MODERN HOUSE DESIGNS

Australian Beachfront House - low maintenance and sustainable

Australian architects lead by Marcus O’Reilly are behind one of the most unusual modern Australian beachfront houses here in Sorrento, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula in Australia. With its innovative mix of materials, this beach home's facade is eclectic and relaxed, featuring a "low maintenance material palette which was not only intended to stand up to the tests of sandy boogie boards, wet towels and teenage parties but also improve with age," according the the architects. In keeping with a longstanding local tradition, the wood clad house features local materials like stone facing and natural tea tree shutters and awnings, but is modernized with a striking timber stairway with custom galvanized steel balustrades, boasting a cool industrial edge. A spacious outdoor entertaining area features a radial polycarbonate and timber awning, and offers views of the surrounding sand dunes and eucalyptus trees. Determined by the terrain, the hillside home climbs its way up the dunes in a series of staggered volumes - a ground-level stone volume in the front, followed by a lightweight glass and steel home volume. The outdoor deck leads into the home, which are sun-soaked beachfront house interiors by all accounts. The style is minimalist and relaxed, and invites you to sit back and enjoy the views. "Sustainable issues were to the fore, primarily with passive Solar performance. The orientation, size, volume of building, insulation and the weight were modelled to assess how much extra ballast would be needed to add to the southern walls to obtain the required thermal mass. The calculations paid off and rendered Air Conditioning unnecessary despite the obvious difficulties involved in obtaining optimal thermal performance for a structure that is up on stilts and lightweight in a temperate climate. Passive ventilation and 10,000 litre rainwater tanks complete the package." Marcus O’Reilly Architects.

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12 Nov 2009 | Coastal Homes | Comments (0)

Sustainable Desert House Design - Recycled, Reused and Naturally Cool

Deep in the desert of Pioneertown, California, this simple sustainable house was designed by architect Lloyd Russell as the “ultimate desert structure.” A striking steel canopy makes up the home’s main shelter, under which the eco house design takes shape. The house is made of recycled materials, making the old new again, and beautiful too. An essential in the sandy hotspot, the innovative canopy house was designed to passively regulate the home’s temperature threefold – first, to reflect the sun’s rays and heat away from the home; second, to shade the house; and third, to act as a wind buffer, allowing the cooling breeze to blow through the structure. The 1,600-sq.-ft. main house features rusted corrugated-steel walls with contemporary, wide expanses of glass that slide open to bring the outdoors in and further cool interiors. Lloyd Russell
via Momoy

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10 Nov 2009 | Desert Homes | Comments (0)

Innovative Forest Architecture enables constant contact with the forest!

When Netherlands architecture firm Grosfeld van der Velde Architecten designed this striking forest home in Teteringen, near Breda, they took into account some important must-haves for the homeowners, namely an eco house design. The move toward sustainable architectural design sets the tone for this project among the trees; a wood clad house that is "green" in more ways than one. A square-shaped volume covered in black-stained wood and large expanses of glass leads you through the home's interior while maintaining constant contact with the forest. From every point in the house, views of surrounding nature dominate. At the heart of this courtyard home plan, an open space blurs the boundary between indoors and out, letting nature permeate every inch. Main-floor living spaces and upper-level bedrooms provide a distinction between public and private spaces. Grosfeld van der Velde Architecten.

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9 Nov 2009 | Sustainable Homes | Comments (0)

Sustainable Urban Design for Green Living and Learning

Eco sustainable homes and sustainable urban architectural design are at the forefront of the Batimat show in Paris. The aptly named Be-Green Houses prove it really is easy being Green, and it can be done in total comfort and style. This pair of contemporary house plans incorporates all the essentials into a colorful, bright design. Some spaces, such as the laundry and terrace, are designed as shared spaces, while others are conventional by all accounts – apart from their amazing eco-friendly appeal. These eco house designs incorporate passive solar technologies, and use natural and recycled materials such as the hardwood flooring with VOC-free finishes. Photovoltaic roof panels and a thermal hot water system allow these sustainable houses to function off the grid, while the green roof and a living wall do their part keep the environment while adding an organic ambience to the urban houses. And because learning is the key to enlightenment and, in the long run, change, this home features a monitoring system that tells residents exactly how much energy they’re using and when, allowing them to adjust their consumption. For more information, click here.
photo credit: Paul Kozlowski

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5 Nov 2009 | Sustainable Homes | Comments (0)

Underground House Design in the Greek Isles

What a cool example of creative architecture designed for fashion and function! This gorgeous underground house design by Deca Architecture is built right into the idyllic landscape of the Cycladic Islands in Greece. The hill house was designed to withstand the windy climate off the Aegean Sea. It was carved into the earth with just the second storey visible above ground. Clad in stone, the house really gets down to earth with natural materials and a warm, homey aesthetic that’s still modern. This natural house design features spacious outdoor entertaining areas divided from the indoors by expansive sliding-glass doors. An infinity-edge lap pool outside frames panoramic views and seems to spill out into the sea. Deca Architecture
via Digs Digs

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3 Nov 2009 | Underground Homes | Comments (0)

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