Lund Hagem - Cabin Ameln

Lund Hagem, based out of Norway have a fantastic site, and collection of baches. Cabin Ameln, a providing sheltered BBQ retreat, and views out across the fjord. Contour hugging hunkered in design, connects with the site while minimalist layout and crisp finishes set it apart from your ordinary weekend retreat.

Location: Østerøya, Sandefjord, Norway
Size: 90 m2
Completed: 2009
The building sits in sloping terrain in close proximity to the sea. It has been designed to create favourable, screened outdoor areas. Previous buildings (4 in total) have been demolished and replaced with one new building that collects all functions under one roof.
The L-shaped layout uses steps to follow the terrain so that the building can utilise existing vegetation and trees to avoid visibility from the sea. This layout creates one upper and one lower outdoor area/patio. The upper patio has been duly
screened from the seafront, but offers views through the building due to glass walls.

I think I've found my Northern Hemisphere Bach Architects!

With three guest bedrooms providing extra sleeping for six, the singular roof canopy links the two wings for owners and guests. The floor plan encapsulating the rear entertaining area, sheltering it from the fjord and winds lets the house make the most of its setting and views.

The contrasting concrete form rear patio, and warm untreated wood is refreshing. And with time as the wood ages gracefully, the exterior of the house will blend further into it's wooded surroundings. Internally, the trimming maintaining it's warm glow.

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Plans

Peka Peka Dome House - Fritz Eisenhofer

A Dome In Peka Peka from livlin productions.

Another little jem from New Zealand. Many thanks to Damian Harrison for the tip on this interesting video about Fritz Eisenhofer's earth sheltered house in Peka Peka.

First Light House - The New Zealand Solar Decathlon entry 2011

As an alumni and architecture fan I’m excited that Victoria University of Wellington, in New Zealand’s capital city, has been selected as one of 20 university teams to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 – the only entry, ever, from the southern hemisphere.

The First Light house channels the essence of the iconic “Kiwi bach” – a focus on recreation, socialisation, and outdoor living. As primarily a summer destination, life at the bach takes place as much outside, on large decks and patios, as it does inside. Our house brings these ideals of bach life into a contemporary setting, providing a permanent residence where recreation and social activities are united with environmentally sound technologies.

Here are a couple of videos and pics highlighting this impressive project. And what a kick start to practice your career this way!
More available at  http://firstlighthouse.ac.nz

Pics




Plans

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Simon Winstanley Architects - The Houl House

Simon Winstanley Architects have another award winning green house to add to their portfolio. The Houl, in southern Scotland, is not only net "zero carbon", but an impressive open-plan modern statement to boot.

The house is sited in a natural concave area of hillside facing principally west along the contours to enjoy the spectacular landscape setting of the river Ken valley and the ridges of the Rhinns of Kells hills opposite.

The intention was to create a contemporary single storey "long house" which is recessive in the landscape, sustainable in its construction, very low in energy consumption, and aiming for zero net emissions of carbon dioxide for all energy use in the house.

The design uses lightweight but highly insulated steel and timber frame construction, clad in cedar weatherboarding allowed to weather to a natural silver grey colour. The roof finish is pre-weathered grey standing seam zinc. Windows and external doors are triple glazed high performance timber, painted grey. All
insulation levels are to Passiv Haus standards.

The slope of the roof of the main living accommodation follows the slope of the hillside, with the rear roof meeting the main roof at a shallower angle to allow morning sunlight to penetrate the centre of the house.
The entrance to the house is sited on the north east side of the house under the cover of the roof to provide shelter from the prevailing wind. The principal rooms are situated along the contour of the site to enjoy the views across the valley to the west. The ancillary spaces are generally to the rear.
The house is net "zero carbon" by using very high levels of insulation, minimising air infiltration heating using an air source heat pump with a "whole house heat recovery ventilation system", and generating electricity using a wind turbine.

Plans

Photos: Andrew Lee - www.andrewleephotographer.com

Herbst Architects - Timms Bach

The latest in their series of baches (small holiday retreats) on Great Barrier Island continues to explore the relationship of the building to the natural environment.
Photographer Jackie Meiring.

I've been a fan of Herbst Architects for some years now. Their ability to perfectly nestle a house into its environment and leverage the site's natural assets is amazing. As their bevy of Great Barrier Island houses grows, they have created a new vernacular, of lightweight raw wood and gabions from local stones.

Plans

Huttunen-Lipasti-Pakkanen Architects - Villa Mecklin

Summer Camp - Villa Mecklin looks like the perfect weekend retreat. A stylish, minimalist interior being all you need to really detach yourself from work. Underfloor heating is taken to a new level here with a sunken fire pit! Strong south orientation for solar gain and a wood burning stove - winter or summer it's another great escape.

Overview

Villa Mecklin is located in the Finnish archipelago. It sits in a small depression in the rocks, its sheltered terrace extending over the summit of the rock. In connection with the shoreline sauna, there is also a stove-heated cabin for guests.

The building materials selected for Villa Mecklin are uncontrived, basic ones suited for the archipelago. All wood surfaces have been left untreated and will turn grey naturally.

The Villa was built in 2008. The floor area of the villa is 70m2 and the sauna is 20m2.

Although angular in lines and form, the cabin's extended outer walls provide the deck with what could be described as a comforting embrace. Doubling functionally as wind breaks and storage, the also no doubt afford some privacy to the owners from passing boats.


With an open plan living, kitchen dining area fronting on to the extended deck, the living area is trebled. Short stilts support the deck and house - flattening the rocky terrain to create a very usable entertaining space.

In contrast, the sleeping areas follow their function arranged at the cooler northern end of the building with minimal glazing, aiding in regulating the winter and summer temperatures.


Gracefully greying, the timber exterior blends into its surroundings. - This will be a holiday home that's enjoyed for many years to come!

Plan

Salt Spring Island Cabin - Olson Kundig Architects

Bachelors Retreat - Tom continues his streak of wining cabin designs, Chicken Point, Tye River and now the Salt Spring Cabin. Minimalism, with a true Masculine feel to it. Solid RSJ girders forming the framework, and a heavy duty shutter mean this vacation box is locked up tight during the week.

Overview

Set on an island north of the San Juans, the exterior metal skin of this single room cabin will be allowed to weather naturally. Inside, wood-finished surfaces create a cozy refuge. A large, weathered steel panel slides across a window wall, securing the space when the owner is away. Tom Kundig

The cabin is harking me back to the simple lines and robust functionality I love. My realm of modern architecture.

Historically, the British Columbia cabin vernacular took materials in their raw state and moved little from them - stained log cabins, with barely the bark removed and flagstone bases.

The Salt Spring Cabin is in the same vein, but it takes raw construction materials and leverage their textures and durability. Usually (don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see the current Cortens binge) we'd see paint over the RSJs or a stain or three on the ply indoors, thankfully not in this case. Bravo to the client, who no doubt sought Tom out from precedence.

A singular structure, south facing, with great thermal mass, mean that the pot belly wood fire (I think its one of these) may not get much use in summer. The left and right doors to the rear though should provide good cross ventilation in summer, as with the front window when not shuttered up.
Winning a recent Residential Architect award the Judges described that fantastic door thus:

"The panel —operated by hand like a barn door— is commodity steel pulled off a stack before fabrication. Kundig, FAIA, let the lettering stand as “an authentic mark of its history and in the spirit of allowing materials to age naturally with no ‘protective’ coating that needs maintenance."

I'm off to see what other forest retreats are out there.....

Plan

Photographer: Tim Bies