The world population is growing fast. Cities are inflating and sites became expensive and small creating problems such as privacy. Design a house in a small site became a challenge and more often we see new houses design looking like a castle. The house now closes itself and the external walls now act like a fence wall. The project bellow is an example (in a big proportion) of what is possible to do to keep the privacy when is  design a house. The same example can be used for sites located on busy roads as it is possible to close the house to the noise side and open it internally. The shatoko house has used the swimming pool and the ponds to decorate and entertain the ambient but also with an area to cool the air and help to keep the house cooled. Amazing design and very well built.

Architects: Shatotto
Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh
Project Year: 2011
Project Area: 20,667 sq ft
Photographs: Daniele Domenicali

In the current trend of real estate development, this residence has been a challenge particularly placing a water court as swimming pool in the middle of the house, a surely difficult task to ensure privacy. As a result, an introverted design has been adopted.
 
The south and the southeast have been designed to bring in cool breeze during the hot humid summer and the warmth of the sun during winter. The center “water court” acts as a natural exhaust, which flows out the hot air and makes the middle court a solace. http://www.shatotto.com/shatotto-details.html?id=19
 

The architect paper on the design of a house is to combine clients desires with budget, local council requirements and building codes. Sometimes, a lot of nice ideas can not be used in a project because doesn’t comply in one of those instances.  This house is a real architecture in practice. The architect thought creatively about the building planning restrictions and has designed an amazing house with 5 private areas for each one of the family members.

Little tower emerging from earth

Architects: Christian Pottgiesser Architectures possible 

Location: Yvelines, France 

Project Team: Christian Pottgiesser, Pascale Thomas Pottgiesser Completion: 2011 Area: 870 sqm house; 4,850 sqm garden 

 Photographs: George Dupin

Clean design

Maison L « A house as a small town » Less than half an hour’s drive west from Paris city center, designed as an extension of a private residence to an 18th-century structure, sought to provide every family member with a private realm. The roughly 5000 m2 plot of old trees called for a project that would leave the spacious ground predominantly untouched.

Light form the roof

The design foresaw an amorphous plinth storey with curved stone walls heaped up with earth and used as a general living area. Local building regulations only allow one single building with a gabled or hipped roof. However, in exceptional cases, flat roofs, as long as they do not exceed 25m2 each (e.g. : garages), can be provided. Thus, projecting above the acessible planted roof five towers like volumes have been argued and actually implemented. Positioned to frame a specific perspective of the site, each “tower”  houses a dressing room and storage space (ground floor), bathroom (1 st floor) and a bedroom (2nd floor). 

Skylight

Framed windows to the amazing view

Carved on the landscape

House and landscape are intimately interwoven, boundaries between indoors and outdoors are blurred: The south-eastern facade emerges out of a complex topography between the house and its landscape. Carved towards every entrance in the glazing the river-bed-shaped, undulating terrain distorts, blending the construction into nature.

Roof sculpture

Abstracted entry

Ground floor is two meter below surface

Family common area

Skylights are all over the place

Section

Two Glass Pavilion

Two stone structures surround a glass pavilion within a wooded landscape in Bethesda, Maryland. The concept for the Glenbrook residence was to create three distinct structures: one for the most public programs (entry space, garage and guest bedrooms), one for the most private living programs and one where “public” and private can co-exist. Each space has an outdoor terrace or some special connection to the site while the roof of the glass pavilion folds beyond one’s cone of vision to create the feeling of being outside. The building is made of all natural materials with a 100-year lifespan and features an underground spring-fed water furnace HVAC system. Definition from David Jameson

Glass Structure

The residence consists of three structures that divide the public and private areas. Thus the house features interesting lines, angles, and architectural solutions. For example the two side structures look similar yet each of them has its own finish and unique features while the middle glass pavilions make an interesting core.

Each structure has its outdoor space under the overhangs while the structures are connected with the halls that link them together into one big residence. The interior is finished with wood which gives a nice warm contrast as opposed to the exterior stone finish. And the sloped ceiling adds an interesting twist to both exterior and interior view of the living area.

Timber, glass and stone are the main materials in this house

connection between exterior and interior

Open plan

Private entry

Architects: David Jameson Architect Location: Bethesda, Maryland, USA Principal: David Jameson, FAIA Project Architect: Ron Southwick Contractor: Accent General Contracting, Inc. Project Year: 2005 Photographs: Paul Warchol Photography

Importance of light design

Ninety7 @ Siglap Road House by Aamer Architects

Aamer Architects have designed a beautiful and unusual house called Ninety 7 @ Siglap located on the Siglap Hill, in Singapore hence the name. Overlooking the city Ninety 7 @ Siglap house has three levels which offer the best views. The architecture of the building is quiet unusual. The second level is a the widest part of it while the lines are graphic yet flowing and dynamic. The rooms are connected with terraces and verandas.

Hanging over the swimming pool the Ninety 7 @ Siglap house resembles a ship. The first level is made into two bedrooms, second level for living and dining and the third level is a master room. The house also features timber decks with grass growing in them providing more protection from the sun.

Timber venetian over a big timber bench

Balcony-with-Wonderful-View

Curved fascia wrapping the building

Nice round toilet – the door slides towards the curved wall

Ensuite

Balconies overlap each other creating an unusual shape

The ground level also boasts showers, terraces and BBQ area. The house is surrounded with lawns and greenery. The white exterior is wrapping around the wood and glass interior featuring floor to ceiling glass walls and doors. The beautiful mosaic outdoor shower has a round shape made in wood and an access to the poolside terrace.

outside shower

Aamer Architects is an architectural firm with numerous interesting architectural projects. Their slogan “art in space, space in art” describes their works and design approach perfectly.

Text by  interiorholic

What is “Rio+20”?

“Rio+20” is the short name for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2012 – twenty years after the landmark 1992 Earth Summit in Rio. Rio+20 is also an opportunity to look ahead to the world we want in 20 years.

At the Rio+20 Conference, world leaders, along with thousands of participants from the private sector, NGOs and other groups, will come together to shape how we can reduce poverty, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection on an ever more crowded planet.

The official discussions will focus on two main themes: how to build a green economy to achieve sustainable development and lift people out of poverty; and how to improve international coordination for sustainable development.

It is a historic opportunity to define pathways to a sustainable future – a future with more jobs, more clean energy, greater security and a decent standard of living for all.

“Rio+20 will be one of the most important global meetings on sustainable development in our time.”

– UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

@ Rio+20 – Count Me in

http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/countmein.html