Three-story barn transformed into modern house

The Mid-North Residence is a historic masonry complex in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, once a barn, then a dairy distribution center and most recently an artist’s studio and gallery. The commercial building was recently transformed into a house for a family of five oriented around a courtyard by Vinci | Hamp Architects. The exterior masonry walls of the 9,100 square foot, three-story barn and the one-story commercial structure were preserved and a new interior layout was designed to focus on a large courtyard. Major living spaces are on the first floor and open to the courtyard. Bedrooms are located on the second and third floors and connect to three separate outdoor terraces. A small basement houses mechanical, storage, and exercise rooms. The project features entirely new building systems, including a high performance exterior envelope.

What do you think of the overall design of this space? Are the interiors too cold and sterile for your taste? Do you like the architect’s concept of an inner private courtyard in the heart of a big city?

Exceptional Spanish-style hacienda in Mexico

This fabulous hacienda just outside San Miguel de Allende in central Mexico was a collaboration between David Howell Design and the owner, furniture designer John Houshmand. The 10,000 square foot courtyard house is situated on a plateau that served as a pilgrimage site for the indigenous people in the area. Using traditional construction technologies, this modern retreat is an updated Spanish hacienda with a hot-spring fed swimming pool. All work was done with locally available materials and local artisans. The courtyard and house were planned around two existing trees, and the courtyard is centered around an infinity pool fountain. With water on the site, it has been transformed from an arid and dry landscape to one that is full of lush foliage. There are four master bedrooms and each is designed around a color and has a fireplace for warmth. There are also two adjoining bedrooms, and two additional rooms that can be converted into bedrooms (art studio and music rooms).

This retreat is also available for rent, at $5,000 – $8,000 per week and $2,500 – $4,000 per weekend, from here.

The lava rock stairs lead up a master bedroom retreat and private terrace.

These traditional Spanish boveda ceilings were created by one master craftsman on a ladder.

The light fixture in the kitchen was re-purposed from a wire basket.

In this bathroom, the sink is a re-purposed trough from a local farmer.

This large master bath has a spa-like feel, including a large bathtub, lounging area and fireplace.

The live-edge cherry sofas and coffee table are by John Houshmand.

This opening leads to a lava rock terrace.

The bathroom features plaster walls, a poured concrete bathtub and a local antique sink.

A space designed for artists. This room can also be a bedroom or a yoga/meditation studio.

This is a banquette nook that can also be use as a bed, with walls comprised of local lava rock.

The living room’s fireplace is open to the courtyard, so the fire and the view can be enjoyed from both spaces.

Off a master bedroom is the “Margarita Lounge”, with a concrete roof and thatched ceiling to protect from the elements.

Photos: David Joseph

Concrete dwelling with amazing swimming pool

SA Residence has been designed by Shatotto Architects, situated around multi-storied building and apartment in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The scope of the project was to craft the shell of the home as a mass material of concrete into a pure square. Urban and rural architecture merge to form this unique home that has a swimming pool in the middle of the house, which was a difficult task to ensure privacy, so an introverted design was adopted. The southerly sides of the home were designed to bring cross ventilation through the home during the summer months and bring the warmth of the sun into the home during the winter. The center of the home, “water court” acts as a natural exhaust, causing warm air to rise and making the middle court a solace.

“A small “dingi” boat waiting by the “ghat”, patch green and light with its silence, the space becomes a natural habitat within a manmade dwelling and the layers of understanding to unfold nothingness. The traditional courtyard connected to the adjacent pond transformed into one in an urban context and created a quad of water symbolizing nothingness yet containing the power vase of capturing, reflecting and refracting the sky, flying birds, smiling sun, shying moon, composed earth and so on.” Via

Beautiful Victorian terrace style residence

This existing Victorian terrace residence called “St Vincent Place House I” received alterations and additions by O’Connor and Houle Architecture in Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia. The home was featured in Vogue living Australia, featuring exquisitely stylish and contemporary design within the fabric of an elegant double storey Victorian. Generous traditional proportions have been retained along with majestic marble OFPs and high decorative ceilings. These come together in renovated spaces awash with abundant northern light where chic architectural appointments, two magnificent Carrara marble bathrooms and a smart monochrome color palette offer a truly modern style statement. An exhaustive list of highlights includes bespoke American Oak storage, charming farmhouse garden with alfresco entertaining, landscaped entry courtyard featuring rare Japanese cloud trees, hydronic and sub floor bathroom heating.

Listed for sale from here.

Dwelling burrowed into a sloping riverside terrain

This contemporary single-storey home burrowed into the sloping riverside terrain was built next to the Ganges River in Rishikesh, India designed by Mumbai architects Rajiv Saini + Associates. Its green surroundings paint a beautiful, natural scene with which the architect has utilized and built the property around, using geometric angles in order to manipulate the incoming light at different times of day in order to enhance the extraordinary feel of this modern building. Rough masonry walls define the main entrance, which opens up to reveal expansive river views. The large entrance space, along with the outside deck, functions as an informal lounging zone.

The spacious and luxurious interior features curved and angular concrete walls, high ceilings and strikingly natural colors to suit the buildings surroundings which add to its appeal. Concrete, brick and stone walls are exposed throughout the interior, whilst floors are finished in textured ochre colored sandstone in the public and circulation areas and timber in the bedrooms and local stones or teak timber in the bathrooms. Custom solid teak wood furniture along with linen and cotton furnishings was used throughout the house. There are three simple bedroom suites casual/informal spaces to lounge around with family and friends. Via

A spa is located where the building tunnels into the hill and a tree-lined courtyard is concealed between the house and landscape.

A scooping concrete roof cantilevers over the rear entrance of the house.

Slatted timber columns surround an oval dining room at the heart of the house.

Photos: Sebastian Zachariah

Imposing house in Cadiz dominated by art

This impressive and modern house with a symmetrical structure, spotted on Nuevo Estilo, is located in one of the most privileged spots in the province of Cadiz, Spain, both because of its proximity to the coast and the protected wetland, with its exceptional flora and fauna. Designed by architect Pedro Riveiro Pita, the beautiful contemporary home offers plenty of peace and privacy with an ideal climate for year-round vacations. The home is spread out onto two levels surrounded by a natural garden, sea views and a swimming pool with water of a dark green color from the tone selected from the ceramic tile.

An old wooden door leads into the entrance of the home, with a courtyard in the lobby inhabited by a centenarian olive tree, surrounded by a colorful painting by artist Fernando Pagola. The work is also located on different walls, continuing in the staircase that leads to the upper floor. Two interior courtyards in the hallway are symmetrical and transparent, with sculptural compositions created by Alvaro de la Rosa. The pleasure of living inside and outside, surrounded by beauty, defines the identity of this house, much loved and enjoyed at all times of the year. The choice of furniture and the details were based on works of art.

Picturesque dwelling in the Italian countryside

This beautiful country house is situated in the foothills of the Val Tidone, in the Piacentine countryside of Italy. Designed by Park Associati architects, the home was conceived as a contemporary interpretation of the traditional ‘cascina’ and barns typical of the area, which is reflected in the materials and proportions, presenting itself as a modern design, free from nostalgic elements. The building has been designed with sustainability in mind: from its orientation that enables winter sun to be optimized while minimizing exposure during the hotter months, to the construction materials that have been specified for their high levels of insulation.

The house is developed around a central covered courtyard that forms the heart of the ground floor living area and offers unusual views from the bedrooms at first floor. The ground floor spaces have been designed to be continuous with the external areas for access during warmer weather to the courtyard and decked area from the living room. The ground floor consists of a cloakroom and storage area and two large rooms that are visually connected via large sliding glazed doors: the kitchen and dining area that are conceived as a single space and the living room; these areas have been designed as a series of spaces that lead from one to the other and on to the outside, through the courtyard and out to the timber-decked terrace.

At first floor there are four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The floors are covered in planks of iroko wood and local stone laid in an irregular pattern. The brick of the external elevations continues inside to become one of the interior finishing materials, along with plaster and a large, stone wall with a fireplace and alcove for firewood in sheet metal in the living area.

Lima Residence with sweeping mountain views

Lima Residence is located in Calabasas, California, designed by Abramson Teiger Architects. The home is comprised of a series of connected folding roof and wall planes clad in metal, strategically positioned to accentuate views of the canyon below and mountains beyond. At points the folded walls lift up revealing poured-in-place concrete walls that enclose much of the first floor spaces. Views to the nature preserve are thus framed. The compound consists of the main house building and the garage/guest room building which are separated by a courtyard.

The house form is a rectangle, in plan, with the long side composed of large glass doors and windows that face the view. The open plan features living spaces with a high ceiling and clerestory windows that allow soft filtered light to enter the room. The primary axis of the rectangular living spaces is intercepted by a minor axis formed by two solid linear forms; a “wood box” and a “concrete wall”. These elements frame a patio, the kitchen and terminate with the formal dining room. Sliding glass pocket doors open to unify these exterior and interior spaces thus creating an open cross axis through the primary rectangle of the main house.

Visit the website of Abramson Teiger Architects here.

Incredible home in the Australian mountains

The Bowen Mountain house has been designed by CplusC Architecture in New South Wales, Australia. The home was originally conceived to be a simple weekend getaway home, but the pavilion house grew into something much more substantial. The original brief was expanded to include landscaping, a pool, pool house and sauna with the most stunning results. The 2,260 square foot (210 square meters) structure was composed of a steel frame, with the addition of new and recycled Australian hardwoods to finish the facade. Soft-toned grey steel was used for the dramatically angled roof, which blends with the muted tones of the surrounding bush.

An existing hut was retained on-site, recognizing traditional construction methods and local materials. A courtyard serves as the entry point to the home, connecting the new building to the hut. An extensive use of windows provides a 360° aspect of the site from the indoors, while outdoor decks and terraces respond to the site’s natural topography, allowing both to merge seamlessly and exist harmoniously with the surrounding bush.

Visit the website of CplusC Architecture here.

Stylish beach house with a calming atmosphere

Adrift Beach House is set beachside amongst Tuckeroo and Pandanus trees just back from the rainforest and sand dunes which separates the property from the beach in Suffolk Park, New South Wales, Australia. The beach house has been recently renovated by Heanesbuilt, who retained the original character of the house to integrate with the new building. The original building comprises a large living room/study with stone fireplace, two bedrooms one with en-suite, and a bathroom with laundry. The new building comprises a kitchen/dining room and living room on the lower level, with a master bedroom with a sunny balcony looking out onto the tree canopy and ocean on the upper level.

Large bifolds in the kitchen/dining and living rooms allow internal areas to connect seamlessly with the rainforest, pool courtyard and outdoor seating area creating an expansive feeling of space, with a total living area of 4,391 square feet (408 square meters). The two buildings are linked with a covered dining area framed with Bali doors. The north facing private courtyard contains a 6×3 metre pool with swim jets. A stone faced cabana has a daybed and a storage room behind large Bali doors. A path leads from the house to the high dune overlooking the beach with views from the Byron lighthouse to Broken Head. A separate path leads to the beach. What do you think of this fabulous beach house, would you buy it?

Adrift Beach House is listed for sale at $2.5 million, from here.