BC&J Architecture have sent us images of the Olympic View House they have designed on Bainbridge Island in Washington State.

The Olympic View House house is a two story home designed for a couple newly retired from careers in academia on the East Coast of the United States.  The site constraints included steep slopes, drainfield setbacks and a zoning variance.  The resultant building footprint reflects these constraints in a manner which ultimately accommodated the Owner’s goals for the house.

The house is 2,700 sf and includes all main floor living for day to day functions for aging in place.  The upper floor consists of a media area, office, piano and guest bed/bath rooms.

The house is a contemporary expression of Northwest Regionalism with both accommodation of serious weather conditions and aesthetic considerations for massing, light and presence.   The house commands views of Port Orchard Narrows and the Olympic Mountain Range beyond through a membrane of glazing rather than conventional punched window openings.  The glazing membrane in-turn allows the solid massing elements of the house to be expressed and meaningful.

A thoughtful use of both exotic materials such as Ipe and clear hemlock as cladding and ceilings respectively and more cost effective choices such as Hardi Artisan and Hardi Panel bring together a blended palette.  This articulation of this material palette simultaneously proves to be both warm and substantially grounded.

The strength of the center core of the building is emphasized by a framework of battered bases on each corner.  The tops of the bases are held short of the roof plane by two feet allowing the roof to appear to float above the body of the house.  The roof then acts as more of a canopy allowing light to penetrate the building at all times during the day and be a lantern for the streetscape at night.

Photography by Martin Bydalek

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The construction field, with 1690 sqm, is located in a area with very positive conditions in order to develop a quality solution, not only paisagistique as architectonic one. The surroundings are mainly occupied by isolated houses, with great wooded areas, predominantly pine trees that protect and apparently increase distance between constructions, offering a less modified environment, with the sea and the beach in a small distance too. The purpose was to design a house that would be used as a vacations destiny, by a family that enjoys a lot the beach and the summer.

The need to create a common area in the house that could serve many different and polyvalent utilizations, and at the same time the need to empower the three bedrooms, giving them a private character, have worked to develop an idea of house that was the result of the soma between distinct parts, which from a central moment, could solve the horizontal and vertical distribution.

In that way, the proposal is the result of the coupling of a series of volumes, in direct relation with that central distribution area, that in the ground floor allows permeability and union between different zonings (this are public programs like the living rooms, dinner room, kitchen, studio, etc.) but in the first floor, because there are only private areas, they avoid the referred permeability and are designed with absolute autonomy between them.

At the same time, the need to adapt the house to a hot clime, influences the search for other concepts, like the will that the house would result in a complex volumetry, with the several volumes in different positions, conferring a less unitary treatment of the building, exploiting the design of shadows, getting smaller the windows to the exterior and using region materials. The developed house, solves a common space opened for the exterior, with a strong connection between them, that by the way that is getting less social, more private, gains protection mechanisms.

Architects: Nelson Resende Arquitecto
Location: Algarve, Portugal
Collaborators: Ricardo Serra Leite, Architect
Project Year: 2009
Project Area: 371 sqm
Photographs: FG+SG – Fernando Guerra, Sergio Guerra
Construction: Valente & Valente, Limitada, General builder
Electrical Infrastructures: Filipe Pinho, Electrical Engineer
Infrastructures: Rui Pais, Engineer
Structures: Telmo Duarte, Civil Engineer
Exterior Design: Nelson Resende, Architect

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Gary Gladwish Architecture have designed the Eagle Ridge residence on Orcas Island in Washington State.

54 years ago she visited Orcas Island for the first time and decided that one day she would live there. 40 years passed before she saw it again and purchased a forested piece of land on a hillside populated with madrone trees, firs, beech, thistle, moss and rocks with magnificent views to the west. Throughout her life rocks, nature and landscape played an important role in her artwork. It was this attraction that convinced her that this was the perfect site for her.

She requested an open, simple, low maintenance design which works with the site in such a way that her views of the island, forest and ledges were always present within the house. Each part of the house was to be designed to accommodate the inevitable bad hips, knees and back. The program consists of a combined kitchen-dining-living area, study, master suite, art studio and storage area.

The solution utilizes some of her favorite materials; old barn wood, rusty steel, moss and rocks. Large doors slide away to open the house to the expansive views, creating a living room in the woods. The entry garden bisects the house creating two zones while it carries the site and the eye out to the view. The 800 s.f. art studio and storage area are left raw to facilitate converting them to additional bedrooms at a later date.

Photography by Will Austin

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Finestre Villas is a multiple beach housing project with 8 units, where the villas are developed from 500 to 1000 square meters of construction. The project uproots a ridge in the Mexican Pacific coast in Guerrero, its volume is based on the topographic setting on the site. As a premise, the development seeks to leverage the existing vegetation and implementing new, creating an architecture based on integrating context and tree structures of the site.

Enveloping spaces in white prisms, the wooden interiors stay sheltered from the exterior, while staying introverted and integrated to context. Due to the importance of vegetation and visual environment of the area, the interiors blend at all times with the latter elements. Facing the ocean, the spaces are oriented to seek shelter from the sun, in a sober and quiet atmosphere, with the idea of letting the natural environment surrounding the site be the main character.

Architect: CC Arquitectos / Manuel Cervantes Céspedes
Location: Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Collaborators: Edson Castillo, Deyanira Yarza, Jose Luis Heredia, Hector Barroso, Adan San Juan
Construction: Hermon Sa de Cv
Work Supervision: Manuel Cervantes Cespedes / CC Arquitectos, Omar Rojas Zuniga
Landscape: Manuel Cervantes Cespedes / CC Arquitectos, Entorno / Hugo Sanchez y Tonatiuh Martinez
Interiors: Habitacion 116 / Rafael Rivera y Javier Claverie, Manuel Cervantes Cespedes / CC Arquitectos
Lighting: Manuel Cervantes Cespedes / CC Arquitectos
Structure: Mauricio Pantoja
Project Area: 9,700 sqm
Project Year: 2011
Photographs: Yoshihiro Koitani

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This modern villa, design by Rotterdam bases architecture studio BBVH Architecten, is located in a new suburb of Den Haag and designed for the owner of a furniture company. The dynamic architecture is characterized by it’s dark colors and large cantilevering terraces. Oriented at the waterfront, the house is designed to enjoy the view of the surroundings.

The house is built with a steel structure around a concrete core, and filled with lightweight prefab timber exterior walls. This allows the terraces to cantilever 3 meters. Used materials are gray glass fibre reinforced concrete panels in combination with an anthracite plaster. The ceiling under the cantilevering terraces is finished with a warm brown wooden cladding.

Contrasting the dark exterior is a bright white interior with spacious rooms. The ground floor has a modern open kitchen and a large living room overlooking the water. Three children’s bedrooms and a bathroom are located on the first floor, with access to a large terrace. The master bedroom with bathroom and walk-in closet is located at the top floor, connected to a private terrace to enjoy the evening sun.

Architects: BBVH Architecten
Location: Den Haag, The Netherlands
Constractor: BB-X
Developer: Willson Real Estate
Project Year: 2009
Project Area: 250 sqm
Photographs: Luuk Kramer

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Architect Robert M. Gurney designed the Buisson Residence overlooking Lake Anna in Virginia.

The journey down a winding road and through a pine tree forest ends at the Buisson Residence. Situated on a grass knoll and commanding views of Lake Anna in Central Virginia, the house emerges as a long, white painted brick wall with a copper clad volume cantilevered above the wall.

The primary organizational elements for this residence are two “L” shaped brick walls connected by a glass enclosed bridge. Mahogany clad walls combine with the smaller “L” to provide a service volume while glass walls combine with the larger “L” to create the primary living spaces and to provide southern and western views toward the lake.

The experience of arrival and the wall are intertwined as the wall establishes a threshold between the pine forest and views toward the lake. Entrance to the house is through the wall and into a space that divides the program of the house into public and private realms.

The entry, living and sleeping spaces are arranged linearly to maximize lake views and to take advantage of the southern exposure. Large overhangs and sensored motorized shades combine to limit heat gain during the summer while allowing the sun to penetrate deep into the interior during the winter.

The second floor roof and exterior walls are wrapped in copper with fully glazed east and west walls inset from the ends of the copper volume. The glazed wall at the east end provides an abundant and high source of light into the double height entry hall while the glazing on the west end provides light to two bedrooms and views of the lake.

A single, large punctuation in the southern copper clad façade allows views from a second floor office. The sloping roof and canted front wall are designed to deflect fierce north wind and shed water from intense storms. The geometric volumes are connected to the landscape both by the views from the interior and accessibility to the outdoors.

Throughout the project detailing is minimal and precise. The spaces are ordered and there is a juxtaposition of solidity and transparency. The rigor of the design, the linear organization of spaces and the continuous presence of the wall provide a sharp and intended contrast to the irregular beauty of the landscape beyond. It is this contrast between an ordered human dimension and an unstructured natural condition that elevates our understanding and appreciation of both.

Photography by Paul Warchol and Maxwell MacKenzie

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This is a very small house built on the triangle site where the river and the road were crossed and made to the acute angle. For the dead-end road, it became a plan in various regulations for obtaining special permission.

Residents are husband and wife and a little girl. Although it was a novel site of a limited area, since a river was faced through a bank and a promenade, I would like to design various relations with the river. The building is the form that cut an acute angle part on a triangle plan derived from the site. Furthermore, it got the maximum volume of hip roof of three planes in restriction of setback-line.

Although the level0 floor was a private space,it limits for dividing with the curtain of a race in the door, stairs, storage, etc. except for a bathroom. It enabled it to feel a spread. The level+1 floor is devided into small areas by structural narrow walls,being connected with one by the ridgeline of a roof. So there are different open feelings and the relations with the river each.

That is
1. dining & kitchen / The west side space up the stairs is the largest planarly, and has high ceiling with a feeling of rise towards the roof top.
2. living / The central space is low ceilinged,and has full-opening windows on both sides as a balcony and the bay window that spreads outward with a feeling of floating
3. spare room / The east side space in the deepest is a form which is narrowed down to the direction of flow of the river,and is a space watching the light to insert earlier of the abyss..
4. loft / The space with two skylights is a space looking down at the river and looking up at the sky.

The limited volume snuggles up to the river, and I think that I was able to design various space that can live while looking for a favorite place to stay.

Architects: Mizuishi Architects Atelier
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Structural Engineer: Kentaro Nagasaka
Lighting Designer: Tatsuoki Nakajima
Contractor: Hirano-kensetu
Project Year: 2011
Project Area: 55.24 sqm
Photographs: Hiroshi Tanigawa

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Providing family accommodation on this small heritage-restricted corner site in Elsternwick required a solution that was outside of the square. A contemporary 2-story structure has been built to the rear of the existing cottage clad in contrasting dark zinc to draw a very deliberate line between new and old.

The external form of the new building mirrors the outline of the existing but is offset and hovers over the old roof separated by a band of glazing that wraps around it. The upper level loft-style children’s bedrooms incorporate a shared bathroom, fully enclosed north-facing balconies and access to a storage area within the existing roof space.

Master bedroom to the front of the house opens into a new en-suite bathroom with free-standing bath naturally lit by overhead roof light glazing. Zinc pods, protruding from the south blind side of the building, accommodate laundry and maximise storage space within the house. A new kitchen/dining/living area to the rear of the house opens out to private, timber deck and urban garden via full height sliding glass doors.

Architects: Simon Couchman Architects / Simon Couchmanc
Location: Elsternwick, VIC, Australia
Project Engineer: KH Engineering
Building Contractor: Mitty and Price Pty Ltd
Landscape: David Manning
Project Year: 2011
Project Area: 181 sqm
Photographs: Christine Francis

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Mim Design have completed the interior design for a cupcake shop in Melbourne, Australia.

Joy Cupcakes evokes memories of a “home” style kitchen with a palette of soft colours and handmade tiles providing an organic backdrop to the products; cupcakes produced with all natural ingredients.

Joy Cupcakes prides itself on using all natural ingredients, and in turn the interior design reflects that “natural” feel using warm timbers, soft colours and hand crafted materials. The product was to take centre stage, with the interior as a complementary backdrop to the product and the ‘Joy Cupcakes’ brand. The store, like the project objective, was to install a sense of joy and happiness.

Custom pieces were designed to enforce the product and the brand, such as:

- Custom pendant light fittings signifying a “cupcake” design that takes advantage of the high ceilings, with a shade that can be adapted to a table lamp for kiosk style fitout.

- Custom stools and tables reinforcing the soft colours of the handmade tiles.

- Custom design to the benchtop creating a “doiley table cloth” style look.

- Timber peg rails line the walls to create a custom merchandising display system that is in keeping with the “home” kitchen feel in which various kitchen utensils can be hung.

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Location
The site for this five bedroom house is located in Solduno, an old village with traditional stone clad roofs, close to Locarno, Switzerland. The amazing setting between the mountains and the lake gives the site a clear orientation with the main views towards Ascona and the lake “Lago Maggiore” to the front, and the steep mountains to the back.

Concept
The house opens itself up towards the valley, embracing the great panorama, while the backside of the house is dug into the mountain. The desire to add sufficient external shading to the facades lead to a large cantilever of the roof and the Skyframe. The Skyframe will eventually be filled in with ranking wine and other plants as well as textile sun shading elements. Using plants offers the benefit of increased day lighting levels during wintertime.

Both the roof cantilever and the Skyframe create a dynamic impression, lifting the house off the ground, shaping the perception of the building and furthering its integration into the dramatic setting. Opening the building up to the valley does not just happen on the outside – the rising roof allows larger room heights to the front. Together with the full-height windows, the bedrooms embrace the abundant nature.

Organization of the Building
The different levels of the building all focus on the panoramic views they get. The living room and kitchen open up to the west terrace which offers a view of the lake and gets the afternoon and evening sun. The living room includes a separate space for the grand piano.

The entrance to the house offers good orientation with views to the kitchen, into the living room and up the stair. A large west-facing window upstairs even guides some evening sunlight into the entrance area. A Pantry, guest room and bathroom have been located towards the back of ground floor level. The upper floor consists of four bed rooms and two bath rooms, a south facing balcony and the balcony above the entrance. There is a provision for a future external stair leading up to a roof terrace.

Design and Materials
The larch wood Skyframe, fascia and Attica panels dominate the appearance of the building, giving it a warm and natural general appearance. The larch wood has been left untreated and will weather naturally. The detailing of the Skyframe includes inclined top surfaces to ensure good water drainage. The façade panels in between are either glass or fibre reinforced concrete panels, the latter in three shades of blue, complementing the reflections of the windows and harmonizing nicely in dusk lighting.

The interior design takes up external materials with oak wood flooring and is else kept simple with a modern look and feel. The ground floor features full length bespoke corridor furniture, starting as bookshelf and cupboards and integrating the kitchen at the other end.

With its full height glass balustrade and solid oak steps, the slender steel frame stair is more a light object between the kitchen and the entrance. The fireplace – part of the sustainability concept – is framed with a full-height slab of local granite, with the grain and texture running seamlessly across its three panels. Bespoke internal doors are full height and flush with the adjacent walls. Terrace and entrance doors have been selected with minimal thresholds. The terraces and balconies maintain the indoor floor level. Some windows are frame-less fixed glazing, including a glass corner solution in the dining area, creating a sense of proximity with the nicely landscaped garden.

Sustainability
The house has been designed (and insulated) to low energy standards and no conventional heating has been installed. Instead, there are only solar collectors on the roof, providing energy for the low temperature under floor heating and most of the year also for hot water. During the cold and cloudy winter days, additional energy is generated through a heat exchange incorporated in the fireplace. Energy from the solar collectors is being preserved in a 4000L water tank in the basement. Roof and walls have been insulated up to 400mm inside and even the basement has been wrapped in a layer of insulation.

Prefabrication
Due to limited accessibility of the site, walls and ceilings were prefabricated and flown on site by helicopter. A timber frame construction has been chosen to allow large parts within the weight limits of the helicopter. Prefabrication also allows for a high degree of computer aided control over the design, a benefit when working on a project abroad.

Architects: designyougo
Location: Solduno, Switzerland
Project Year: 2011
Project Area: 178 sqm
Photographs: designyougo

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