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Revived Steel Structure Becomes Graceful Perch for Art Lovers

A gigantic roof deck creates the sense of an expansive “tabletop” sited amidst the tops of a towering old growth forest in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Tonic Design + Construction designed and built the contemporary 3500-square-foot house for art collectors John and Molly Chiles, set in the forest canopy.

The new house was constructed re using the metal “bones” of an abandoned 1960s era steel-framed and wood-paneled house overlooking Crabtree Creek.

The cladding had been overgrown by kudzu and ivy, rotting the wood. It was in terrible condition.

The architect did not repeat the original mistake of wood cladding in a damp forest setting.

The new house was an all metal re-design.

Instead, the wonderful “bones” of the neglected remains become the chassis for a dramatic new house.

The deck of the now clearly defined steel structure offers views across the treetops to the distant horizon.

The all white open floor plan with loft-like spaces makes this treetop perch an unlikely home. Read the rest of this entry »

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Design Dilemma: A Big Small Loft in Paris

We’re used to thinking of lofts as gi-normous spaces featuring miles and miles of square footage. But increasingly, and especially in Europe, small lofts are the norm. They are open, light-filled and airy, but often fail to crack 50 square meters (or about 600 square feet). Here’s one such example in Paris where, architects Gianluca Gaudenzi and Sandra De Giorgio of Nzi Architectes have transformed an old artist’s studio located in the 20° arrondissement on the Right Bank of the Seine. It may be a small space, but the architects were able to maximize every inch, including massively high ceilings that are 5 meters tall.

The architects created a loft on three levels, each within view of the other. The lowest level consists of a kitchen and dining room. Two steps take you to a comfortable living room with a built-in cherry bookshelf. A flight of narrow steps on the kitchen level takes you to the uppermost level, which is where a bedroom and study are located, closed off with a glass wall.  Here’s a view below:

And here’s another view:

Here’s a view giving you an idea of the entire landscape. On the far left hand side are the stairs leading up to the bedroom. To the right are the kitchen, dining room, and at the far end of the loft on another level reached by two steps is the living area with built-in bookshelf.

Another view of the living room:

And here is a view of the living room as seen from the little study area in the bedroom above:

There’s a lot to love about this little loft, and we love it all!

• It’s minimal without being cold. Punches of bright color, the use of warm wood, the liberal use of antiques like the theatre chairs and old stove give the loft warmth without clutter.

• It’s industrial without going over the top. The industrial look has become a big trend these days, but this little loft indulges without seeming trendy. Iron supports and frames around windows provide just the right amount of factory flavor against the stone walls and wooden built-ins.

• It’s filled with light. Thanks to a careful planning of space, there are no dark corners in this loft. A skylight on the top level also brings light into a space that might have otherwise been dark.
• It looks like someone actually lives here. We’ve seen too many lofts that seem so picture perfect it’s hard to believe anyone could ever live there. This space, on the other hand, is unassuming in its grandeur. When can we move in?

Images: Courtesy livingcorriere.it

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The Outstanding Geometry of the Villa Escarpa

This minimalist gem from architects Mario Martins overlooks the village of Praia da Luz, in the district of Lagos, Algarve, in the South of Portugal.

The house sits gently upon an exposed concrete support giving the appearance of a house floating above the landscape.

Its visually stunning lines create a sublime perfection from virtually every angle.

The social area of the house is open and fluid.

Thick roofs appear cut from a horizontal volume of white.

“In a pure and contemporary architectural language,” say the architects, “we created sheltered terraces and courtyards for outside living.”

The living space offers views to each side; to the distant horizon to the west, and across the body of water to the kitchen to the east.

The long pool comes right in to transect the working area of the house, with the kitchen to one side, and the living room to the other.

In this way the house merges with the long water surface dissecting the wide living and kitchen spaces. Read the rest of this entry »