Small & Spectacular Family Home Open Towards a Peaceful Rural Landscape

Corum Residence was designed by Substance Architecture and is a display of modern living at its best. The only aspect that differentiate this house from the majestic residences we commonly display on Freshome is this project’s dimensions. Here is more from the architects: This modest, single family residence on a four acre site was designed for a family looking to “downsize” their domestic lives. The resulting home expresses itself and gestures beyond — to the rural Iowa landscape. The elemental design consists of a galvanized metal clad “tube” gently resting on a cast-in-place concrete “plinth” and pointed toward the view. The home’s simple form and materials reference agricultural buildings prevalent in the central United States.The more-public “living” spaces have direct access to the view. The private “bed and bath” functions are sequestered deep within the metal-clad wedge and concrete plinth. Internally, the home utilizes a system of maple and acrylic shelving, an open-riser stair, and a fireplace mass to vertically organize the section and link its three levels. (Photography by Bob Shimer/Hedrich Blessing)

The Schaffer Residence

19 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment

by ksovreli in Uncategorized

A reader recently emailed me and asked why I’m always posting sterile architecture with cold hard lines. Well, it’s because I happen to like that type of architecture — minimalist, clean, simple… sometimes cold. However, today’s house is IMHO the opposite of cold and sterile.

Located in Glendale, CA, The Schaffer Residence is a warm, inviting cozy space. Not only is it a fully restored and meticulously cared for 1949 mid-century home by John Lautner, it had a cameo in the movie A Single Man. And it’s for sale, so that means you could live here.

Dream Home : CG House by GLR arquitectos

19 Apr 2011 Leave a Comment

by ksovreli in Uncategorized

The CG House rests on a generous 17,250 sq. ft. site adjacent to the Sierra Madre mountains. While the site’s steep slope presented a number of design challenges, the dramatic views it afforded of the city of Monterrey provided the architect with a number of opportunities as well.

From the street, two massive oak tress rise to provide privacy and welcome shade to the swimming pool terrace above. Due to the sloping nature of the site, a massive, exposed concrete wall defines and encloses the swimming pool and garden areas of the house and sets the tone for the design of the house itself, which is clad in brown/black volcanic stone, IPE wood, white stucco and steel.

A wide exterior granite staircase lead to an intimate garden of palm trees. Directly ahead is a 12 feet-high dark oak door whose grand scale offers a hint of the dramatic scale of this 10,650 sq. ft. home that lies beyond, beginning with an entry foyer whose 15 feet-high walls are adorned with silver leaf. A massive sculptural piece of coconut roots, steel and rocks was designed specifically for this space.

The living room, as well as the dining and family rooms, all have large windows with views of the garden, allowing light to penetrate deep within the spaces as well as creating a seamless interplay between the interior and exterior spaces. Also, within the house, subtle level changes between rooms not only add interest to the interior layout but these changes also reflect the site’s topography.

In the private areas of the home, which is articulated through a long corridor, the occupants have access to a second garden, located at the highest point on the building site, which is less formal and more recreational.

Credits :

Project Team: Enrique Salas,  Tomas Güereña,  Felipe González
Photography: Jorge Taboada