK Architects, Melbourne, Australia

Jury & Popular Choice Winner, 2018 A+Awards, Multi Unit Housing Low Rise (1-4 Floors)

The Cirqua project by BKK gained widespread recognition for creating beautiful, inventive multifamily architecture. The project includes 38 unique unit types out of the 42 total apartments made with spacious balconies and an integrated approach to landscaping. Combining two properties into a single block, the project was formed with careful attention paid to scale and the surrounding context. Cirqua not only showcases a smart, nuanced approach to multifamily housing, but also how to design for accessibility and passive performance.

As the team noted, prospective owners are increasingly buying into the apartment market (over detached housing) as owner-occupiers. A sense of place was a key driver of the design, establishing a neighborly feel. All living areas and bedrooms have direct access to ventilation, natural light and views, while maximizing glazing created connections to the surrounding garden. From the neighborhood scale, a study in massing led to reducing the overall building volume to make the development fit seamlessly into its site.

Caterpillar

Prince Concepts, Detroit, MI, United States

Caterpillar approaches density through a novel construction and design in Core City, Detroit. It utilizes a Quonset Hut structure that holds eight units, all entirely prefabricated. The result is an 8,000 square foot (745 square meter) residential project that prioritizes indoor and outdoor space. Prince Concepts created the project with tall ceilings that rise to 23 feet (7 meters); the units were designed to capture morning light in the bedrooms and evening sunsets in the living room.

Multifamily housing and density are charged subjects, but they also hold the potential to reimagine everyday life in cities. For Caterpillar, the team wanted to rethink the standard ratios of a multifamily project. To do so, instead of “150 apartments surrounded by eight trees with just one window per room, Caterpillar provides eight apartments surrounded by 150 trees and 12-18 windows per room.” The multifamily project built on the success of True North, completed in 2017. That Prince Concepts development was made with eight Quonset huts and ten leasable units.

Casa Jardin Escandon

CPDA ARQUITECTOS, Mexico City, Mexico

CPDA Architects designed this garden house project as a multifamily development in Mexico City. Located in the Escandón neighborhood, the project includes fourteen residential units. At its heart, a central courtyard is the connective element that defines the housing project, opening up access to natural light and cross ventilation. Ten townhouse units are set up the four ground-floor units below, all of which share a similar material relationship.

As the Escandón neighborhood has seen rapid growth, new populations moved in across age and income levels. The project provides a mix of unit types, as well as changing faces along its façade. The exterior showcases the concrete slabs that stand out and the gabled façade, while the interior has simple, seamless and integrated forms that define the inside complex. The idea was to create a “secret garden” that residents can enjoy within the city.

The SIX Veterans Housing

Brooks + Scarpa Architects, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Few cities in the world are grappling with homelessness and a severe lack of housing affordability like Los Angeles. Brooks+Scarpa has built a practice addressing issues in the city and across the nation. For this multifamily residential, The SIX was designed as a 52-unit affordable housing project that “provides a home, support services and rehabilitation for previously homeless and/or disabled veterans.”

Located in the MacArthur Park area of Los Angeles, The SIX was made to break the mold of multifamily housing by creating public and private “zones” in which private space was deemphasized to create large public areas. At ground level, the program includes support spaces for veterans, as well as bike storage, parking and offices. The second level is the core of the project, with a large, public courtyard. The idea was to create a community-oriented, interactive space that opens to its surroundings.

Jinshan 9

Steffian Bradley Architects, Shenzhen, China

Over the last two decades, development in China has been defined by a dizzying pace and new architecture produce in-mass. For Jinshan 9, this force behind new buildings was directed into a multifamily living community. Located in China’s Shekou mixed-use district, the project looks out west to wild, forested mountains and east to Shenzhen Bay Bridge. With a range of both low-rise and high-rise structures, the development was made for diverse lifestyles and populations.

With 210 townhouse units, the project also has four residential towers rising 32 floors in height. Between integrated pedestrian paths and trails, the development comprises a network of gardens and interconnected terraces. From its material palette, Jinshan 9 includes natural-colored terracotta panels with aluminum trim on the exterior. This combines with marine-inspired imagery and forms, like balcony details echoing sailboat decks.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletters.

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Gallery shop interior designed by Akin Atelier in Sydney Modern
CategoriesInterior Design

Akin Atelier houses Gallery Shop at Sydney Modern in “translucent bubble”

By Zarkon Group,

Curved resin walls define this retail space, which architecture studio Akin Atelier has created for the Sydney Modern extension at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Designed by Akin Atelier with surfboard designer Hayden Cox, the Gallery Shop is located in the entrance pavilion of the gallery that was recently completed by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winning studio SANAA.

The retail space is conceived as a “translucent bubble” within the entrance area, the studio said, and it aims to challenge the typical commercial experience in a museum shop.

Gallery shop interior designed by Akin Atelier in Sydney Modern
Akin Atelier has created the Gallery Shop at Sydney Modern

“The shop captures natural light throughout the day, bringing dynamic reflections and refractions of the city while holding people, objects, and books within its centre,” Akin Atelier told Dezeen.

“[It] showcases products to passers-by through the lens of the resin walls – gently maximising the identity of the space while preserving the architectural experience of the new building.”

The Gallery Shop comprises two resin walls that curve around its displays, with a gap between the two of them forming the entry point.

shop interior designed by Akin Atelier in Sydney Modern
It has curved walls made from a resin

The installation is placed in the northwest corner of the entrance pavilion, to the left-hand side of its entrance, meaning that its distinctive resin walls are visible from the street.

Its walls are constructed of 29 modules formed of 12 tonnes of resin. According to the studio, the resin is a type of “bio-resin” manufactured to incorporate biological matter.

resin walls of retail space at sydney modern
It sits within the building’s entrance pavilion that was designed by SANAA

“It is composed of a minimum 26 per cent biological matter,” said the studio.

“[This reduces] the amount of embodied carbon as well as reducing toxicity during the manufacturing process.”

The distinct tonal gradient of the bio-resin was achieved by hand pouring layers of colour into custom moulds – a process that took 109 days.

Meanwhile, its glossy translucency was achieved through hand sanding followed by seven rounds of hand polishing.

Gallery Shop interior designed by Akin Atelier
The translucent material allows natural light through the space. Photo by Tim Salisbury

The resin’s earthy hues reference the sandstone used in the original Art Gallery of New South Wales, while its gradation is a nod to the layered nature of Sydney’s bedrock of sandstone.

“The handmade nature of resin casting and finishing allowed for experimentation across colour and form while addressing the patinated qualities of the outside environment,” explained Akin Atelier.

Gallery shop interior designed by Akin Atelier in Sydney Modern
Two curved walls enclose the shop

Inside the Gallery Shop, adjustable resin shelves line the curved walls, housing books and publications. Stainless steel is used for display plinths, providing a contrast to the warm tones of the resin.

The project has been shortlisted in the small retail interior category of the Dezeen Awards.

Akin Atelier also recently used tactile materials such as onyx, plaster and travertine to form the interiors of a branch of the womenswear store Camilla and Marc in Melbourne.

The photography is by Rory Gardiner unless otherwise stated. 

Reference

maayaa retreat in south india reflects tropical modern aesthetic
CategoriesArchitecture

maayaa retreat in south india reflects tropical modern aesthetic

By Zarkon Group,

MAAYAA tropical retreat draws from Balinese architecture

 

Architectural studio aslam sham architects constructs MAAYAA, a Balinese-themed getaway nestled within a lush palm plantation. Located just an hour’s drive from Coimbatore, at the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the retreat showcases earthy tones and textures, instilling a sense of calm. The spaces are designed to evoke an eye-soothing serenity, as pathways adorned with verdant foliage exude tranquility and elegance.

 

Aiming to encapsulate Bali’s essence, MAAYAA’s design forms around tropical modernism. Perched in Anakkatti and embraced by the converging Siruvani and Bhavani Rivers, the building is set atop a cliff with river vistas. The resort’s core design objective is to amplify and preserve the surrounding scenery.

maayaa retreat in south india reflects tropical modern aesthetic
all images by Ishi Sitwala

 

 

fluid transition between the built and the land

 

With most of the construction situated below the entrance level, visitors descend to these spaces, greeted by shallow, expansive water bodies integrated into the roof slabs. This fluid transition through the entrance passage leads to the restaurant, where panoramic views of the river and distant mountains unfold.

 

The lower floors house banquet halls, conference rooms, and offices, while the lowest level boasts an infinity pool seamlessly blending with the landscape. The design team achieves a harmonious fusion between architecture and nature, creating an environment where boundaries blur between built and natural elements. The resort consists of two types of accommodations; standard rooms with river-view balconies, and independent cottages featuring plunge pools that overlook both the river and the hinterland. These structures follow the natural contours of the land, interconnected by passages and bridges at various levels, conveniently linked to the clubhouse and communal amenities. Drawing from Balinese architecture, the chosen materials and design vocabulary mirror the tropical retreat concept, paying homage to the region’s aesthetic.

maayaa retreat in south india reflects tropical modern aesthetic
the Balinese-themed getaway nestled within a lush palm plantation

maayaa retreat in south india reflects tropical modern aesthetic
MAAYAA’s design forms around the concept of tropical modernism



Reference

Modern Masterpiece: Architect David Strand on Designing the Perfect “Home in the Woods”
CategoriesArchitecture

Modern Masterpiece: Architect David Strand on Designing the Perfect “Home in the Woods”

By Zarkon Group,

If there is one thing that architects and their clients can agree on, it’s that architecture should always work in harmony with nature. When it came to Silver Residence, a stunning modern home located in Minneapolis, nature wasn’t just a consideration — it was the starting point for developing the architectural concept.

Local architect David Strand, Principal and Director of Strand Design, was tasked with creating a private residence that remained intimately connected to its site, while providing light, open spaces and high-end finishes to meet the needs of its client. The resulting house comprises an elegant arrangement of three volumes, cleverly oriented to provide a sense of privacy while maintaining uninhibited views of the surrounding forest.


Architizer’s Editor in Chief Paul Keskeys sat down with Strand to discuss the conception and development of Silver Residence, including the material choices and product specification decisions that helped make the design a reality.

Paul Keskeys: How did the client brief and the project’s unique site help to shape your initial concept for Silver Residence?

David Strand: This was a truly unique site. The lot was essentially an established woodland in the backyards of the neighboring homes. Encircled by their neighbors, our main goal was to utilize the large wooded site while maintaining discretion for the neighbors and our clients. Careful site placement and rotation, focused view corridors and room placement was our initial goal.

What most influenced your choice of materials and products for the project and why?

We wanted the house to stand stoically, but also fade into the surroundings. Getting two large, flat roofed volumes to blend in with nature isn’t that simple. The soft tone of the siding and mixed palette of dark brick and concrete helped reduce the impact. The vertical siding has a very calm and natural look that mimics the linear trees and sky.

The expansive windows reflect the woods, so it appears that you are seeing through the home to woods beyond, helping to minimize the mass of the structures. The home changes throughout the seasons, with the warm glow of the windows in the evening accentuating the natural wood ceilings and cabinetry.

For this project, we chose Marvin windows for several reasons. Firstly, both the builder and Strand Design are familiar and comfortable with the brand, and they know they can trust Marvin to stand behind its product. We were also aiming to maintain the crisp and clean aesthetic of the home, and wanted a product that was more streamlined for the windows within the primary spaces of the living room and kitchen.

The Marvin Modern line brings a refined option to the residential market and allows us to intermix supplier and installer within one brand, facilitating multiple sizes and styles of windows throughout the home. These windows allow for massive pieces of glass with minimal structure between them.

In the Silver Residence, the clean lines and minimal articulation create a truly modern and elevated experience for the public spaces of the home. To be cognizant of the budget and quality we established, we chose Marvin Ultimate due to its durable exterior aluminum extrusion and finish.

In terms of the building envelope, what were your goals and how did you achieve them through detailing?

The expansive glazing of the Silver Residence creates movement and intrigue within its harmonic envelope. From the exterior, during the day, the windows reflect the trees and sky surrounding the home, adding tones of green and blue to the otherwise neutral exterior palette. At night, they allow for the warm interior light to filter out to enliven the facade as it blends into the fading light.

From the interior, the glass connects the home to its site and allows the family to interact with nature, even while inside the home. By drawing natural light deep within the home, we created a dynamic and inviting quality that energizes the interior and enriches the time spent at home.

It is always about purposeful material usage and clean transitions. We strive to design each home within its own scale, allowing for quality material usage inside and out.  We aim to create a jewel box, whatever size that may be. The main problem with what is often perceived as the modern architecture aesthetic today, is the patchwork application of trendy materials that serves no purpose and has no correlation to the massing of the structure.

This home, like most of our homes, is thought of in terms of overall massing to create a relevant aesthetic for the site, with consideration for the scale of the project and also the clients. We created interest by using textural and material changes rather than jarring transitions. By maintaining one primary tone, we were able to create a refined yet tactile material palette. These elements carry subtly into the home, reminding you of what you are inhabiting.

What was the biggest design challenge you faced during the process, and how was it overcome?

For this question, we need to go back to the site. What seemed like a large and blank canvas became very compact and directional when taking all of the neighboring homes into account. Managing the sightlines and drawing the natural light into the homes was the main priority.

Which elements of the project do you feel are most successful and may influence your future designs?

From both the exterior and interior, the large expanses of glass that cleanly transition from one to another add depth and refinement to the home. Blurring that line of transparency and reflection is something we feel this home does well and will aim for in future homes. Purposeful material transitions are a huge part of the success of this home. Simplicity starts and stops with the absence of adornment.

Another programming element that is incorporated very well with this home is the screen porch. Protected between the wings of the house and backed by the glass breezeway, this space allows for intimate family moments and transitions from an open deck to a screened porch seamlessly. Watching the screen slice through the building façade is a satisfying moment.

What has the client’s response to the project been like?

Our clients truly love their home and utilize the residence to its fullest. It’s a home that selflessly demands little of their time and thought, while encompassing comfort, space and warmth. The home serves as the “form and function” backdrop, enriching their own free flowing lives within it.

To explore more case studies featuring Marvin Modern and learn how to harness windows and doors like these for your next project, click here.

Photographs by Chad Holder Photography; plan drawing courtesy of Strand Design.

Reference