I Went to See THE Viral PREFAB HOME and it was Better than Expected!

Kūono is a modern cabin located on the Big Island of Hawaii near Volcanoes National Park. Its exterior was inspired by the modern sea cabins of Norway, and was designed to appear as a modern shape glowing in contrast to the dense Ohia forest. The exterior features of the property fade seamlessly into the boundaries of the site, with a crushed basalt driveway, native landscaping and outdoor sitting areas that were leveled with rocks dislodged during foundation preparation. Water to the property is supplied by a catchment tank and pump house, screened from view by horizontal cedar lattice. Kūono’s design allows for the experience of minimal restriction between indoor and outdoor. Its living spaces include both an open concept interior floor plan as well as an expansive lanai that features a central fire pit, lounge chairs and cedar ofuro soaking tub. From inside the cabin, a full height window wall and sliding glass doors give guests a complete vertical panorama of soil to blue sky through the Ohia canopies above. The floor plan efficiently accommodates four, with a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom and a vaulted sleeping/living space. In addition this home was under construction during the 2018 eruption that lasted 4 months. Although it was 20 miles away from the flowing lava that decimated over 700 homes, it was 4 miles away for the Halemaumau Crater which at one point experienced a 30 day stretch with daily 5.0 or greater earthquakes including one with a magnitude of 6.9. Minimal, modern, yet comfortable, Kūono is meant to be a place of respite, where guests are immersed in the beauty of Volcano’s natural landscape with the comforts of a luxury guest home still at hand.

Designed for a young couple, the 5,000 sf home and 1,700 sf back house sit on a flat 21,000 sf lot in a 1920’s Palo Alto neighborhood (a few blocks away from Steve Jobs’ residence). The architecture is a study in strong simple composition and is museum-like with its highly refined materiality and emphasis on craft. The massing defines solid and void, captures natural light, and connects the indoors with the landscape, seeking to ‘experience the outdoors from within.’ The ground floor volumes wrapped in an elongated hand-fired brick from Denmark, emphasizing the horizontality of the architecture that lays solidly on the land. Bronze-trimmed ceiling planes slide between the brick masses, and floor-to-ceiling glazed openings are captured by thin-profiled bronze frames. In contrast to the grounded brick volumes, the second floor is clad in stainless steel panels and oversized aluminum-framed windows. The lightness and openness of the second floor is nestled among the oak-tree canopies of the site. At the basement level, a wine cellar and tasting room open to a sunken landscaped courtyard. A 30ft by 10ft continuous pane of glass runs alongside the grand stairwell of floating stone steps, connecting the three levels of the house. Due to the unprecedented size of this glass in residential design, it was custom manufactured in Germany and shipped to California. This dramatic moment in the sequence of progressing through the house helps visitors feel connected to the lush landscape outside. Inside the house, materials such as a custom leather door and bronze anodized details were selected for their unique craftsman-style quality. Another custom-designed element is the steel mesh screen that wraps around to enclose the kitchen for privacy, separating this from the more public “guest hosting” areas adjacent. The steel screen slides along a track embedded into the teak slatted ceiling and disappears into the pantry when retracted. A freestanding structure set deep back into the site is a zen-like fitness/yoga studio as well as a guesthouse with a kitchenette. This dramatic stone mass opens up completely in the center to give the impression of exercising outdoors. The landscape integrates California native plant species, grasses and trees to compliment the materiality of the architecture.

Life can seem boring and dull at times and this is truer when you are stuck indoors in uncertain times or even on just a dreary, rainy week with very little sunlight all around. If you have a living room that is draped in beige, has a while sofa and a few other décor pieces […]

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