Chicken Point Cabin

I first learned about this project by Olson Kundig Architects this past spring when looking for design ideas for a residential project. Olson Kundig Architects is a Seattle, Washington based firm that works internationally on a plethora of projects. The firm was started in the 1960's by Jim Olson who believed in exploring the relationship between dwellings and the landscape in which they inhabit. He also believed that, "buildings can serve as a bridge between nature, culture and people, and that inspiring surroundings have a positive effect on peoples' lives." His ideas and beliefs still carry on today into their much larger firms' projects. In 1996 the firm became Olson Kundig Architects and now has four principles and a staff of around 75. The firm has won countless awards across the world, been published internationally, and has been in multiple books.
   The Chicken Point Cabin is a great example of a project which blends naturally with its surroundings, with as little of an impact as possible. Placed in the woods of Northern Idaho, this cabin can sleep 10 and is made out of all natural materials. Most of the cabin is built of concrete block, steel, and plywood all of which can age naturally with the surroundings. The cabin has a industrial, manly, musky feel to it and at the same time a natural, historic feeling. One of the greatest aspects of this cabin and what sets it apart from all others is the very clear connection to the surroundings. The cabin has a 30' x 20' industrial glass wall which can be opened 90 degrees so that the living room has a direct connection to the woods outside. Another interesting aspect of this cabin is the front door which is aged steel and rises two stories. The door once open leads into a thin hallway drawing you into the depths of the cabin, where it opens up into the public spaces of the home which is absolutely creating an experience within. This cabin shares similar aspects to Olson Kundigs' other projects which all share similar ideals, but is definitely in its own separate category. Olson Kundig is one of my favorite firms to follow due to the fact that they are always working to try something new that has never been accomplished previously, while learning through the process. I would absolutely recommend looking at their site and reading through their projects. http:/www.olsonkundigarchitects.com

Euclid Avenue

One project which i gained great inspiration from when working on a project to have the smallest possible footprint and on a small parcel of land was the Euclid Avenue house in Toronto, Canada by Levitt Goodman Architects. Levitt Goodman Architects is based out of Toronto, Canada and has done a very wide array of projects and studies. On their website, they say that they strive to the social, cultural, and environmental importance of each building. They also say that every project should be progressive, sensitive, and relevant to the location. I will admit that i am not a major fan of most of their projects in respect to my personal style. However, the Euclid Avenue home is by far one of my favorite small homes.
    The home is built on an Urban Infill site and is roughly 1550sqft which includes a main floor, upstairs, and basement. The family wanted to encompass the idea of a green home and went to great lengths to see that this dream came true. The home has 12ft ceilings and massive windows at the front and rear of the home to open up the space. There is a roof garden on the entire home, and a garden outside of the master bedroom. What is so stunning about this home is the fact that the exterior facade facing the road is not bold, lit up, and using over sized or a diverse mixture of materials to gather attention. Instead it is set back and mostly covered by trees and looks like just another old home. It certainly is not that though. The floor plan is simple and to the point, the spaces within the home all open up to each other making it a much more communal home. The bedroom has such an amazing view looking out over the roof garden, taking the feeling of being in the middle of a city completely away. I truly like the island bar which runs into the dining room table, it's something that should absolutely be utilized in future designs for smaller spaces. The idea of being able to sit so closely and watch the food being prepared is part of the entire experience of dining. One of my other favorite aspects of this home is the exterior backyard patio with the trellis off the deck. The way this backyard was planned and the space was utilized is very well done. As i said before i don't like most of Levitt Goodman's other projects i absolutely respect their process and what they believe in

Medina Pool House

The Medina Pool House by Coop 15 Architects, was an addition in 2007 to a home that the firm had previously completed in 1999. The original house was built before the firm became Coop 15 when the firm was known as Lane Williams Architects. While they are a very small firm based out of Seattle, Washington, in the short amount of time that they have been Coop 15 they have accomplished some breathtaking projects. The firm specializes in custom water front homes around the Northwest region of the United States but has done projects as far South as La Jolla, California.
    This pool house, in my opinion, looks as though it was based off of Mies Van Der Rohes' Barcelona Pavilion but with a much more contemporary feel to it. The materials used also exude a feeling of a Japanese tea house in a sense. What's great about the design, and what the architects intentions were, is the the openness and transparency of the structure. During the day sunlight filters through the ceiling and walls giving off a glow through the space without the direct heat from the sun. On the reverse, at night the moon can shine through the walls as well, giving a softer whiter glow to the space. While i wasn't able to find any photos or drawings of the original home to see how well the pool house and main house work together, the pool house on its own is stunning. Coop 15 has some other amazing contemporary projects i highly recommend checking out as well. http://www.coop15.com

33rd Street

While a very small firm, Rockefeller Partners Architects based out of El Segundo, California has a team of architects each with a very interesting background. While i really love almost all of their projects, 33rd Street in Manhattan Beach, California is by far my favorite. What attracted me to this home most of all was the use of wood throughout its design. This home is on a very small parcel of land with very close proximity to the street. Completed in 2008, it is about 4500 sqft but most of this square footage is vertically due to the 30x60ft envelope of the home.

  What is so stunning about this home is the use of materials and the proportions that are used both in the interior and the exterior. The open floor plan combined with the wood paneled ceilings really creates this intimate but open space. The wood really adds to the intimacy, while the glass opens the space up to endless views surrounding. What's great is the rooms that expand outside onto balconies and porches around the home. The interior center courtyard or "zen garden" is an amazing addition to the feel of the space and creates a more natural feeling that is closely tied to the use of wood. 33rd Street, is by far one of the greatest projects under the restraints it had. The use of space is extremely efficient and the materials used work together flawlessly. My favorite aspect of the entire house is by far the entryway and the staircase. I love the lighting from the floor to illuminate the hallway, and the use of wood slats to separate the staircase from the hallway. But that's just me, decide for yourself!

Formosa 1140

Formosa 1140 completed in 2009 is a four story, 11 unit, multifamily housing project. Located in West Hollywood, California Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects has created what could be the future of contemporary multifamily dwellings. Lorcan O'Herlihy Architects, based in Los Angeles, California, has been in business for 20 years and has completed over 60 projects and been the recipient of over 42 Awards and was named the Los Angeles firm of the year by AIA California. Formosa 1140 was designed with the importance of combining private and public space in mind. The firm worked with the city of Los Angeles to create a "pocket park" which would hopefully bring the community closer together. The firm is hoping that with this example set, more firms will take on a similar mind set and create a series of pocket parks around the city. Lorcan O'Herlihy as stated on their website believes in designing, "balanced, holistic, integrated, sustainable built environments". In this project they have definitely succeeded. The exterior facade is more than just a series of bright enticing panels. The panels placement are to both create a choreographed effect along with blocking sun and wind in specific areas of the project. Each unit within the project is laid out so that it works to naturally circulate air through the units and create a large open communal space at the same time. Lorcan O'Herlihy has essentially redefined courtyard housing in this project.
  While this project would not be advantageous in many parts of the United States, or the world for that matter, in the area of West Hollywood it works nearly flawlessly. The project is eye catching and entertaining to look at. This is a great step away from typical multifamily dwellings where a developer finds the cheapest architect and slaps some stucco on the exterior and calls it a masterpiece. This project creates an experience for those living within the units and those walking through its park. I certainly hope Lorcan O'Herlihys' dreams of this new way of living becoming more commonplace comes true.

Woodway Residence

Bohlin Cywinski Jackson is an Architecture, Planning, Interior Design firm with offices in Pittsburgh, Wilkes-Barre, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania along with an office in San Francisco, California and Seattle Washington. With over 440 Regional, National, and International Awards they are not a small or unknown firm by any means. One of my favorite projects by this firm and one of my favorite examples of contemporary residential architecture is the Woodway Residence. This home was renovated from a 1950's suburban home into an amazing open floor planned home, which is meant to blur the boundary of indoor and outdoor space. It has been the winner of the 2009 Merit Award for design by AIA Northwest & Pacific Region, 2009 Grand Award in the renovation category by Residential Architect, 2008 Honor Award from AIA Seattle, and the 2008 Merit Award from AIA Sunset Western Home Awards.
      It is not difficult to see how this home could win so many awards, especially coming from a firm such as this one. What sets this home apart from others is the amazing use of natural, earthy materials to bring the home into one envelope. The lowered brushed steel roof which carries from the living room outside pulls you outdoors along with it. The concrete floors are layered outside moving you into different "rooms" of the outdoor space while keeping you interested as to what's next. This home has long narrow walkways drawing you through the different spaces of the residence with changing views and materiality and the use of glass throughout the entire home only further links the interior and exterior spaces. The pivot doors are one of the most enticing aspects of this home in my opinion. These doors feel less like a boundary and similar to a garden gate, giving the opportunity to see what's on the other side, while having the ability to limit entry into the space. What i love most about this home is the layering of space and how they treat the home like an experience, rather than a grouping of rooms and partitions.

You can see this project along with many of their other great projects on their website: http://www.bcj.com/public/home.html