CONTEMPORIST

Lake Lugano House by JM Architecture
VK1 House by Greg Wright Architects
Complex House by Tomohiro Hata Architect and Associates

Posted: 03 Nov 2011 01:23 PM PDT

JM Architecture designed the Lake Lugano house in Switzerland.

Description from the architect:

Lying on the slope of a hill, on the shores of Lake Lugano , the villa consists of two volumes organized on different levels due to the particular topography of the site.

A polygonal shaped glass pavilion with rounded edges stands above a linear underground block. The living and dining room, the kitchen and storage spaces are located in the pavilion, while bedrooms, bathrooms and garage are in the lower level. Each level relates itself with independent outdoor spaces, which are closely related with the interiors.

The glass pavilion overlooks two very defined areas: the first, toward the mountain, is a very private zone resulted in the area between the property line and the building setback line according to the local building code. The second is a garden overlooking the lake. In the same way, the bedrooms face a garden enclosed by the building and the perimeter wall.

The ring, obtained between the perimeter wall above and the pavilion, amplifies the interior space, with seems much larger than what it actually is. The ring-like space, that embraces the building on the north side, grants constant ventilation and natural light to the living areas, also due to the white cladding of the perimeter wall and white gravel which reflect the sunlight coming from the south.

The horizontal treatment of the perimeter wall emphasizes the scenography, creating moving shadow effects according to the different position of the sun in the sky. At the same time, a night-time artificial light scene is the ideal reverse field for the lake panorama.

All the additional functions of the pavilion are contained in a central lacquered wood block, which acts as a sort of a thick penetrable wall that separates the kitchen from the living room without dividing the space with doors, and in which are located the powder room, the kitchen, the stairs, bookcases, all mechanical systems and the technological and audio-video equipment.

Great attention is given to the environmental aspects, as the use of geothermal energy, roof gardens, the rain-water collection system, the choice of highly efficient low-emittance glass insulated with argon gas, to optimize the thermal efficiency of the shell and the use of natural sun shading as the placement of deciduous trees in the south-west area of the building.

Visit the JM Architecture website – here.

Photography by Jacopo Mascheroni

VK1 House by Greg Wright Architects

Posted: 03 Nov 2011 06:06 AM PDT

Greg Wright Architects have designed the Vk1 house in Cape Town, South Africa.

Description from the architects:

Conceived as the home for a young/trendy/elegant couple, this house is the perfect reflection of the client's brief.

The main areas of the house are raised and located on the first floor in order to take advantage of the beautiful views towards the ocean, leaving the complementary areas on the ground floor, spinning around a central courtyard that not only provides light and ventilation but also a beautiful view from every room on that level.

A very elegant and modern palette of polished concrete floors, textured concrete, stainless steel, with touches of natural grey stone and dark glass have conform the canvas for a unique lifestyle. The lighting design accents the spirit of the house on every room and determines a specific mood for each occasion by washing the different surfaces and creating a very rich fest of textures and shades.