This Moody New Zealand Home Overlooks the Black Sands of Piha Beach

Space in the Wall The thought process regarding the challenging tall and narrow structure centers around a space that flows through the building and functions as a light cone that allows daylight to pierce through all the way to the basement and a joint wall, made of exposed concrete in “board” configuration, divided into squares, separated from the exterior wall of the house, which is made of glass, and acts as an artistic, somewhat “Brutalistic” element the house, one half of a two-family dwelling on a 220 square meters lot, and 360 square meters built, is designed for 2 young families with 2 children each, each family has 2 floors, the first family has the ground floor (living room, kitchen, dining room and garden) and basement (bedrooms and pool). The second family has the first floor (bedrooms) and the top floor (living room, dining room and a garden balcony)
The front of the building that faces the street is made with a combination of concrete, steel and wood. We’ve used these natural materials throughout the building. Stairs and banister from steel plates on the ground floor and a banister and counter-top with a sink out of steel grid on the first floor.
the flooring is out of concrete, with the concrete wall “accompanying” the entire house. Wood beams in the kitchen, the ceiling, a vertical shading and the floor.
The challenge to create a living space while using every available inch and maintaining privacy, while communicating with the residents who are design enthusiasts was completed with 2 modern villas, each with its own connection to the outside and with a unique and fashionable living space in the dense urban surrounding. Architect: Yulie Wollman
Photography: Shai Gil

With their plans to add an additional floor thwarted, BVDS Architects fit a new loft bedroom into a half-height space that feels surprisingly open.

A completely transformative renovation opened this former tract home up to views, light, and its stunning outdoor setting. It’s all about the views, but this residence wasn’t always this way. What is now a metal and cedar stunner situated on a private, hilly enclave above Calabasas, was once a darkly lit 1960s-era generic single family home. A two-year renovation made a total overhaul for an entrepreneur and his wife, empty nesters with kids living nearby. The architect, Brian Wickersham of AUX Architecture in Los Angeles, didn’t change a thing in terms of the home’s footprint and rooflines; he couldn’t. “We initially looked at building a new home, but quickly learned that because of an ancient paleolithic landslide, that the county requirements for restraining the hill would be cost prohibitive and time-consuming—potentially five or more years,” says Wickersham. “Instead, we devised a plan to work within the existing house footprint and building envelope for a project that would be classified as a renovation.” In addition to these parameters, the homeowners tasked him with throwing out all of the old—down to the last salad fork—and bringing in everything new—all the while designing something where they could entertain a growing gaggle of grandkids. The result is a modern home that transitions from indoors to outdoors with the ease this property was intended for. “It’s about striking a balance between modest down-to-earth people and helping them realize they can be living a luxurious lifestyle,” says Wickersham. It’s about them living at a higher level of luxury.” A composition of dark standing seam metal and vertical grain cedar give the appearance of three cut pieces, shifted side-to-side, the wood being the cut face. The cedar siding also carries from outside to in, bringing warmth to the home and reinforcing the inside-outside connection. Solar panels, thermal panels to heat the pool, and a thermally coupled HVAC system enable the home to largely function off-the-grid.

We admire designs that bring in contrasting styles, finishes and even stitch together inspirations from different eras. But this becomes an even more challenging task when you wish to combine traditional Japanese style with modernity and wish to do so in a heritage setting Down Under in Sydney! That is just what you get with […]

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