Home Design Find

No Comments »

A Luxury Boutique Hotel in South Africa

The POD boutique Hotel in Cape Town is designed by Greg Wright Architects.

Massive blocks of granite behind the pool balance the weighty landmarks of Lions Head and Table Mountain.

The heavy granite and the oversized tree trunks do not seem out of scale in this setting.

In the dramatic landscape of South Africa, the gigantic trunks have the right weight.

The color palette also derives from heavy materials such as slate, South African native timbers and granite.

By night this outdoor seating area affords a sunset view out across Camps Bay Beach.

The drama of the natural surroundings is balanced in the massive weight of the materials chosen.

Beds are set on a raised alcove of weathered wood that surrounds the sleeper on three sides. Read the rest of this entry »

No Comments »

Oh, Canada: A Heavenly Home

Ottawa River House is a cool and serene three level contemporary home in Ontario by Canadian studio Christopher Simmonds Architect.

An elongated entry under cedar planking draws you into a vista that will develop into the dominant theme.

A confidently executed skylight surprises on the way through the front door.

To move through the space is to enjoy a well orchestrated sequence of views out over Lake Ottowa.

The experience inevitably accompanies every traversing of the interlocking interior walkways – until it is wound into your very soul.

So it is a house that walks through one vast airy space after another. Read the rest of this entry »

No Comments »

Marble and Greenery Cool a Poetic Garden House in India

The Frill House by India’s Hiren Patel Architects is completely focused on the climate-altering effects of the gardens surrounding it.

Located in steamy Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the house opens out onto two cool garden spaces on each side.

It has a shaded garden for escaping the heat in summer, seen here on the north of the house.

The wide expanse of flat lawns of the summer garden is shaded all day by the house itself, offering a cool respite from the heat.

The winter garden, on the south of the house is designed like a “forest ” to help tree plantations to create shadows on and into the building.

Deep overhangs and open air rooms are the climate key to protection from the sun.

The winter garden surrounds a family room with tall palms and tropical plants.

Each space has a view to either the summer or winter garden.

“We planned different philosophy to experience the garden from different places,” say the architects. “The experience of garden is like poetry.”

Cool marble chills the floors both indoors and out.

Inside the house, cool marble floors are brightened by colorful Indian artefacts.

An intriguing palm leaf door is an example of the unique Indian craftsmanship to be found in this house. Read the rest of this entry »