Get Inspired: 30 Creative Alternative Housing Solutions For Unique Living Spaces

Architects: Augusto Fernández Mas (K+A Diseño),
Mauricio Miranda (MM Desarrollos),
Mariel Esquivel and Cesar Cardoso. Construction: K+A Diseño Main Purveyors: MicMac, Solesdi y Venster. Interior decoration: TAI Arquitectura de Interiores Photography: Onnis Luque The linear black cabin was designed by the collaboration between Augusto Fernández Mas and Mauricio Miranda as a country house for a client with three specific demands: simple layout, low maintenance, and living quarters and public areas in one floor. RA.L7 is located within Rancho Avandaro Country Club in the outskirts of Valle de Bravo, an hour and a halve drive from Mexico City. It is a project that portrays a strong character form the outside but at the same time invites passersby to enter. In the inside, it offers a warm cabin like feeling that through its simplicity and windows facing the golf course, guides the view to the outside. The lower concrete volume ads a sense of solidity and stability to the house, and its layout divided by a garage open on both sides provides an invitation to enter. [
The project uses the topography of the terrain to its advantage, thus generating two volumes: the upper one which encloses the living and general public areas and the bottom one encompassing the garage, technical and service areas. The outside materials are Japanese style burnt wood (Shou-sugi-ban), Canadian darkened wood, concrete, and ceramic tiles (roof) that in turn evidence the simple lines of the design. The choice of materials demands close to null maintenance.
The west façade, which faces the street, has dark wood symmetric divisions over the main interior hallway, creating privacy at an angle and almost unrestricted view when perpendicular to them. The purpose is to allow light into the house and permit the views to the equestrian club on the other side of the street while maintaining limited exposure to passersby’s. The east façade faces the golf course, thus there is an honest openness through all glass façade with sliding window doors and complemented with a glass-roofed terrace. In attention to the requested simplicity in the layout, the linear internal distribution has four rooms laid in a sequential manner culminating with living—room, dining-room and kitchen. One dramatic hallways communicates all areas in a straight line, adding to the simplicity of the design layout. With over 650 square meters of inside space, only one internal staircase was employed to communicate with the service areas and garage. There are two accesses to the house without stairs for the owner to comfortably access. In total, the terrain is 2,200 square meters of which ___ square meters were used for the house.
There is a comforting feeling of warmth inside, but the same time opens up to go and enjoy the outside. It is to be lived inside wanting to be outside and, once outside, feeling invited to be protected inside. The linear and simple geometry of the house is soothed by the layout of the wood beams on the ceiling and the elegant and at the same time rough aspect of the wood floor and wood paneling on the walls. RA.L7 house is one of two recent projects done by the collaboration of Augusto Fernandez and Mauricio Miranda in Rancho Avandaro. Augusto Fernandez, through its K+A Diseño firm, is an active architect and constructor in Valle de Bravo with several country homes competed in the last years. Photography is by Onnis Luque.

Black Friday sales are picking up pace and many, as always, are looking around their home and thinking ways in which they can add something new to the interior. If there is one big mover this time of the year, then it is undoubtedly the big, flat screen TV. It is a hit almost all […]

You’re reading Where to Put the New, Big Television in Your Home: Placement Guide and Ideas, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

This new residence is located on a pristine site comprised of a mature douglas fir and pacific madrone forest, with occasional rocky clearings and several small ponds. Our clients desired a work of architecture that minimized site impacts while creating a work of architecture that utilized their favorite materials (wood and concrete) and connected them intimately with the land and the view. The home is situated where the forest gives way to a large rocky clearing with views to the sea. The structure is ‘wrapped’ around a prominent outcropping of rock and carefully situated to require a minimum of tree removal. The long, narrow footprint of the home allows every room a view of the sea while also retaining a strong connection to the surrounding forest. Merit Award – AIA NW & Pacific Honor Awards, 2011 Merit Award – AIA Honor Awards for Washington Architecture, 2010

Located on a secluded street in Austin, Texas, the M1700 House, designed by Ravel Architecture, is…

Photographer: Scott Hargis
Architect: building Lab Our clients were young newlyweds who purchased this property in October, 2015. They were passionate about mid-century designs and all things retro and they had grand visions for their first home. They wanted it to be a standout in the neighborhood where they could entertain family and friends in style. After a thorough whole-house remodel and expansion with structural and foundation upgrades, the homeowners, who welcomed a new member (a baby boy) to the household, are now living in a completely transformed modern beauty with sleek and comfortable interiors and spacious outdoor areas. To Open or Close? We removed some walls and created an open and enlarged kitchen. To allow for maximum connection of the kitchen/dining area to the backyard, an existing post was removed and ceiling joists were extended to connect with a structural fascia. But instead of leaving a vast amount of common areas, we coopted some of those spaces to create an additional guest room/study. The same theme of openness and definition applies to the landscape design: low walls, hardscapes, outdoor kitchen, and fire pit define spaces for cooking, al fresco dining, play, and lounging. A Dining Pod
In a bold stroke, our clients decided to forgo a formal dining area. Instead, they opted for a glorified eat-in kitchen with custom built benches and live edge waterfall table. This pod continues the strategy of capturing and articulating special areas within a large open concept. It is the core that serves myriad functions such as dining and entertaining, newspaper reading, and possible homework station in the near future. Master Pavilion A House Within A House: Instead of just expanding into the backyard horizontally, the ceiling of the newly created master suite was raised 4’. Since the addition called for reframing and building new foundations, building Lab’s designers made use of the opportunity to rethink the whole concept of this parents’ retreat. By raising the ceiling, and adding a long skylight above the head of the bed, the master bedroom is dramatically infused with natural light. The space feels expansive and tranquil, and this feeling is carried through in the master bath. The simple elegance of the master bath is achieved through both effective space planning and restrained material palettes. Most of the fixtures and cabinetry are installed on one side of this very long room. The walls on both sides are clad with Resysta®, a sustainable material made with recycled rice husks, salt, and mineral oil. The natural wood look of this cladding adds to the spa ambience and the entirely glass end wall creates a dramatic one-point perspective. All white console sink, cabinetry, and a sculptural tub complete the look.