When Molly moved in, the kitchen already had cabinets, made of shamel ash from Angel City Lumber and topped with counters in terrazzo that Responsive Homes made using sediment from the Los Angeles River. She added an island to create “some separation of space,” she says, as well as open shelving.
Floor Plan of Tinyleaf by GO’C
Whether it’s cross-country skiing in the winter or trail running in the summer, the 330-foot home’s minimalist design encourages Catherine to be outside in the surrounding landscape throughout the year.
By the time he reached out to the architects, the client, Chilean real estate developer Andrés Galesio, had already identified a location for the cabin. It was right by the edge of a bluff on his steep, half-acre yard, set some 300 feet above sea level, with cypress trees all around.
The oval form of the dining table is inspired by the hull of a traditional Irish curroch boat, and it features a bowl carved directly in its top surface. The table is made from 366 pieces of CNC machined birch ply. Similarly, the Unfurl chairs are made by layering 26 individual profiles of CNC machined timber to create a form that echoes the shape of the human body.
Most of the artwork that adorns the walls is also by Mike and Jewlsy. The framed palm fronds above the credenza, for example, are inscribed with the original deeds to Jewlsy's family home in Kerala, India, and are approximately 300 years old.
“The floor is brought closer to the ground level. This makes the line of sight closer to that of the outside, creating a conscious connection with the outdoors,” said Sudo. This also helps create a higher ceiling level and reduce cost.
The hall workspace features a pegboard wall and a built-in bench with storage, in addition to open shelving. For the desk chair, Spot Lab refurbished and reupholstered a vintage chair that had been left on the street.
The project’s name, Loom House, is a nod to “weaving people and place,” says Karen. The couple hope their project contributes to spreading more awareness of the kind of systemic changes the LBC strives for. “With the Living Building Challenge, we liked that you not only create a healthy home,” says Todd, “but you consider how that healthy home is creating a healthy environment and community.”
Architect Jai Kumaran and his partner, Lindsay Merkle, transformed a badly neglected ridgetop property in Scappoose, Oregon, into a retreat, completing a 3,000-square-foot prefabricated workshop and studio suite as the first phase of a larger planned creative compound where they could live, work, and gather with family and friends.
The home is located in Todds Valley, a 10-minute drive from Nelson, where architect William Samuels grew up—and one of the least affordable areas in New Zealand. “The obsession with the price of housing is pervasive and can cloud our thinking when we consider the true value of a home,” he says. “In New Zealand, there is a tendency to think of housing purely as an asset, an investment, rather than a home, a place for life to happen.”
"The house meets all the requirements for being a Greenbuilt Home,
Whangapoua / Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects
The bench Reilly made when she was a student at Rhode Island School of Design sits under industrial-style hooks in the entry.
The design for the home was inspired by the Eames House in Los Angeles, which favored prefabricated construction over proprietary building methods, and used off-the-shelf materials instead of bespoke finishes.
Another sleeping area features double bunk beds.
With its emphasis on the outdoors, the petite shelter in Normandy offers room to roam.
A large deck extends from the front of the home as well.
To avoid excavating the land, Pang and Boyle designed a structural platform to keep the cabin level.
The lower-level living area in San Francisco’s Presidio Heights has been transformed into a home gym complete with weights and a stationary bike.
New storage, multifunctional pegs, and pegboards help a New York City lawyer make the most of his 710-square-foot apartment. In the foyer, StudioKCA turned a closet into a valet area.
Simple details max out functionality in this mudroom at the Streamline House by Hufft, which features built-in storage for coats, shoes, and kids’ backpacks. A large island with deep drawers adds additional storage space and a surface for folding laundry.
The firm repaired the original masonry on both fireplaces and gave them a fresh coat of Benjamin Moore ‘Wrought Iron.’ Here, a custom blackened steel niche for firewood echoes shelving throughout the home.
Pine tongue-and-groove boards were stained using the Scandinavian practice of pine tar and linseed oil to give the wood siding the look of Japanese shou sugi ban.
Rather than wasting precious square-footage on a utility room, the mechanics for the cabin (an on-demand water heat and a two-stage water filter) are housed in two of the kitchenette’s wall cabinets. For cooking, there’s a two-burner induction stove and full-size sink. Most of the cooking is done outside on the grill.
The interior glows like a lantern at night, as does the new backyard pool.
Upper floor plan of Kahshe Lake Cottage by Solares Architecture
Site section of Kahshe Lake Cottage by Solares Architecture
“It’s only an hour and a half from the north edge of Toronto,” says Knezic. “But, because it’s water access only, it feels like you’re far away from everything—and you have a real sense of isolation.”
An expanded loft overlooks the living room, replete with a Barcelona chair, wood-burning stove, and a midcentury console.
A black bent steel plate stair leads up three steps to a notched entry paneled in clear-stained cypress.
The windows in the living area provide views out to the treetops. A rattan loveseat from Golden & Pine softens one corner of the space.
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