From the architects “As mountain guides, Scott Schell and Margaret Wheeler are used to the upper reaches of the Cascades. Their site in the foothills above Snoqualmie is not far from work. The house, designed by Johnston Architects PLLC and built by Tall Tree Construction, accommodates both professional and practical demands, but it also fulfills a deep desire to do what is right. The Schell Wheeler house will soon receive a LEED Silver certification. Blow-down trees from storms provided the logs that were milled into siding, fascias and trim. A ground source heat pump, supplemented by solar water preheating supplies energy to the house. Other strategies are implemented throughout the house, but the overall character of the two buildings complete the goal of sustainability: the complex is extremely livable within its environment. Even on a grey and rainy day this forest retreat is filled with light.”
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Story from the architects : “The Miner’s Refuge, intended as a weekend retreat in the beautiful but often harsh terrain of the Methow, was designed with these concerns in mind. The building is carefully sited at the base of the hillside tucked into the tree line to take advantage of and preserve the surrounding views. Its mass is dug into the topography, anchoring the structure to the site. The outdoors is pulled in through dramatic open views. The protected patio and expansive vista of meadow and mountain are incorporated as major components of the design……The visual, physical and conceptual connections to place were the driving force in the design and what makes this project unique. The beautiful landscape and charm of rural eastern Washington is what initially attracted the owners to this area. It is this character that the design for the Minor’s Refuge embraces and aims to protect.”
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From the architects “This project involves the transformation of an existing 1940s era bungalow in the suburbs of Cincinnati. The first phase consists of a new bedroom and bath accupying the former gabled roof space. The addition is connected th the main floor by a new light-well and stair to provide vertical circulation and light into the core of the existing house. Phase two is a ground floor addition containing Living, Dining, Kitchen, and support spaces. All work was desined by the architect and constructed by the architect with teams comprised of architecture students. The concrete foundation and structural frame for the ground floor addition was subcontracted, along wiyh rough plumbing, HVAC, and rough electrical.”
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This house is located in Campo Tures, Bolzano Italy and was designed by Jacopo Mascheroni Architects. From the architecs “The idea of remodelling this house in the Dolomite mountains at the border between Italy and Austria started because of an uncomfortable living situation. The existing building presented a very large and high entry hall with the rooms arranged aroung it, and it was always necessary to walk through it to move around the house. On the ground floor, the kitchen. dining room, licing room and the stube were not proportioned to the size of the house and they couldn’t get enough light. For this reason the entire ground floor has been demolished, and a new interior clear glass envelope with a gyp wall inserted is now the only separation among the different spaces. Few new volumes have been added around the house to extend the entry hall and the oversized family room, which include dining, relax and study area. To allow maximum amount of light into the rooms, the facades have been replaced by a custom designed structural silicon curtain hall, with base and head mullions flush with the floor and ceiling, and large popout sliding doors to create interaction between indoor and outdoor. Because of the very low temperatures of the winter, the heating solution is the combination of radiant floor heating, perimeter floor radiators along the curtain wall, a gas see through the outside fireplace and a wood one.” For further detail visit Dolomites House by JM Architects.
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Napa River House is located on a site with mature oak trees and stone pathways winding down a gently sloping hill in Napa, California. From the craig steely architects “To avoid disturbing the paths and root structure of the trees, a single footing and tube frame (inspired by a chairlift tower) will float the main living area in the oak canopy.”
Napa River House by Craig Steely Architects
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This house was designed by Sienna Architecture, located in Portland, Oregon. Project type of this house is : Two-story loft and private art gallery in 1908 vintage structure with industrial detailing, glass and steel staircase, and commercial-grade kitchen. And this some pict from Sienna Architecture.
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This house located in Washington D.C, United States, and this house was designed to make residence including living spaces for ambassador, staff quarters and representational spaces. From the architects : “This scheme placed first in the competition of ten Swiss-American team’s designs for the replacement of the Washington D.C. residence of the Swiss Ambassador. It is not only to be a private house but also a cultural gathering place on which standards and self-image of a country are measured.
Sited on a hill with a direct view through the trees to the Washington monument in the distance, a diagonal line of overlapping spaces drawn through a cruciform courtyard plan was the conceptual starting point. Official arrival spaces and ceremony spaces are connected along this diagonal line on the first level, while private living quarter functions are on the floor above.
Materials are charcoal integral color concrete trimmed in local slate and sand-blasted structural glass planks. Constructed according to Swiss ‘Minergie Standard’, the south facades use passive solar energy. The roof is a ‘sedum’ green roof with PVC panels.
The existing natural landscape will be clarified with new walkways and trees, while the plateau of the residence defines an arrival square: a reception courtyard and an herb garden with sub-floor wiring flexibilities.”
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From the architects “The Act II house was design for a couple whose children had grown and left home. The house is an exploration of both how to expand the spatial experience of the typical suburban building lot and of the dual nature of the “empty nester” life.
A two volume organization with the volume oriented perpendicular to one another and connected by a narrow L-shaped circulation element allows for parents and children to occupy the house both as a family and individually. The two volumes define two distinct outdoor spaces that are discovered by the cisitor after traveling down the long entry hall into the open living room dining kitchen space.”
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