The Best Easter DIY Projects for Design Lovers

Tucked into a wooded landscape, Moro House is a remarkable example of contemporary architecture that disappears…

Situated in Tulum, this small boutique hotel rises between the trees, in which the main concept consisted in preserving 70% of the existing vegetation in order to build around it. By achieving this, every space of the project is always in relation to its natural surroundings. The hotel has five 50m2 lodges, formed by a double height room, a mezzanine or “tapanco”, a terrace and an indoor-outdoor bathroom. At the back of the lot the social areas are located, with a dining space and yoga pavilion hanging in cantilever over the pool. The main idea of this water element is to be extruded from the ground in between the vegetation. For this reason, two old zapote trees were preserved, which look as they were rising from the pool itself. All the project is composed by local materials, as well as low maintenance and natural textures, which provide a warm atmosphere to the buildings. A particular finish found on the walls is “chukum”, a Mayan stucco characteristic of the region, which uses a tree resin to give its distinctive color, appearance and durability. The objective was to use materials that age with dignity, so that with the passing of time the architecture acquires character and a deeper sense of belonging. The different volumes of the complex are scattered along the lot, between the trees and stone paths, which provide a sensation of being in a small village in the Mayan jungle. Throughout the design process there was a search for pure forms and natural materials that could blend with the surrounding context. In a sense, Jungle Keva is like an abstraction or simplification of vernacular architecture, easy to read, simple and with a social, natural and economic conscience.

This project was a true evolution of design. The owners originally approached DC+A about 10 years ago to design an informal home on their narrow cliff-side lot in the resort community of Lago Vista outside of Austin, TX. The couple worked with our firm remotely, trusting us to design their dream home. The original designs were for the narrow lot, but when a piece of land became available next door, the owners bought it and decided to re-envision their dream home to stretch across both pieces of property and leave more “breathing room” for the neighboring properties. The ultimate design is a 4,000 square foot limestone-clad home that frames views of the Colorado River from every room. The home uses some classic hill country and contemporary features that lend themselves well to the Central Texas lakeside setting, incorporated in a beautifully laid-back way. Featuring clerestory windows, floor to ceiling retractable glass doors and multi-purpose rooms, the home has an incredible quality and depth of natural light. The furnishings complement the architecture while remaining both casual and durable. Concrete floors add to the easy-going personality of the home, while redwood finishes outside and white oak inside reflect the riverside setting. The landscaping echoes the home’s relaxed nature with indigenous plants, while the Texas-sourced Antique Lueders Limestone finishing the exterior walls roots the home firmly in its setting.

The privileged view of nature was the core starting point for this project on the mountainous region of Nova Lima, State of Minas Gerais/Brazil. An adventurer couple chose us to create this special project in such an exclusive area. At first, the site’s high declivity seemed to be a big challenge, but it was also what inspired us to come up with the implantation’s solution. Exploring its natural landscape and the Elephant’s Hill view, it was possible to set the social floor at the height limit, above the trees. The street facade turned out to be the side elevation and the main facade now faces towards the side boundary. Due to the high declivity of the area, we were able to create a 3 level house. On the ground floor: garage, laundry, and storage. On the first floor, the office was fully integrated with the living room and a guests’ ensuite. Finally, on the second floor, there’s the hosts’ ensuite, with the most privileged view of the landscape. A slight angulation to the east gave us the opportunity to have both the ensuite and the barbecue area to take advantage of the morning sun and the region’s predominant ventilation. At the same time, it helped to protect the ground floor from the sunset light using a concrete wall that blocks the sunlight inside the house. With the major orientation E-W, the house opens to the northern landscape. Extensive eaves on the north view’s perimeter protect the openings of the summer sun, at the same time as the glasses receive the necessary natural heat to naturally warm the inside during the winter.
We requested that two trees were precisely placed by the topographer in the middle of the elevated deck that connects the house to the suspended heated pool. These also work as a natural filter to the sun’s radiation, minimizing the sun’s entry in the living room and the kitchen. The 25m pool, a client wish, is a fundamental part of the volumetric composition of the house. Sustained by two concrete columns, they elevate the pool 6m above the natural floor level, providing to whom’s inside the pool a view of the treetops and the imponent Elephant’s Hill. With the capacity to generate about 1400kW of energy per month through photovoltaic panels, the house is self-sufficiency on energy, warming the pool water and neutralizing the energy consumption from equipment and artificial lightning.
Columns and ribbed slab represent the constructive system. The use of apparent concrete in the house’s wall, swimming pool, and slabs bring the timelessness wanted to the project.

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