Homes Archives

Our latest lookbook explores homes where flooring details and materials help to create the impression that a living space extends out beyond a house’s exterior walls.

A range of different techniques can be used to create the sense of a continuous floor surface.

The most obvious is to use the same flooring material, or one that looks very similar, for both interior and exterior spaces.

However, this isn’t always necessary. By combining level thresholds with floor-to-ceiling glazing, it’s also possible to create that sense of continuation by simply maintaining a consistent surface.

Here, we look at 10 examples that use one or more of these methods to create different effects, ranging from a forest home in Mexico’s Valle de Bravo to a waterside villa in Denmark.

Many of these examples use continuous floor surfaces to connect a living room with a garden or patio, but some explore other rooms where the effect can be applied.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring chocolate-brown interiors and minimalist bathrooms.

Casa Mola, Mexico, by Estudio Atemporal

Mexico City-based Estudio Atemporal designed this house in a densely forested area of Valle de Bravo with the aim of allowing residents to live “more organically”.

The large-format flooring tiles inside the house give way to brickwork paving outside, but sliding glass doors with level thresholds create a clean junction that allows the two spaces to feel connected.

Find out more about Casa Mola ›

The Saddlery, UK, by Studio Octopi

Terrazzo flooring features both inside and outside this extension to a Georgian house in southeast London, designed by architecture office Studio Octopi.

Sourced from British manufacturer Diespeker, this material is speckled with colours that complement the mint-green tone of the building’s metal walls.

Find out more about The Saddlery ›

Proctor & Shaw design London home extension with continuous flooring — Photo is by Nick Deardon

Dulwich House, UK, by Proctor & Shaw

Kitchen and terrace become a single space divided only by levels in this extension to a home in Dulwich, London, designed by architecture studio Proctor & Shaw.

Glass doors slide open on two sides – with one disappearing into a wall – to completely open up the building’s corner. The sliding mechanism is set into a continuous porcelain tile floor surface, resulting in a flush threshold.

Find out more about Dulwich House ›

Exterior patio with stone paving at Maison Hercourt by Studio Guma in Normandy — Photo is by Maxime Delvaux

Maison Hercourt, France, Studio Guma

Minimal glazing plays a key role in connecting the kitchen of this renovated stone farmhouse in Normandy with an adjoining patio.

Designed by Paris-based Studio Guma, the renovation involved installing the kitchen in a space that previously functioned as a cart shed. Although the floor surface changes from concrete to stone from inside to outside, the slender-framed glass doors help the two surfaces to be read as one.

Find out more about Maison Hercourt ›

Brick flooring in Fjord Boat House — Photo is by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen

Fjord Boat House, Denmark, by Norm Architects

Copenhagen-based Norm Architects chose handmade ceramic bricks for the flooring of this vacation house, built on the edge of a fjord just outside the city.

They form stairs that lead down from the main house to a terrace, then continue inside to give the interior living spaces a casual, rustic feel. At the main entrance, the linearity of the brickwork pattern acts to draw the eye.

Find out more about Fjord Boat House ›

Ederlezi, Mexico, Práctica Arquitectura

Using the same flooring surface for both indoors and outdoors can become costly, but this low-cost infill house in Monterrey offers a clever solution.

Most of the courtyard is landscaped, but the edges are lined with the same square saltillo tiles that provide interior flooring. This helps to extend the living space outdoors without requiring quite as many tiles.

Find out more about Ederlezi ›

The Maker's Barn by Hutch Design with timber end-grain flooring — Photo is by Helen Cathcart

The Maker’s Barn, UK, by Hutch Design

Full-height glazing features in many of the rooms of this rural holiday rental on the outskirts of London, a former pig shed renovated by Hutch Design. This results in a strong connection with the surrounding patio.

The effect is particularly effective in the primary bedroom, which features a bath set into the floor. Here, it’s possible to observe the clean line running between the end-grain timber flooring inside and the paving tiles outside.

Find out more about The Maker’s Barn ›

Tiled flooring in bathroom of Mossy Point House by Edition Office — Photo is by Rory Gardiner

Mossy Point, Australia, by Edition Office

Melbourne-based Edition Office selected very different surfaces for the shower room of this house in Mossy Point, New South Wales, but they appear to merge thanks to the use of frameless glazing.

A similar effect can be found throughout the house, but the contrast between the wooden decking and the blue tiles of this room is the most striking.

Find out more about Mossy Point ›

Shift House, Spain, by Nomo Studio

Roughly polished white concrete flooring unites both the interior and exterior of this house on the island of Menorca, designed by Barcelona-based Nomo Studio.

This creates a feeling of continuity from the building’s entrance, located on the uppermost storey, all the way across to a balcony terrace on the opposite side of the main living room.

Find out more about Shift House ›

House by Richard Parr — Photo is by Brotherton Lock

A Modern Oasis, UK, by Richard Parr Associates

The level thresholds of this house in Oxfordshire, England, create a visual connection between the polished concrete flooring inside and the paving tiles outside.

Architecture office Richard Parr Associates carefully matched the colours of these two surfaces so that they appear to be made of the same material.

Find out more about A Modern Oasis ›

Reference

Sustainable News

Electric cookers make homes healthier in Africa

By Zarkon Group,23/03/2024

Spotted: The World Health Organization estimates that 3.2 million people died from indoor air pollution in 2020, largely from cooking over open fires. Expanding the availability of clean fuels and cooking technologies is essential to reduce that figure and protect inhabitants from being exposed to dangerous indoor air pollution.

In response, Ugandan cleantech startup PowerUP has built a smart-metered electric pressure cooker to help families – and particularly the women and girls who do most of the cooking – eliminate the health risks they face as they prepare food.

PowerUP designed the cookers to accommodate a wide range of cooking styles and food types used across the continent. The built-in energy meter allows users to track costs, and PowerUP digitally tracks usage as part of the company’s development of a carbon credit market.

The stoves are pay-as-you-go, which allows users to budget specifically for cooking energy costs. And, if desired, users can tweak the time of their usage to take advantage of the cheapest energy rates. Pressure cooking reduces the amount of time it takes to prepare a meal, which further helps keep costs down. As well as managing payments and tracking energy costs, the digital interface includes access to recipes.

More than 40,000 homes across Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia are already using PowerUP stoves, and the company recently closed its seed round of funding. PowerUP plans to use the funds raised to improve its data collection and platform, expand and strengthen distribution networks, and launch a carbon credit programme.

Other innovations in Springwise’s library focused on decarbonising cooking include biogas digesters that produce fuel and fertiliser and a solar-powered induction cooker for people without access to the grid.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Architecture

Al-Qatt Al-Asiri: Inside the Homes of Saudi Arabia’s ‘Hanging Villages’

By Zarkon Group,23/03/2024

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If you walk in the heart of ‘Asir province in southwestern Saudi Arabia, you’ll soon notice how unique this remote region is. Once part of the ancient South Arabian civilization, the Asir province played a key role in historical incense trade routes due to its fertile lands and rich terrain. Its strategic location made it a vital commerce and cultural exchange hub between Yemen, the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.

Until the late 20th century, ‘Asir was home to autonomous tribes residing in “hanging villages” that dotted the cliffsides of the rugged highlands. Some settlements were only accessible by precarious rope ladders. For years, the challenging terrain, geographic isolation and scarce resources fostered a distinctive, self-reliant culture among these communities that was largely unknown to the outside world.
In recent years, with a huge push from the Saudi Arabian government to increase tourism, interest in the area’s culture and heritage has grown, most notably in the astonishing architecture of the ‘Asir region.

Panorama of beautiful historical houses in Rijal Almaa heritage village in Saudi Arabia. Photograph by Juan Alberto Ruiz

Tulul are traditional mud-brick homes that stand out for their practicality and ingenious integration into the mountainous landscape. Constructed using locally sourced materials, these homes feature thick earthen walls of clay, straw and water, offering natural insulation against the region’s extreme temperature fluctuations. Typically, tulul homes have flat roofs and are spread across multiple floors to maximize vertical space.

The exterior of tulul buildings are usually a natural color from the earth that allows them to blend into the surrounding cliffside. However, in some regions, they are painted with white lime wash, creating a beautiful contrast against the green, mountainous backdrop. Rendering the facades in this way acts as a practical solution to reduce heat gain in an area with fluctuating temperature extremes. Windows in a tulul are small and strategically placed to minimize heat intake and simultaneously maximize ventilation.

Heritage village of Rijal Almaa in Southern Saudi Arabia. Photograph by hari.ksa

While the façades of these buildings are undoubtedly impressive it is the inside of the tulul that has become a source of fascination for the outside world. As the men built the clusters of skyscraper-like homes that dot the cliffs, the ingenuity of women enlivened the interior. On the stairways and entrances, or the majlis (a welcoming space), tulul are painted with colorful, geometric designs known as Al-Qatt Al-Asiri.

Al-Qatt (from the Arabic word for “to write” and pronounced “gath”) Al-Asiri is a creative process characterized by bold, rich, statement murals that are designed as abstract, freehand geometric symbols and patterns. The technique is passed down from one generation of women to the next and involves creating intricate shapes like triangles, squares, diamonds and dots using black crosslines set against pure white gypsum walls. It is a process that is spontaneous and unplanned. The shapes — reminiscent of designs that can be found across Indian, North African and Latin American cultures — are then colored in. The women of Asir turned natural materials — carbon from candles for black, iron-rich Al Meshgah stones for red and limestone for white — into a palette of pigments that were bound with adhesives from local trees to create rich, vibrant hues.

Abha, Saudi Arabia – 07 Mar 2020: The museum in Abha, Saudi Arabia. Photograph by Sergey.

The shapes and patterns of the Al-Qatt Al-Asiri murals are not random. At its core, Al-Qatt Al-Asiri is a visual language that the women of ‘Asir use to document their values, beliefs and connection to nature. Each of the symbols is a message about community, spirituality and the natural world. Often, they symbolize people, religion and elements of the environment, such as trees, feathers, corn and mountains. Each part, or layer, represents something specific. For instance, the repeated use of triangles in Al-Qatt Al-Asiri artwork symbolizes the family unit, and concentric squares symbolize the completion of the Quran.

Decorative geometric repeating pattern inspired by Al-Qatt Al-Asiri traditional paintings. Image by Richard Laschon

The motifs have names inspired by the landscape and life of ‘Asir: Balsana is a mesh-like design with dots in the center that signifies wheat bran, a staple crop in the region, while Al Mahareeb (plural of Mehrab) is the half-circle used to denote the direction of Mecca. Alkaf are horizontal lines painted at the bottom of a wall, and women use their fingers to measure the width of the design. Al Batra — with its wide vertical stripes and white spaces — are meant to break the repetitive designs and draw the viewers’ attention to a specific section of the mural. The patterns are intricate, beautiful and enchanting.

Most of all, Al-Qatt Al-Asiri has a crucial role in fostering a sense of community and collective identity among the women of ‘Asir. The practice of this art form is inherently communal, often involving groups of women coming together to paint, share stories and pass on techniques to younger generations. This helps to strengthen social bonds and reinforces a secure cultural identity while providing space for women to express themselves creatively and contribute to the preservation of their cultural heritage.

Rijal Almaa world heritage site in Asir region, Saudi Arabia. Photograph by hyserb.

In a region historically isolated and challenged by its rugged terrain, Al-Qatt Al-Asiri flourished under female creativity. Today, it is becoming more widely adopted by artists from the region who want to protect its existence. Through their art form, women have been able to carve out a space for themselves as artists and guardians of their culture, gaining respect and recognition within their communities and now internationally.

In 2017, Al-Qatt Al-Asiri garnered global attention when the art form was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. This milestone underscores its profound cultural significance and honors its custodians, the women of ‘Asir.

Al-Qatt Al-Asiri designs can be seen all over the ‘Asir region in architecture, pottery, fireplaces, carvings and fabrics. However, Rijal Almaa, a Museum and Al Khalaf Archaeological Village, shows the greatest examples of this beautiful art form. Featuring over sixty tulul buildings, the well-preserved site gives an unparalleled glimpse into the local heritage with its extensive display of Al-Qatt Al-Asiri.

Architects: Want to have your project featured? Showcase your work throughÂ ArchitizerÂ and sign up for ourÂ inspirational newsletters.

Reference

Architecture

frida escobedo takes on brooklyn with pleated bergen homes

By Zarkon Group,22/03/2024

a new neighbor for quiet boerum hill

A new residential project has been announced for Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, with architecture by Mexico City-based Taller Frida Escobedo. Those who live in the historic New York neighborhood are drawn to its low, brownstone streets and tree-lined sidewalks. For most, it’s a place to spend a Sunday morning, rather than a Saturday night. Contemporary additions are welcome to the quiet neighborhood provided the architecture is subtle and sensitive to its landmark neighbors.

Avdoo & Partners Development aims to help Bergen strike that balance between unique and contextually sensitive. Thus, it is designed with a low-stance and rhythmically-pleated facade to create proportions that echo the surrounding townhouses. From its renders, the seven-story structure will be washed in a muted, pinkish hue. This marks Frida Escobedo’s first foray into condominium design, and will be constructed concurrent with her ongoing redesign of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new wing across the river (see designboom’s coverage here).

the seven-story condominium project, is under construction in Boerum Hill | visualizations © DARCSTUDIO.

frida escobedo responds to low-rise brooklyn

Shlomi Avdoo, principal and founder of Avdoo & Partners, expressed his enthusiasm for Bergen in Brooklyn, highlighting Frida Escobedo‘s ‘strong design vision.’ He elaborated on Bergen’s intended role as a respectful addition to the neighborhood, built with ‘a keen sensibility of material and scale.’ The 209,000-square-foot building will introduce 105 luxury condominium units, ranging from studios to five-bedroom residences across 49 unique floorplans, all curated by interiors studio Workstead. The project prioritizes a dialogue between indoor and outdoor living. Driven by this philosophy, seventy-five percent of the units will open onto private outdoor gardens. Residents will also have access to a beautifully landscaped, private park designed by DXA Studio and Partick Cullina.

the pleated facade takes shape with precast concrete brick in muted tones

a pleated facade along tree-lined bergen street

The architectural concept for Brooklyn’s Bergen development is the result of a collaborative effort between Taller Frida Escobedo and DXA Studio. This exchange of ideas led to the creation of two distinct residential wings flanking a central amenity space with a transparent facade. Working closely with GF55, the architect-of-record, Escobedo ensured Bergen pays homage to its context while carving its own unique identity in the Brooklyn skyline.

The building will be sited along a postcard, tree-lined street, and will express the influences drawn from Boerum Hill. The pleated facade, constructed with custom-made blocks that vary in size and opacity, celebrates the interplay of light and air. Escobedo strategically leveraged the building’s orientation to maximize natural light from both the east and west. The overall design is shaped with a cohesive rhythm in terms of scale, materiality, and color, with porosity and transparency woven throughout the building’s form.

residents will have access to 12,000 square feet of outdoor space, including a public garden

the community-focused building

At the building’s core lies the so-called Glass House, a transparent, rectangular volume that serves as the main entry point from both Dean and Bergen Streets. This central hub connects the two residential wings, encouraging a sense of community within the building to reflect that of Boerum Hill itself.

Bergen offers residents over 14,500 square feet of amenities across four levels. Accessed by a cylindrical stairwell, these amenities — which include a cold plunge, a podcast studio, and a steam room — cater to a range of interests encompassing health, wellness and entertainment. In addition to the exceptional indoor offerings, residents can relax and socialize in over 12,000 square feet of gardened outdoor spaces, including Dean Park and two communal rooftop terraces designed by the landscape team. Parking, storage, and bike storage are also available for purchase.

the building will introduce 105 luxury units, ranging from studios to five-bedroom residences
architect Frida Escobedo | image © Zack DeZon

project info:

project title: Bergen

architecture: Taller Frida Escobedo | @fridaescobedo

location: Boerum Hill, Brooklyn

developer: Avdoo & Partners | @avdoo_partners

interior design: Workstead | @workstead

landscape design, master planning: DXA Studio | @dxastudio

landscape design, horticulture: Partick Cullina | @pjctwo

architect-of-record: GF55 | @gf55architects

visualizations: © DARCSTUDIO. | @darcstudio_

photography: © Zack DeZon | @zackdezon

Reference

Interior Design

Ten Mexican holiday homes characterised by earthy hues

By Zarkon Group,17/03/2024

From a brutalist dwelling nestled in a pine forest to a beachy weekend retreat with a rooftop swimming pool, our latest lookbook features 10 holiday homes across Mexico.

While known for their often vibrant colours, Mexican interiors also include many examples of more muted designs. These earthy hues are often created through the use of natural and local materials, such as wood and stone.

Holiday homes are located all over the country, which has a varied landscape and is famous for its escapist destinations. Here are 10 Mexican holiday homes that combine pared-back colour palettes with getaway-style luxury.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring metal furniture, breakfast nooks and living spaces with swings.

Casa Alférez, Alférez, by Ludwig Godefroy

This holiday home is a brutalist dwelling clad in board-formed concrete and located in a pine forest in the country’s Alférez region.

French architect Ludwig Godefroy, who is Mexico City-based, added a conversation pit to the cathedral-like living area, which features a spindly double-height fireplace.

Find out more about Casa Alférez ›

Holiday home, San Simón El Alto, by Estudio Atemporal

Local architecture office Estudio Atemporal designed a weekend retreat in San Simón El Alto village with an oversized gabled roof.

Inside, the studio created a statement brick wall in the angular, open-plan living space defined by timber and concrete accents. Generous glass doors lead to a covered outdoor patio.

Find out more about this holiday home ›

Villa Cava, Tulum, by Espacio 18 Arquitectura

Neutral tones and textures define this house in Tulum that was informed by cenotes – ancient sunken water-filled limestone pits and caves found across Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula.

Espacio 18 Arquitectura carved a circular window into one of the home’s ceilings, which reveals a rooftop swimming pool. Blue-coloured light filters through the opening, emphasising the cavernous atmosphere.

Find out more about Villa Cava ›

Interior design by Gala Sánchez-Renero — Photo by Diego Padilla Magallanes

La Extraviada, Mazunte, by Em-Estudio

Architecture firm Em-Estudio stepped a pair of concrete residential volumes down a rocky hillside overlooking the coastal town of Mazunte, Oaxaca.

Called La Extraviada, the holiday home includes an eclectic kitchen and dining space flanked by floor-to-ceiling timber shutters that open onto a terrace with a swimming pool.

Regional materials, including guapinol wood and local stone obtained from nearby quarries, feature throughout the earthy-hued project.

Find out more about La Extraviada ›

Lounge with red sofa, Casa Tres Árboles in Valle de Bravo by Direccion — Photo by Fabian Martinez

Casa Tres Árboles, Valle de Bravo, by Direccion

Architecture studio Direccion took cues from “monastic” sanctuaries when renovating this weekend retreat in Valle de Bravo.

The open-plan living space includes exposed warm-toned wooden ceiling beams, which contrast against dark-painted walls. A soft-red sofa adds a rare pop of colour to the otherwise muted interiors.

Find out more about Casa Tres Árboles ›

Los Terrenos by Tatiana Bilbao — Photo by Rory Gardiner

Los Terrenos, Monterrey, by Tatiana Bilbao

Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao added a multifunctional ceramic screen to the interior of Los Terrenos – a holiday home in Monterrey with mirrored glass facades that reflect the surrounding wooded site.

“[The screen] works as solid and permeable floor, a screen partition, a structural wall, and as a semi-open wall that allows ventilation and sunlight to bathe the interior spaces,” explained Bilbao’s eponymous studio.

Find out more about Los Terrenos ›

Tonalli House staircase — Photo by Ansatz

Tonalli House, Jalisco, by Moises Sánchez

This stucco-clad holiday home was punctuated with strategic openings and takes cues from architecture commonly found in Mexican villages, according to its designer Moises Sánchez.

Sánchez created an understated interior palette referencing the nearby architecture surrounding Lake Chapa, where the home is located. For example, the blocky terrazzo staircase doubles as a stepped plinth for sandy-coloured ornaments.

Find out more about Tonalli House ›

CO-LAB Design Office made the house out of concrete — Photo by César Béjar

Casa Areca, Tulum, by CO-LAB Design Office

Local studio CO-LAB Design Office created Casa Areca to merge with its lush Tulum setting.

The open-plan ground floor includes pivot doors and retractable glass walls, which enable the social area to flow into the jungle-like garden. Creamy walls and polished concrete floors were paired with local tzalam wood, jute accents and ceramic vases filled with hand-selected wild grasses.

Find out more about Casa Areca ›

Living space of El Aguacate — Photo by Dove Dope

El Aguacate, El Barrial, by Práctica Arquitectura

El Aguacate – or “The Avocado” – is a holiday home in El Barrial village made almost entirely out of concrete.

Práctica Arquitectura topped the main living area with a tall pyramidal roof featuring a boxy skylight. The studio added a built-in fireplace and alter-like dining table to the space – also made from smooth concrete.

Find out more about El Aguacate ›

A large table in the shady dining area — Photo by Rafael Gamo

Casa Cova, Puerto Escondidio, by Anonimous

When designing Casa Cova in Puerto Escondido, Mexican studio Anonimous took cues from pre-colonial architecture.

Inside, the central living space is kept cool by a traditional thatched roof made of dried palm leaves, called a “palapa.” Tiny square openings were also cut into some of the walls, creating “a dynamic light pattern from dusk till dawn”.

Find out more about Casa Cova ›

Reference

Sustainable News

Providing modular bamboo homes at affordable prices

By Zarkon Group,03/03/2024

Spotted: Myanmar is facing a severe housing crisis, as conflict triggered by the military takeover in 2021 has resulted in the internal displacement of around 1.95 million people, according to the UN Refugee Agency. Social enterprise Housing NOW, founded by Myanmar-based design group Blue Temple, is working to build affordable housing using an innovative and sustainable technique.

Housing NOW uses bamboo as a construction material for building prefabricated, modular structures at a cost of around $1,000 (around €923) per unit. Using computational tools, the company generated a structure optimised to respond to forces such as earthquakes and wind loads.

Because larger-diameter bamboo is more expensive, small-diameter bamboo was used instead, and bundled together to produce a structure that’s stronger than conventional, load-bearing, large-diameter bamboo. The hybrid construction technique allowed the creation of prefabricated ‘structural frames’, which were then combined with local construction and assembly of the remaining parts of the house. The result is a large-scale and affordable housing solution.

In 2022, Housing NOW started a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, which raised enough funding to construct six modules as part of a pilot project. The company plans to continue raising funds and expanding the project.

The promise of bamboo as a renewable resource is catching on. Springwise has also spotted a platform for investing in low-impact bamboo and the development of land for sustainable bamboo growth in Jamaica.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Kitchen inside Low Energy House designed by Architecture for London

Sustainable News

The state of Britain’s ageing homes has become a national shame

By Zarkon Group,20/02/2024

It’s crucial that whoever wins the upcoming general election prioritises fixing the UK’s energy-inefficient housing, but the message doesn’t seem to be getting through to our political leaders, writes RIBA president Muyiwa Oki.

Last summer, as temperatures soared and the sun beat down relentlessly, people around the UK sweltered in their homes.

A few months ago, with near zero-degree temperatures, many of us found the reverse, struggling to decide whether to turn on the heating and bear the rising energy costs.

Despite our best efforts to stay cool or keep warm, our outdated built environment and energy-inefficient homes meant that escaping the stifling heat or freezing cold was nearly impossible. For some, it was not just uncomfortable – it was desperately dangerous.

It is clear something needs to be done

The state of Britain’s ageing homes has become a national shame, and it is clear something needs to be done.

Stark warnings about rising temperatures hit the headlines this month. For the first time on record, global warming breached the critical 1.5-degrees threshold over a 12-month period. In the UK, it was the second-hottest year on record, as we suffered heatwaves and floods. Unfortunately, these trends are set to continue.

We know decarbonising the built environment is crucial to reducing carbon emissions and mitigating rising temperatures; our buildings are responsible for almost 40 per cent of global energy-related carbon emissions. The time to act is now.

With 80 per cent of the buildings that we’ll use in 2050 already built today, we must prioritise bringing these up to scratch – and we need to start with housing. The UK has among the oldest and least energy-efficient housing stock in the whole of Europe, with 19 million homes in dire need of retrofitting.

Yet, this message doesn’t seem to be getting through to our political leaders. On the very same day that the news broke about terrifying temperature rises in 2023, it was announced that Labour is cutting back on funding promises for home-insulation projects should the party win the upcoming general election. The previously announced £6 billion a year to retrofit 19 million homes has been dropped, with plans now to spend £6.6 billion over 5 years, equating to £1.3 billion a year.

It follows prime minister Rishi Sunak’s September announcement that he would be scaling back key green policies – including postponing a ban on oil and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) boilers to 2035 and scrapping energy-efficiency improvements for the private rented sector.

To do nothing would be to condemn the population to many more decades of substandard housing

This general election year is a chance to reset the dial and treat the climate emergency as the urgent, existential threat that it is. To do this, we need the next government to set out a national retrofit strategy – a well-funded, long-term plan to make homes more energy efficient and climate resilient. Not only would this reduce our climate impact, but it would also create jobs, boost green skills and improve prosperity up and down the country.

Of course, this strategy requires ambitious government investment, but we at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) believe there are clever ways to incentivise homeowners to make their properties greener. A financing strategy to make energy-efficiency upgrades affordable for all homeowners and landlords before they feel the benefit of reduced energy bills will be a crucial piece of the puzzle.

In its 2020 Greener Homes report, the RIBA – along with many other organisations – recommend looking at tax incentives such as a sliding scale of stamp duty, with the most energy-efficient homes accruing significantly less tax than the least energy efficient, and tax rebates for a period after purchase to encourage homeowners to make energy-efficiency upgrades, recognising that they are most likely to make upgrades just after buying a house rather than getting round to it at a later date.

Equally, in the private rented sector, landlords should be incentivised to make energy-efficiency upgrades by being able to claim part of these against their income-tax liabilities.

Putting funding aside, retrofitting has to be done properly to avoid unintended consequences like damp and mould. To achieve this, we must prioritise a fabric-first, whole-house retrofit approach, using architects’ expertise to ensure changes are made in the right order and at the right time. Possible measures include insulating lofts and walls, draught-proofing doors, windows and floors, using double or triple glazing, integrating smarter appliances and making changes to heating and energy systems such as heat pumps and solar panels.

A retrofit revolution will create jobs. Just installing external insulation to all England’s interwar homes, built between 1919 and 1939, could create 5,000 full-time jobs every year until 2032. But it also demands good organisation – a systemic method of decarbonising homes, with defined typical upgrade packs for different housing types. Training will be required to upskill the construction workforce across the country to carry out the work efficiently and effectively.

A nationwide retrofit programme on this scale may be unprecedented, but we need to see the bigger picture. Millions of us live in damp, draughty homes that are leaking energy and money, and to do nothing about it would be to condemn the population to many more decades of substandard housing. I sincerely hope the next government turns this challenge into an opportunity to demonstrate global climate leadership and turbocharge our green economy.

Muyiwa Oki is the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects and an architect at construction company Mace.

The photo is by Lawrence Chismorie via Unsplash.

Dezeen In Depth
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Reference

Concrete Hoji Gengneung houses in South Korea

Architecture

Concrete ring connects Hoji Gangneung homes by AOA Architects

By Zarkon Group,14/02/2024

Seoul studio AOA Architects has created Hoji Gangneung, a series of uniquely shaped concrete dwellings linked by a raised, circular path in the South Korean countryside.

Located in Gangwon-do, Hoji Gangneung includes a family house for the owner and three guesthouses, along with a communal building.

AOA Architects designed one of the four homes with an octagonal shape and central courtyard while another, named the Round House, has a semi-circular end.

The remaining two dwellings and the communal building have rectangular floor plans and differ from each other by their roof shape.

Hoji Gangneung houses in South Korea — AOA Architects designed each structure with a different shape

The communal building has a mono-pitch roof and one rectangular house has a regular gable roof. The final house, named the Long House, features a gable roof with a raised central section topped with a skylight, creating an elongated light well.

“Every building has its own shape, size and character, allowing guests to enjoy each space distinctly through shadow play,” said AOA Architects principal Jaewon Suh.

Hoji Gangneung by AOA Architects — Hoji Gangneung is located in the countryside in South Korea

AOA Architects took cues from countryside structures, such as warehouses and cabins, when designing Hoji Gangneung, aiming to create a project that references its surroundings while establishing itself as something new.

“The main concept and goal of the design is to build something familiar and also unfamiliar in a rural area,” Suh told Dezeen.

“For some, the Octagonal House looks like a nomadic tent and feels like an octagonal pavilion, the Long House looks like a milk carton or a grain warehouse, and the Round House looks like a slender piece of wood or a face with a hat, but these associations do not matter.”

A concrete ring elevated above the grassy landscape connects the five buildings, a decision the studio made to prevent the need for multiple paths.

“A circular shape was the best gesture to connect the five buildings at once,” Suh said. “As a result, while avoiding typical countryside alley shape and showing the main concept of the design, an artificial circular raised walkway was created.”

Concrete house in South Korea by AOA Architects — The buildings are made from textured concrete

According to the studio, the choice of concrete also deliberately juxtaposes the grassy landscape below.

“By raising a walkway slightly from the land, a tension between the gently floated concrete walkway and weak grasses of the land occurs,” said Suh.

Concrete home interior with a pitched roof and light well — AOA Architects covered the interiors of the homes in wood

The buildings are all built from textured concrete and topped by corrugated metal roofs.

In the communal building, the concrete structure is left exposed. Large glass doors spanning one wall open onto the concrete walkway and give views of the dwellings.

Communal dining area with a concrete structure — The concrete structure of the communal building is left exposed inside

The interiors of the houses are finished with wood to add a sense of warmth and “make one feel that they have entered a box of musical instruments”, according to Suh.

AOA Architects was founded in 2013 by Jaewon Suh and Euihaing Lee. The studio previously designed a Minecraft-themed apartment in Seoul with a stepped roof and red- and white-tiled exterior.

Elsewhere in South Korea, architecture studio Atelier Koma recently created a concrete chapel and YounghanChung Architects designed a two-storey study space for a retired university lecturer.

The photography is by Chin Hyosook.

Reference

Architecture

Coastal Modernism: California’s New Class of Single-Family Homes

By Zarkon Group,26/01/2024

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California’s residential architecture represents a long history of experimentation and testing new ideas. As the demand for sustainable, innovative and beautiful residences continues to grow, architects and designers are redefining the concept of modern living in the Golden State. Now, there’s a wave of single-family homes built around the idea of Coastal Modernism, reinterpreting the past while building for today. This class of residences goes beyond the conventional, blending form and function to create living spaces that resonate with the demands of modern life.

Drawing inspiration from California’s unique topography, climate and culture, architects are embracing design approaches that harmonize with the natural surroundings. Whether perched on the picturesque hills of Northern California or nestled in the vibrant urban centers of SoCal, these homes are made to engage with their environment in a balance of aesthetics and practicality. From diverse design principles and layouts to environmentally conscious construction methods, discover the architectural landscape of California’s latest residential projects.

Suspension House

By Fougeron Architecture, California

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Renovations + Additions

Perched between two Californian hills with a creek and waterfall in the backyard, this remodel aimed to seamlessly integrate the structure into the environment within strict legal guidelines. The new home maintains the exact outline of the existing house and decks, anchoring itself to the bedrock instead of disturbing the creek below. Transparent materials, floor-to-ceiling windows and open-concept outdoor spaces offer unobstructed views of natural water features.

Retaining 50% of the existing wood structure, a steel frame supports the home, exposed on all floors. The third floor rotates for better site relation, breaking up the mass and creating a dynamic, light-filled space. The Suspension House achieves a delicate balance between modern architecture and its natural surroundings.

Mar Vista

By WOODS + DANGARAN, Los Angeles, California

Jury Winner, 9th Annual A+Awards, Residential Interiors (>3000 sq ft)

Perched on a downsloped lot, this 6,000 square-foot house maximizes views with strategic placement of the entry and master suite. The L-shaped footprint incorporates an in-ground pool. The street view features a grounded elevation with a privacy wall, floating second floor, and cedar louvers for visual interest.

The entry sequence includes a courtyard with a gingko tree. The main level boasts a modern palette of metal, polished concrete, and glass, emphasizing indoor-outdoor living. The sculptural stair leads to warmer personal spaces on the second level, with custom furnishings that help to soften the architecture.

California Meadow House

By Olson Kundig, Woodside, California

Designed by Jim Olson, this family estate seamlessly integrates architecture, interior design, art and landscape into a unified whole. The central “home base” living area serves as the core, with views extending in four directions across reflecting pools, gardens, and the Santa Cruz Mountains. The estate includes auxiliary buildings and outdoor living areas, made to blend into its verdant surroundings. The 3.5-acre site is divided into two interconnected parts, with cultivated areas featuring old-growth olive trees, a vineyard, and a succulent garden.

The “wild” half includes private spaces like the master suite and children’s bedrooms, with fluidity between inside and outside. Retracting window walls and trellises maximize outdoor living and natural ventilation. The earthy exterior palette continues inside, integrating with custom furniture and an international contemporary art collection. The home, designed for energy efficiency, incorporates solar panels, geothermal and hydronic systems, achieving a practical integration with nature.

Carmel Valley Residence

By Piechota Architecture, Healdsburg, California

Nestled in Carmel Valley’s Santa Lucia Preserve, the residence aptly was named after the surrounding area. It embraces an L-shaped plan, naturally integrating into the landscape. Located in a sunny clearing, the home features concrete, weathered steel, and cedar, mirroring the hues of the hills. Custom floor-to-ceiling glass offers breathtaking views of rolling hills, wildlife, and the valley.

The program divides between two structures forming the “L,” connected by an enclosed second-story bridge. This layout separates living spaces from suites, maximizing outdoor living. The house, oriented for views, follows the forest perimeter, with expansive windows framing oak trees as natural elements of focus.

Off-Grid Guest House

By ANACAPA, Santa Barbara, California

Situated on a pristine coastal wildlife preserve in California, this modern guest house achieves a harmonious blend of residential development and ecological preservation. Tucked into a hillside with minimal visual impact, the home offers panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and hills through expansive sliding glass and cantilevered decks. Architect Dan Weber and designer Steve Willson prioritized environmental sensitivity, employing green building practices and sustainable systems.

The off-grid residence relies on a photovoltaic energy system, LED lighting, and low-usage appliances. With a private well, septic tank, and green roof for insulation, the house integrates seamlessly with its surroundings. Elemental materials like steel, concrete and glass, complemented by walnut accents, create a warm and characteristic space.

Lattice House

By Aidlin Darling Design, Belvedere, California

This coastal home, perched on a precipice, offers breathtaking views from San Francisco to Mount Tamalpais. Nestled amid live oak trees and Monterey pines, it maintains intimacy. Inspired by terraced landscapes, its design responds to the steep terrain, protecting occupants from the elements. Earth-toned concrete and stone walls retain the hillside, shaping living spaces.

Shifting floor plates and roof planes maximize solar exposure, creating sheltered gardens. Cedar slats filter sunlight into open-air terraces, enhancing the indoor-outdoor experience. The architecture is both grounded and dynamic, providing a sense of protection and comfort amid stunning views.

RidgeView House

By Zack | de Vito Architecture + Construction, Saint Helena, California

Nestled amongst the natural rock outcroppings, and native Oak and Manzanita trees, the RidgeView House sits atop the western edge of the Vaca Range overlooking St. Helena and the Napa Valley. Perched on a ridge, it offers valley views to the west and forest views to the east. Every room utilizes doors, windows and materials to integrate inside and outside spaces, maximizing views and bathing the interior in natural light.

The structure’s exposed interior materials contrast elegance and strength, while the exterior features a natural palette of materials – concrete, corten and cedar – allowed to patina and blend into the California flora. Expressive details showcase the materials and craft, reflecting the successful creative partnership of the owner, architect and builder.

C-Glass House

By deegan day design, Marin County, California

The C-Glass House, a 2,100 square foot retreat in northern California, stands on a wind-swept site with a panoramic view of Tomales Bay and the open ocean. Designed with inspiration from Philip Johnson’s Glass House and Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House, it also draws from California legacies like Elwood and Koenig. Unlike earlier ‘vitrines in a garden,’ this glass house on the west coast prioritizes its environment, using framing, cantilever, and directional enclosure to capture the beauty of the surroundings.

The residence navigates between the precision of high modern glass houses and the Case Study generation. While influenced by architectural lineage, the C-Glass House is equally indebted to artists like Larry Bell and Dan Graham, incorporating reflective and refractive elements. It bridges these influences to open up to a panoramic vista, reflecting on architecture’s evolving role in the American landscape.

Camp Baird

By Malcolm Davis Architecture, Healdsburg, California

In search of a weekend escape, the owners of this compound sought a retreat from their central urban house. The design was made in consideration of both the client’s active children and a steep slope. Rehiring architect Malcolm Davis, who designed their primary residence, they envisioned a rural counterpoint to their urban dwelling. The goal was to create a camp-like structure focused on the outdoors, inspired by images of tents on a deck and a possible prefabricated structure.

Davis, drawing on his Northern California Regionalist background, embraced the concept defined by Louis Mumford as “a native and humane form of modernism.” Camp Baird, located on 165 acres in a coastal valley, is completely off the grid. Comprising two structures — an L-shaped main pool house and a car barn — it offers multi-functional spaces for various activities amid the natural surroundings.

House Set on the Valley Floor

By ATELIER JØRGENSEN, Napa County, California

Nestled within vineyards near the town center, this house features two interconnected structures protected by ‘L’ shaped walls, one stone and one cedar, shielding them from a busy road. Courtyards and terraces emerge behind these walls, forming individual gardens that seamlessly blend with the landscape. Slender pathways connect gardens, courtyards and interior spaces, respecting the surrounding environment. The entrance garden, resembling a porch-like atrium, leads to a solid redwood door crafted from a tree on the site.

The foyer connects the main walls, with a cedar gateway to guest rooms and a stone portal to the family art collection and main house. Expansive eaves offer year-round outdoor enjoyment and shield from the summer sun, while the house’s envelope balances privacy with large openings to the landscape, reflecting its rural setting.

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Reference

Interior Design

Eight homes where mid-century modern furniture adds a stylish touch

By Zarkon Group,10/01/2024

Pieces by designers Charles and Ray Eames and Isamu Noguchi are on show in this lookbook, which features homes with eye-catching mid-century modern furniture.

Mid-century furniture, which often has simple lines and a sculptural feel, adds a modernist touch to these homes, which range from period properties to newly built and renovated houses.

Among the interiors showcased in this lookbook are iconic architect Le Corbusier’s own home and a residence in London’s upmarket Mayfair area that has been filled with mid-century modern and art deco details.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring perforated brick-walls, budget home interiors and immersive saunas in peaceful settings.

Zero House, UK, by Ben Garrett and Rae Morris

Owners Ben Garrett and Rae Morris updated Zero House, which was informed by Californian Case Study Houses, themselves in a way that would honour its mid-century roots.

The living room features a striking floor-to-ceiling fireplace clad in tiles, as well as a number of furniture pieces in warm colours. Among them is a classic Eames office chair in a dark-brown leather colour that matches the wooden panelling that decorates the room.

Find out more about Zero House ›

Hudson Woods house by Magdalena Keck — Photo by Jeff Cate

Hudson Woods home, US, by Magdalena Keck

Located in upstate New York, this holiday home has an interior that fuses Danish and Japanese design. A dinner table and chairs by designer Finn Juhl are among the Danish pieces used in the house, where they look both functional and elegant.

A simple lamp with a gold-coloured shade above the table adds a decorative touch and matches the brass fastenings at the backs of the chairs.

Find out more about the Hudson Woods home ›

Interior of Madrid apartment — Photo by Polina Parcevskya and Julie Smorodkina

Radikal Klassisk, Spain, by Puntofilipino

The interior of this Spanish apartment in a former bank building has a moody, interesting colour palette and features richly textured materials including terrazzo, clay-rendered walls and marble tiles.

In contrast, the furniture is streamlined and unfussy, including a sculptural lounge chair by Danish designer Hans J Wegner in the living room.

Find out more about the Radikal Klassisk ›

City Beach residence in Perth by Design Theory — Photo by Jack Lovel

City Beach House, Australia, by Design Theory

American artist and designer Noguchi’s iconic coffee table, made from a heavy glass tabletop that rests on two undulating wooden legs, has pride of place in the living room of City Beach House.

The interior, created by Australian studio Design Theory, responds to the design and natural material palette of the house itself, which is from the 1960s.

Find out more about City Beach House ›

White home in Sweden by Asa Hjort Architects — Photo by Jim Stephenson

Hallen, Sweden, by Åsa Hjort Architects

This newly built home in the southern Swedish region of Österlen has a blocky geometric design and large windows that provide views out across the Baltic Sea.

An Eames lounge chair adds a comfortable resting space in one of the rooms, where its dark hues contrast against sheer white curtains and pale wood flooring.

Find out more about Hallen ›

Moore House, US, by Woods + Dangaran

A pair of vintage globe-shaped pendants by Dutch designer Frank Ligtelijn light up the bathroom in this 1960s California home designed by architect Craig Ellwood.

The bathroom also features a dark Emperador marble countertop and a wall clad in Japanese porcelain tiles.

Find out more about Moore House ›

Mid-century modern interior by Child Studio — Photo by Felix Speller and Child Studio

Mayfair residence, UK, by Child Studio

The “Pernilla” lounge chair by Swedish designer Bruno Mathsson is among the many mid-century modern furniture pieces on show in this London apartment.

Local practice Child Studio told Dezeen that the spacious lounge that houses the chair was informed by the grand salon in fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent’s Paris home.

Find out more about the Mayfair residence ›

Studio apartment, France, by Le Corbusier

Le Corbusier’s apartment in his Immeuble Molitor apartment building in Paris, where he lived for more than three decades, reopened to the public in 2018.

Visitors to the modernist flat can admire mid-century modern furniture pieces including a black leather edition of the designer’s signature LC2 lounge chair, which sits next to a cowhide rug at the entrance of the apartment.

Find out more about Le Corbusier’s apartment ›

Reference

Homes

a new neighbor for quiet boerum hill

frida escobedo responds to low-rise brooklyn

a pleated facade along tree-lined bergen street

the community-focused building

Suspension House

By Fougeron Architecture, California

Jury Winner, 11th Annual A+Awards, Renovations + Additions

Mar Vista

By WOODS + DANGARAN, Los Angeles, California

Jury Winner, 9th Annual A+Awards, Residential Interiors (>3000 sq ft)

California Meadow House

By Olson Kundig, Woodside, California

Carmel Valley Residence

By Piechota Architecture, Healdsburg, California

Off-Grid Guest House

By ANACAPA, Santa Barbara, California

Lattice House

By Aidlin Darling Design, Belvedere, California

RidgeView House

By Zack | de Vito Architecture + Construction, Saint Helena, California

C-Glass House

By deegan day design, Marin County, California

Camp Baird

By Malcolm Davis Architecture, Healdsburg, California

House Set on the Valley Floor

By ATELIER JØRGENSEN, Napa County, California

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