Thursday, December 20, 2007

Arthur Casas - House in Iporanga

Arthur Casas

House in Iporanga

Thanks to Arthur, Kelen and the team at Arthur Casas, I’ve received an early Christmas present to share with you all. The Immaculate “House in Iporanga” and a new addition to tags, Architect’s Own Houses.

“I always wanted a house in the middle of the forest, in a place where I could relax and recharge my energy”, says Arthur.



In the form of two large symmetrical cubes embracing an open space, this house was idealised as his dream house. Arthur’s aim was interiors in total synergy with exteriors. Bringing the outside in are 11 meter floor to ceiling glass windows, on both ends of the open central space. Cumaru wood paneling runs from top to bottom in an attempt to match and blend in with is beautiful surroundings “…as if this were ever 100% possible” admits Arthur.

As the Cumaru extends into the house, sterile white stucco contrasts, highlighting the wood’s warm color. This simple brown and white palette provides a nice canvas for interesting/artistic furnishings. Sleek, utilitarian and functional the kitchen table extends from the hob like a white diving board into the main living area. It’s mimicked by an outdoor table linked to the BBQ on the shaded side of the deck. Back inside, the seating area is centralised to be shaded from the summer sun, shining in through the east and west doors of this huge breeze space. You may note the lack of paintings and no flat screen on the white walls, the surround flora and fauna more than make up for this.



“The Atlantic forest is in my opinion comes before the sea, the beaches, the bikinis, football and carnival, it’s the great Brazilian landscape!” comments Arthur.

Contrasting with the thick chaotic nature of the forest the house is simple, symmetrical, and easy to take in. The absence of partitions amplifies the house’s integration with its surroundings and adds grandeur to the minimalist living area. A large terrace borders the house, functioning as a belvedere to observe the surrounding untouched Atlantic Rain Forest, and a partition between natural and constructed. Stepping down, the infinity edged pool seems to pour out into the thick vegetation.





Private rooms are tucked into the surrounding cubes. Upstairs is accessed by floating thin Cumaru sleepers that lead to an ultra thin profile catwalk. To the left: a guest bedroom and private living room. To the right: the master with en suite. Downstairs are the kitchen and maids quarters to the left, guest bedroom and office to the right. The office features two huge picture windows east and south, Distracting? Perhaps more of an inspiration on the days Arthur works from home.








Architect: Arthur Casas
Protect Completed: 2005
Location: Iporanga, SP, Brazil
Material: Concrete and Cumaru

via: www.arthurcasas.com.br

Monday, December 17, 2007

Felipe Assadi & Francisca Pulido - Casa Guthrie

Felipe Assadi & Francisca Pulido

Casa Guthrie

Plataforma Arquitectura have featured yet another great Chilean design. Described as a "facade-less" house, the property levels off a hillside and takes full advantage of the views. A neat first home for young Chilean families.


Article by: David Basulto [tricky]
Architects: Felipe Assadi y Francisca Pulido - www.felipeassadi.com
Protect initiated: 2005
Completed: 2007
Location: Chicureo, Santiago, Chile
Plot size: 840 m2
House area: 140 m2
Material: Concrete
Photographs:Guy Wenborne


Commissioned by a real estate company, this project's aim was to design a house that they could replicate easily on a hillside with an average slope of 25%. The costs had to remain within reach of the average young family and be no greater than 140 m2.

On the other hand, this assignment emphasised the impact that these houses should have within the body of projects that that were on offer. It was requested, specifically, to create a house that could be sold quickly, therefore, appealing to the masses and whose "facade" was easily accepted by the target audience.

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But the envisaged plot for the house is a natural lookout towards Chicureo Valley, an area on the outskirts of the city of Santiago with a growing real estate development of a very mediocre quality, in which the "condominium" of repeatable houses is expected to eventually swallow up all the green areas. New neighborhoods with architectural imports of all kinds are appearing here. Where the 'style' seems to be the only selling point of the houses on offer.

Our proposal, by contrast, was the total opposite to facadism, an absolute disassociation with the concept developer of the "beautiful house" whose image could decorate a lifestyle magazine (Perhaps like Country Life? NICK). It was a house without a facade, a construction that was developed from street level down, rescuing the natural "lookout" to the valley that the site provided. The Casa Guthrie, therefore, is not only the answer to a housing problem on a sloping site, but a reflective criticism of the systematic developer, whose ultimate goal is to sell houses "of good taste" that are "reasonably priced" by "Good architects." In other words, sell fashion.

Photos

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Floor Plans

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via: Plataforma Arquitectura

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Kovac Architects - HillClimber House

Kovac Architects

HillClimber House


The HillClimber house in Pacific Palisades - California, confidently combines stone and wood across 3 levels. As the owners describe - “We’re very pleased with our house. Not only does it convey perfectly the aesthetic that we wanted, but it’s also a very functional house. It fits our family perfectly.”

When LA based Kovac architects set out to design a replacement to the existing traditional ranch home, the brief encompassed the needs of the entire family: the young kids wanting larger outdoor play areas and the adults wanting a safe pool area and a secluded getaway for themselves.





Combined with local stone, sustainably harvested red balau wood cladding blends the house into the surrounding trees of the shady canyon. Kovac used a combination of materials and forms to create a simple hierarchy of spaces. Larger, common rooms are distinguished by high angled ceiling planes that open to views and light, while the private spaces feature flat ceilings and dark warm grey concrete floors. Slats are used to filter light into interim rooms and provide privacy. The slats continue as partitions, lightly breaking both internal and external areas.





The lower level incorporates a 3 car garage, storage, main entrance and mechanical.

The children’s bedrooms and primary living spaces are located on the main level, wrapping around an inner courtyard that leads up to the pool area. From the infinity edge pool, water spills over the edge of the uppermost drystack stone wall, providing the backdrop for the garden below. The pool is situated on the highest plane of the site in order to maximise sun exposure in the typically shady canyon. On the lower plane of the garden, a 1,000sf grassy lawn, allowing the family’s two children more than enough room to safely play. The lawn, backed by the cascading water, is hidden from the road. In front are the living and formal dining rooms, along with an eat-in kitchen that has both a breakfast nook and counter bar.













On the uppermost level of the site, a master suite offers the homeowners sanctuary, featuring a cosy sitting area, home office, and a luxurious bathroom with floating dual vanity and innovative rotating mirrors. The master suite opens directly onto a small private garden on the uppermost level of the site, connecting it to the pool and spa area. One of my favourite features is the wooden floor of the large shower unit, with a head height window out across the valley.








The house is light and airy, taking advantage of the hillside to provide various degrees of intimacy and security. The house also allows for a great amount of privacy for each family member. Aside from the intimate bedrooms with en suites, the children and adults have interim semi private spaces. The games room and master sitting room and office, provide less public spaces, which leave the bedrooms sanctum.



Project Type: Private Residence
Principal Designer/s: Michael Kovac (Principal-in-Charge)
Design Team: Thurman Grant (Project Manager), Fang Fang Ekawati, Que Lam, Jamilah Haygood, Deborah Torres (interiors)
Date of commencement of project: July 2002(design); July 2003 (construction)
Date of completion of project: July 2003 (design); September 2005 (construction)
Location of site: Pacific Palisades, CA
Site Area: 17,889sf
Built-up Area: 4783 sf 849 sf garage and work area

via: Kovac Architects