CCY Architects nestles Aspen home into mountainous hillside

CCY Architects designed this home in the mountains of Colorado to be built largely below grade, to reduce its impact on the surrounding natural landscape.

Meadow House takes its name from its location within a grassy plot of land in Aspen, Colorado. It was commissioned by a family that wanted a full-time residence but wanted to avoid spoiling the views of the surrounding Rocky Mountains.

Meadow House is designed to blend into its surrounding landscape

"It was important that they have a base for sharing the natural and cultural amenities of the area with their numerous guests in an unpretentious atmosphere," said CCY Architects, a firm based in the nearby town of Basalt.

"[The clients] also challenged us to make the house appear as small as possible," they added.

Upon arrival, the home appears from behind native grasses

From the initial approach to the 14,000-square-foot (1,300-square-metre) home, only a small volume clad in black wooden siding is visible. This is an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, which contains a guest bedroom, living room, and kitchenette in which guests can enjoy some privacy while staying at the home.

Although it appears that this structure sits on solid ground, it is actually perched on a green roof, beneath which is the residents' wing, containing the garage, primary bedroom, a home office, and a walk-in closet.

CCY Architects chose furnishings and finishes in a monochrome palette

"On approach, this small structure set in native grasses is all that's visible, and only fully reveals itself as part of a larger composition upon entering the auto court," explained the architects.

A glazed passage connects this part of the home to the main communal areas, which enjoy sweeping views of the surrounding mountains through full-height openings made of black metal frames.

Large windows connect the house to mountainous views

Between the owners' wing and the main living areas, an exterior living room with its own fireplace offers an opportunity to take in the outdoors in the warmer months.

The architects chose furnishings and finishes in a monochrome palette, while tall wood ceilings bring some colour into the space.

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The rest of the home's bedrooms are on the lowest floor, closest to the stream below. "Analysing the site profile, we discovered that a large part of the program could be inserted under the meadow and capture the tranquil sound of the river below, even though it isn’t visible," said CCY Architects.

"The quality of the sound – and the fact that it is heard all night – helped the clients embrace locating the five guest bedrooms primarily subgrade," they added.

An exterior living room has its own fireplace

The lower floor also contains a range of amenities for the owners and their guests, including a billiards table, home cinema, and bowling alley.

Even though these spaces are partially built below grade, they open out onto an outdoor terrace via sliding glass doors, providing them with ample natural light.

Meadow House takes its name from its location within a grassy plot of land

Concrete panels wrap the volumes that are nestled into the site, while black, vertical boards are used for the above-ground portions of the building, such as the kitchen, living and dining room.

CCY Architects has completed several residences in Aspen, including an addition to a Victorian home with a perforated metal facade and a vacation home on a sloped site.

The photography is byJeremy Bittermann.

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A+I and Unionworks raise Bridge House to protect sensitive Hamptons environment

New York studios A+I and Unionworks have completed a house near Long Island's Sagaponack Pond with two volumes connected by an enclosed bridge, allowing the site's native shrubbery to grow beneath.

Bridge House is the first ground-up residential project by A+I, or Architecture+Information, which typically works on office interiors.

The studio collaborated with Unionworks on the expansive private home, located near the Hamptons town of Bridgehampton and totals 12,000 square feet (111 square metres)

A+I and Unionworks designed Bridge House in Long Island

Responding to the property's fragile ecosystem, the architects decided to partially raise the house to safeguard against flooding and minimise the impact on the land.

"Because the lowest of the three volumes is elevated 12 feet (3.7 metres) above the ground plain, evoking a bridge, the home seems to float above a bio-swale with native grasses, shrubs and wildflowers created by LaGuardia Design," said the team.

The "bridge" connects two grounded volumes

"This strategic landscaping allows water during major storms and coastal flooding to pass underneath the structure without harm," they added

Each end of the "bridge" is supported by a grounded volume that contains part of the home's communal areas. The two ground structures are parallel, intersected by the bridge, bringing the total of connected volumes to three.

The volumes have plentiful terraces

These buildings were constructed with slender grey bricks and clad in vertical wooden siding, a choice that the architects describe as "a significant departure from the typical Hamptons shingle style".

"[The property] needed to be unlike any other Hamptons home," said the architects.

Exposed brick and light wood was placed throughout the interior

On the ground floor, the exterior finishes alternate between the exposed grey bricks and floor-to-ceiling windows that slide open, extending the living space into the home's multiple terraces.

"Dark-stained, quarter-sawn wood wraps the facade, lending dimension and character," said the architects.

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The bridge extends over the grounded volumes and becomes the top floor, cantilevering where it meets the grounded volume on the north side.

Stained wooden planks also clad its elevations and underside, which shelters a walkway between the two ends of the building.

The bridge contains five bedrooms

The home's interior palette includes accents like bronze kitchen cabinets, which are intended to develop a patina over time.

White oak-paneled walls offers plenty of storage space, and a dramatic, suspended staircase creates a screening effect with the spacing of its slender metal supports.

The bridge serves as the top floor

The bridge structure contains five bedrooms, including the primary suite at one end, which opens out to a rooftop terrace. Downstairs, there are four additional bedrooms in one of the wings.

The Hamptons has long served as an escape from New York City, and this stretch of Long Island's southern shore is home to many impressive properties. Others to recently complete include Worrell Yeung's renovation of a 1970s house designed by Charles Gwathmey and a stone-clad residence with a pyramidal roof by Neil Logan.

The photography is byMagda Biernat.

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Mesh canopy shades California desert retreat by Kovac Design Studio

Guest suites cluster around an expansive living area at this California mansion, which Kovac Design Studio designed to emulate a boutique hotel.

The Madison Desert Club residence is named after the exclusive golf club where the 9,220-square-foot (856-square-metre) home is located in La Quinta, California, near Palm Springs.

Kovac Design Studio built the project on a golf course

"Inspired by the concept of a boutique hotel, the project sought to take maximum advantage of the dramatic desert views and, through its interior design, pay homage to the Golden Hollywood era of nearby Palm Springs," said Kovac Design Studio, an architecture firm based in Los Angeles.

The home's boxy massing is arranged around a central, double-height volume that contains the kitchen, dining area, and plenty of lounge space.

The Madison Desert Club is designed to resemble a boutique hotel

Overlooking the living room is a mezzanine and catwalk that can be used as a DJ platform, according to the architects.

The entrance to the home brings visitors past a reflecting pool, under a mesh-like canopy that shades the front door. "Upon arrival, one circles into the motor court and is greeted by a still dark water element that seems to rise from the ground, water shimmering down its sides," said the architects.

Light fills the home through large openings

This canopy spans the entire home, shading areas between the main central volume and five additional wings scattered around it.

"The overhang, ideal for providing shade on hot desert days, connects the main living space to six surrounding casitas, ideal for guests, and casts a pattern of delicate shadows that changes with the day’s spectrum of light," said Kovac Design Studio.

A glass wall with motorised panels looks onto the golf course

At the back of the large entertaining area, a glass wall with motorised panels can slide open, revealing vistas of the surrounding golf course and mountains beyond.

Of the five ancillary volumes, four contain guest suites – two with a single bedroom, and another two with a pair of rooms each – while the fifth is used as the home's garage.

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Kovac Design Studio included plenty of amenities in the guest rooms. Each has its own ensuite bathroom, private terrace and fire pit, and other features that enable those staying to be self-sufficient.

"Each [suite] also includes its own bath with indoor/outdoor shower, mini-fridge, and bar so guests can enjoy a drink without going to the main house whenever a private escape is wanted," said the architects.

The interiors feature rough plaster walls and concrete floors

The guest blocks are connected to each other and to the main home via open-air corridors, which provides plenty of opportunities for informal seating areas throughout the residence.

The home's interiors have a refined palette of wooden ceilings, rough plaster walls, and polished concrete floors.

The entrance to the home brings visitors past a reflecting pool

Other amenities made available to the residents include a bunkroom that can accommodate several children, as well as a home spa and gym with its own courtyard – all in the basement.

Other homes built in and around the Coachella Valley, where Palm Springs is located, include a minimalist residence surrounded by boulders and pine trees by Aidlin Darling Design, and a partially prefabricated home by Turkel Design that is meant to match the area's prevailing mid-century-modern aesthetic.

The photography is byRoger Davies.

---

Project credits:

Lighting designer: Lux Populi

General contractor: RJC

Stylist: Anita Sarsidi

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The Ranch Mine designs Arizona desert home informed by surrounding boulders

The organisation of this home in Arizona's Sonoran Desert was inspired by a rock formation that architecture firm The Ranch Mine noticed during a site visit early in the design process.

The project is located on an arid site north of Scottsdale. Phoenix-based firm The Ranch Mine drew influence from the site's rocky topography while designing the house, lending it the nickname Boulders.

The Ranch Mine designed Boulders in Arizona's Sonoran Desert

"When studying the site before starting the design of the house, The Ranch Mine came across three very large boulders, stacked in a way that created a protected and shaded area, a respite from the desert sun for the local fauna," said the architects.

"Simple, functional and at the same time powerful in form, this outcrop became the inspiration for the house," they added.

The main living spaces are housed in a cantilevered volume between two bedroom wings

Each of the home's two bedrooms is located in a separate volume at either end of the 2,400-square-foot (223 square metres) residence. These support a long cantilevered roof that forms the main living area, which includes the kitchen and dining room.

"The large, cantilevered roof features openings that provide extra diffused light into the patio area while allowing hot air to rise and escape through," said The Ranch Mine.

Inside, a neutral palette includes concrete floors and wooden ceilings

The longitudinal living space is lit by clerestory windows above the kitchen on one side, and by full-height sliding glass doors on the other.

The doors open out to a swimming pool, which is located in the open space formed by the L-shaped configuration of the home.

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"The bedroom wings are rotated at 90 degrees from each other, creating and L-shaped plan that forms a courtyard for outdoor living and defines two distinct views," said The Ranch Mine.

"The short view looks at Lone Mountain, about 1,000 feet away to the base of the mountain across the desert terrain," they added. "The long view looks towards the mountains a few miles to the northwest, in the small town of Cave Creek."

An L-shaped swimming pool is located outside

The architects also included a yoga room and outdoor shower with easy access to the pool. The curved walls of this volume contrast the lines of the rest of the rectilinear home.

The interiors have a neutral palette of grey tones, with concrete flooring running throughout and wooden ceilings that add some depth to the space.

The design of the house was influenced by a rock formation found on the site

The Ranch Mine was founded in 2010 by husband-and-wife duo Cavin and Claire Costello. The firm recently completed a board-formed home for a ceramicist, and a backyard guest house that is entered via a large pivoting glass door.

Other desert homes in the US include a residence in Utah made with weathering steel and concrete blocks, and a detached guest suite that can serve as an accessory dwelling unit for a family that relocated to rural Texas from Tennessee.

The photography is byRoehner + Ryan.

---

Project credits:

Builder: Boxwell Homes

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Mid-century Phoenix home receives updates and expanded living space

This home at the foot of Camelback Mountain in Arizona has been thoroughly renovated by 180 Degrees Design + Build and CBTWO Architects with updated finishes and a new double-height living room.

Located in Phoenix, the Brandaw Residence was originally built in the 1960s, and in need of a refresh.

Local architects 180 Degrees Design + Build teamed up with Oregon-based CBTWO to update the home.

The Brandaw Residence sits at the foot of Arizona's Camelback Mountain

The team completely re-clad the exterior of the 4,930-square-foot (458-square-metre) home in a white stucco finish. They also took this opportunity to simplify its form, creating orthogonal corners and a consistent line at the parapet.

"Our goal was to focus less on the architecture, and allow the beauty of the site dictate the organisation of space, both horizontal and vertical," said the team. "From here it was an exercise in restraint and subtraction."

There is a dramatic fireplace in the living room

The residence is V-shaped in plan, with two wings that meet at a central living room.

This space was demolished and rebuilt completely, receiving a new pitched roof that directs the gaze upwards and towards the mountain behind the home.

Full-height glazing wraps the living space on two sides

"The design team, along with the owner, agreed to reorganise much of the interior uses to create a stronger relationship to its environment, allowing the interior spaces to capture the incredible dynamics of the surrounding mountains and distant views," the architects explained.

The entrance to the home is at the intersection of both wings, which now is highlighted by a yellow steel portal.

Private areas received a lighter touch during the renovation

"The steel portal, painted in vibrant yellow to mimic the yellow blooms of the desert plants, compresses as you enter the home," said the architects.

Immediately through the door is a dramatic fireplace that creates a separation from the entrance and the living room beyond.

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Full-height glazing wraps this room on two sides, helping to connect the interior living spaces to the back yard, which was also overhauled as part of the renovation.

"The beauty of the architecture now becomes a canvas on which the desert environment and mountain can exist," said the architects.

The architects re-clad the Brandaw Residence in white stucco

The wings of the home contain four bedrooms and other private areas, with the primary bedroom enjoying its own wing for additional privacy.

These areas received a lighter touch but were still updated with new flooring, finishes, and simplified windows that give the residence a cohesive feel.

The entrance to the home is now highlighted by a yellow steel portal

Phoenix is among the fastest-growing US cities, resulting in many new-build and renovation projects.

Others to recently complete include a home with a "zen-like" quality and a board-marked concrete residence for a ceramicist.

The photography is byAn Pham.

---

Project credits:

Architecture firms: 180 Degrees Design + Build, CBTWO Architects

Design team: James Trahan

Structural engineer: Cartwright Architects & Engineers

Environmental & MEP engineering: Otterbein Engineering

Lighting: Woodward Engineering

Construction: 180 Degrees Design + Build

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CLB Architects arranges Japan-influenced Wyoming home around courtyard gardens

US firm CLB Architects has blended Japanese and mid-century Californian architecture styles for this house in Jackson, Wyoming, which is broken up by a trio of courtyards.

The Tengoku Residence is located in the ski resort town of Jackson, at the base of the Teton Range of the Rocky Mountains. It is situated next to a small marshy artificial pond in a grove of blue spruce.

CLB Architects designed a Japanese-influenced home in Wyoming

Locally based CLB Architects noted that the design — influenced by both Japanese architecture and California modernism – is a departure from the mountain modernism typical of vacation homes built in the region.

The four-bedroom home is arranged around a number of garden courtyards that extend through the roof, letting trees grow up and out through round apertures. The entry and dining courtyards are planted with aspens, while the the main courtyard has an Amur maple.

The Tengoku Residence is arranged around three courtyards

"There's a strong contrast between the quiet, protected courtyard spaces and the long, dramatic views of the Tetons," said Kevin Burke, design principal for the project. "Weaving the house in and out of these courtyards while maintaining consistent long views makes for a dynamic experience throughout."

Tengoku was chosen as the project's name for it loose translation to "paradise" or "heaven", alluding to the courtyards and the open views of the misty peaks from inside the glazed living areas.

One of the courtyards was placed at the entrance

The facade of the home is simple and linear. It sits low against a small eastern rise covered in desert shrubs. A chimney of structural concrete rises with the change in the elevation of the roof.

Two different heights of the rock-covered roof give the home visual depth, while deep overhangs shelter a seating area and garden plots on the west side.

The Teton Range can be seen through glass walls

Facing the mountains, the west side has walls of uninterrupted glass, while the east side — where there is an entryway and garage — is more closed, with vertical planks of western red cedar.

"The courtyards allow you to always have a direct visual connection with nature," said Burke. "As one moves through the home from one space to the next, there's always the ability to connect with the outdoor environment."

An office overlooks the small pond on the property

The rich red cedar is also used in the walls of the courtyards, which have shaped to create interesting light patterns as the sun moves across the home.

"I love the curvilinear openings over the courtyards, which we nicknamed 'the guitar picks'," Burke said. "It was a chance to have a little bit of fun and whimsy, while also connecting to a mid-century modern feel."

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The living spaces snake around the three internal courtyards in an "S" shape.

"Each resulting zone of the house feels like a small pavilion, with access to natural daylight and ventilation on multiple sides to encourage passive ventilation," said the studio.

The double-sided fireplace faces towards the kitchen and den

To compensate for the region's wide temperature swings, the home's clerestory windows are operable for airflow in the summer and are triple-paned for heat retention during the frigid Wyoming winters.

The living room, dining room, and kitchen are located in the central, double-height part of the building.

White cabinetry sits below operable clerestory windows

Light oak flooring and white cabinetry in this space were chosen to keep "focus on the landscape outside".

Slabs of Caracas blue limestone line the double-sided fireplace that faces the living room and a den.

The Tengoku Residence has two different roof heights

A piece of amethyst placed beside the south-facing entrance window illuminates the adjacent space with decorative purple light.

The wings of the house contain the bedrooms as well as an office space, which has a full view of the mountains.

Thick glass panes keeps the home warm during harsh Wyoming winters

Other projects designed by CLB Architects in and around Jackson include a home with five different agrarian-influenced structures and a massive timber public art installation meant to function as a gathering place.

The summer photography is byJohn Ellis. Winter photography is by Matthew Millman.

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Project credits:

CLB Architects team: Kevin Burke, Eric Logan, Bryan James, Leo Naegele, Jen Mei, Cynthia Tibbitts.

General contractor: Two Ocean Builders (general contractor)

Structural engineer: KLA

Mechanical engineer: Energy One

Landscape architecture: Agrostis

Lighting designer: Helius Lighting Group

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Gluck+ covers Hollywood Hills home with an angular roof

A faceted roof on slender columns tops this home by Gluck+ in Los Angeles' Hollywood Hills neighbourhood, covering the residence "like a parasol".

Simply named California House, the single-family residence was completed by New York City firm Gluck+ on a "spectacular" steep site overlooking LA.

An angular roof on slender columns tops California House

From the property, residents enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the Hollywood Sign landmark.

"Building on this site, long considered unbuildable, presented two challenges," said Gluck+. "First, to minimise the impact of the house on the landscape and second, to create sufficient flat area to be comfortable for outdoor activities."

The project was designed for a family

The team resolved this by creating a strong separation between the upper and lower levels of the home. Burying the lower floor into the steep hillside created a plinth on which the top floor could be built.

Since the upper level's footprint is smaller than the storey beneath, it is surrounded by a flat exterior space surrounding on all sides.

Bedrooms are located on the lower level

"The lower floor is carved into the hill and with its expanse of green roof, it creates a strong ground-plane, or bench, in the steeply sloping land," the architects explained. "This section, though large, is meant to be essentially invisible."

Gluck+ included four bedrooms, six bathrooms, home offices, a theatre, and most of the private spaces on the lower level.

A home cinema is also located downstairs

The top floor contains areas for cooking, entertaining, and gathering as a family. This airy space is glazed on all sides and has tall, angled ceilings that follow the outline of the sculptural roof.

"Everything here is configured to maintain the simplicity and openness of the space," said Gluck+. "Kitchen and spatial divisions never touch the ceiling so that it seems to float above on independent steel supports."

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The roof sits on slender steel columns, and offers plenty of shade both within the home and for the surrounding exterior spaces.

"Like a vast parasol, the roof of the house is a rectangle with upturned edges that extend well beyond the footprint of the rectangular pavilion," said team.

Neutral interiors feature inside California House

Building so much of the 7,500-square-foot (696-square-metre) home underground helped Gluck+ meet California's Title 24 Energy Code, which sets some of the strictest efficiency standards in the US.

Among the building's other sustainable features are geothermal heating and cooling, as well as solar panels on the roof that are hidden in the upturned surfaces. According to the architects, these produce more energy than the home consumes.

It has expansive views of the Hollywood Hills

Gluck+ is an architecture and construction firm that was formerly known as Peter Gluck and Partners Architects.

Other projects by the studio include a laboratory and research centre in North Carolina that is meant to withstand harsh coastal weather, and an artist's residence in Upstate New York made up of wooden volumes connected by glass walkways.

The photography is byPaul Vu.

---

Project credits:

Gluck+ team: Austin Anderson, Ross Galloway, Thomas Gluck, Matthew Harmon, Narin Hagopian, Gonzalo Moran

Civil and structural engineer: Peck

Geotechnical engineer: Schick Geotechnical

Mechanical engineer: IBC Engineering Services, Inc. CES Engineering

Lighting design: Lux Populi

Interior design: Insight Environmental Design

Landscape design: Hoerr Schaudt

Expeditor: Kimberlina Whettam and Associates

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SHED gives mid-century Golden House in Seattle an extensive update

American firm SHED Architecture and Design has transformed a 1950s building that formerly served as an adult living facility into a contemporary home for a family of five.

The Golden House is located in Shoreline, a community just north of Seattle, and sits on a large lot with views of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound.

The Golden House sits on a large lot with views of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound

Designed by an unknown architect in 1959, the 4,080-square-foot (379-square-metre) house was converted into an adult living facility years ago.

Local firm SHED Architecture and Design was charged with turning the two-storey building back into a single-family house for a couple and their three children.

SHED reconfigured the layout of the home's upper level

"Although the house had good bones, modifications adapting the original layout for use as an adult living facility – combined with deferred maintenance – had tarnished the structure inside and out," the team said.

The most extensive changes took place indoors. The upper level holds the public zone, an office and the main bedroom suite, while the lower floor holds sleeping areas.

The kitchen is organised around a central island

Working around the existing post-and-beam structure, the team reconfigured the upper level's layout by removing walls and built-in casework. An emphasis was placed on providing natural light and views.

"Although the structure is re-engineered to work with the revised floor plan, the post- and-beam structure was retained as a principle organising system and integrated into the design," the team said.

Dragon-themed wallpaper wraps the powder room

The kitchen was moved and enlarged, with the new space organised around a central island that overlooks the dining and living area.

Just off the kitchen is an office, pantry and coat closet, along with a powder room wrapped in dragon-themed wallpaper.

Bathroom tiles are formed from black and white terrazzo

In the living area, where casework had been removed, the team placed a wooden "soffit" that extends over a circulation area and helps proportion the room. The team also installed low-lying cabinetry with a built in DJ station.

An old fireplace was redesigned and faced with concrete masonry units (CMUs) with a ground-down surface. A new concrete bench surrounds the hearth.

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The team used a restrained palette of materials throughout the public area, including cork flooring, rift-sawn white oak paneling, and white sheetrock walls. Trim was painted black to create visual consistency.

"As a nod to the past, the original natural slate tile and metal railing were preserved in the entryway," the team added.

Downstairs, a storage room was made into a children's bedroom

In the main bedroom suite are elements such as a grasscloth wall panel and bathroom tile made of black-and-white terrazzo. A "connecting datum" made of white oak wraps behind the mirrors and the tub.

Downstairs, the team made changes to accommodate three children. A storage room was turned into a shared bedroom, and bed cubbies made of plywood were installed.

Golden House's trim was painted black to create visual consistency

A small bathroom was cleverly reconfigured to be more suitable for multiple users.

Outside of the house, a wheelchair-accessible entrance and driveway were removed to create a large lawn. The team also updated the building envelope by installing new windows and insulation, along with automated blinds on the west to cut down on solar heat gain.

An emphasis was placed on providing natural light and views during the renovation

Founded in 1998, SHED has completed a number of residential projects in Washington, including a home on a bluff clad in rough-sawn cedar, a compact dwelling in a backyard, and a sensitive renovation of a 1950s abode.

The photography is byRafael Soldi.

---

Project credits:

Architect: SHED Architecture and Design

Contractor: Ambrose Construction

Structural engineer: Todd Perbix

Landscape designer: Susan Papanikolas

Lighting designer: Sparklab Lighting Design

Casework: Beechtree Woodworks

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#all #architecture #residential #usa #houses #seattle #washingtonstate #renovations #americanhouses #midcenturyrenovations #shedarchitectureanddesign

Imbue Design completes glass-and-steel home in Utah desert landscape

Salt Lake City architecture studio Imbue Design has built a house outside Zion National Park in Utah with sweeping views of one of the USA's most renowned landscapes.

The Watchman Cabin was completed collaboratively with a nature-loving client who was "captivated" by the area's natural surroundings after visiting. Located in Springdale, the site is near the entrance to the Zion National Park, which is famed for its dramatic rock formations and rugged scenery.

Imbue Design built the house outside Zion National Park

"All around the Watchman Cabin's site rise massive stone megaliths that are the handiwork of water and wind and 150 million years of deposition," explained Imbue Design.

"The client requested that Imbue empathetically design a retreat that would harmonise with its unique environment, capture the essence of the place, and resonate with his deliberate nature," the studio added.

The cabin sits against the Utah landscape

The home is sited at the foot of a hill and divided into three volumes that encompass 1,900 square feet (177 square metres).

These include a garage, a main residence, and a standalone guesthouse with its own kitchen and a small living room.

Floor-to-ceiling glazing faces the dramatic views

Each room is connected by covered, but unenclosed walkways.

"All three are threaded together by a CMU [concrete masonry unit – also known as breezeblocks] retaining wall and organised about a central connecting courtyard for gathering," said Imbue Design.

Weathering steel wraps around openings

Within the shared terrace that separates the main residence from the guesthouse, the architects included amenities such as an outdoor fireplace and a soaking tub.

"Where the retaining wall is the cabin's spine, the courtyard is the project’s heart," said Imbue Design.

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](https://www.dezeen.com/2022/01/02/pine-nut-cabane-daab-design-cabin-france/)

Inside, the facades facing Zion's rock formations are glazed from floor to ceiling, offering expansive views of the landscape, while more private areas were clad in weathering steel.

This earthy tone, as well as the masonry's reddish shade, were inspired by the colour of the soil in the area.

Interior spaces offer views of the landscape

"The weathered steel skin provides privacy and protection from the harsh desert climate, while glass volumes in public spaces act as eyes taking in every magnificent vista," said the architects.

The interiors were completed in a restrained, grey palette that is contrasted by the underside of the overhanging roof, which was finished in wood and visible throughout the home.

The cabins give their nature-loving owner immediate access to the landscape

Utah is famed for its remote, dramatic landscapes and desert climate.

Other properties in the Western US state include a home by Klima Architecture in the mountains and a low-slung gabled retreat by Studio Upwall Architects.

The photography is byMiranda Kimberlin.

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Project credits:

**

**Contractor: Fahrenkamp

Engineer: Epic Engineering

Geotech: AGEC

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BIG and ICON to create world's "largest neighbourhood" of 3D-printed homes

Construction companies ICON and Lennar are collaborating with architecture studio BIG to create a neighbourhood of 100 3D-printed houses in Austin, Texas.

Scheduled to break ground in 2022, the scheme will be the world's largest community of 3D-printed homes when it completes, according to Texan firm ICON.

The neighbourhood will include 100 3D-printed homes

Co-designed with Danish architecture studio BIG, the commuinty is set to be built on an unconfirmed site in the city. More details of the houses' floor plans and design will be announced next year.

Each home will be printed using ICON's Vulcan construction system, which uses controlled robotic machines to create layers of Lavacrete – a propriety Portland Cement-based mix made by the company.

A rendering of construction work at a location in Austin

"ICON's 3D printing technology produces resilient, energy-efficient homes faster than conventional construction methods with less waste and more design freedom," said ICON.

"Designed and engineered from the ground up for volume 3D-printing of homes with precision and speed, ICON's Vulcan construction system can deliver homes and structures up to 3,000 square feet," it continued.

[

Read:

Seven 3D-printed houses that have been built around the world

](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/05/14/seven-3d-printed-houses-around-world/)

According to the firm, the neighbourhood of houses will be built to the International Building Code (IBC) structural code standard.

ICON also said that it expects its Vulcan-printed homes to last "as long or longer" than those built with concrete masonry units (CMUs).

The houses will be printed using Vulcan technology

Homebuilding company Lennar will fit each neutrally-coloured house with gabled roofs that will feature photovoltaic panels.

"Our design approach modernises the aesthetic of the suburban home, while the 3D-printing technology texturises and provides distinctive touchpoints for each space," added ICON.

"The freedom of form facilitated by this building technology – including the sinuous curves of the walls – combines with traditional construction materials to create homes that are both aesthetically and physically unique."

The neighbourhood of 3D-printed homes will follow four recently completed houses in East Austin, Texas that were also constructed using Vulcan technology called the East 17th Street Residences.

Other 3D-printed housing projects around the world include an Italian dome-shaped, low-carbon house prototype made from clay and the Netherland's first lived-in 3D-printed home that resembles a grey boulder.

The renderings are courtesy of ICON.

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Concrete home by HK Associates looks onto the Arizona desert

American practice HK Associates has completed a geometric concrete home on a desert site at the base of the Catalina Mountains in Tucson, Arizona.

Deep cuts in the cuboid form of Ventana House create a series of shaded terraces and covered balconies for the home, which the local practice has designed to be a "window onto the desert".

HK Associates designed the home with a covered entryway

"The two-storey dwelling rises from its mountainside setting like a geological outcropping, a rugged exterior form shaped from within by openings that afford panoramic views," described the practice.

A cut in the southwest corner of the home's ground floor creates a covered entryway. This leads into a double-height, skylit gallery space crossed by a small bridge above and containing a perforated steel staircase that allows light to filter through.

A large living space overlooks rocky terrain

The less-exposed ground floor contains a garage, media room and gym alongside a guest bedroom and bathroom. An external staircase along the eastern edge of the home provides direct access up to a first-floor terrace.

On this upper level, the home has been opened-up to create a large living, kitchen and dining space between two external terraces, contrasted by a more private block to the east containing two en-suite bedrooms and a study.

Minimal interiors are found in the kitchen

Throughout the home, large windows and glazed sliding doors frame views out onto the desert site, with larger openings set in deep recesses to prevent glare and overheating from the harsh sun.

"The spatial dialogue between interior volume and exterior form unfolds in a cinematic montage that complements the picture-window views," said the practice.

Referencing the silhouettes of the surrounding mountainous, the living areas sit beneath a sloped alder wood ceiling that subtly focuses the space towards the south-facing terrace. A large skylight along one edge illuminates the centre of the plan.

"The ceiling becomes an organising datum, mapping activities and interactions below: dining, cooking, conversing and relaxing," the practice continued.

The house features several glazed sliding doors

The interiors have been minimally detailed, with white wall surfaces and concealed built-in storage areas intended to create a "subtle backdrop" to the desert views.

"The interior of the home reveals itself as a series of discretely carved volumes proportioned in relationship to exterior apertures," said the practice.

A discrete fire pit cuts through the terrace

In the entrance lobby, these white surfaces are contrasted by warm wooden panelling that covers the wall and ceiling, as well as creating a small bench.

Other projects recently completed in the Arizona desert include a courtyard home with white stucco walls by architecture studio The Ranch Mine.

The photography is byEma Peter.

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Weathering steel roof shelters Utah desert home by Studio Upwall Architects

American practice Studio Upwall Architects has designed a house on a desert site in Moab, Utah, sheltered from the harsh climate by a weathering steel roof.

Overlooking panoramic views of red rock cliffs, the rusted steel and weathered wood cladding of Sunny Acres Residence was chosen by the Washington-based practice to reference the colour palette and texture of its surroundings.

Sunny Acres Residence and a neighbouring garage are clad in weathering steel to match the desert landscape

The simple arrangement of the 185-square-metre home sees bedrooms and utility spaces in its northern half, and a large living, kitchen and dining area facing south, protected from the sun by the metal roof's large overhang.

"The home is simple in function and form with an asymmetric gable roof volume that is extruded along the main axis of the house to form an exterior shroud," said Studio Upwall Architects.

The two buildings have gabled roofs that overhang outdoor spaces

"The southern wall, punctuated with a series of glass doors and windows designed to provide a connection to the landscape and panoramic views, is set in under the deep overhang of the roof to deliver shade in the hottest months."

This overhanging roof form continues downwards with two wall sections, one solid and one fitted with louvres, at either end of the roof to further shade the large windows.

Smooth concrete patios are used as outdoor dining areas

Extending from the interior, the smooth concrete floor creates a patio that wraps around the southern end of the home, with outdoor seating areas oriented towards the La Sal Mountains and sunrise to the east, and sunset over the Utah Cliffs to the west.

Grey render covers the exterior, with openings surrounded by weathered wood cladding to creating a softer texture where the home is entered. A sliding, slatted door on the eastern elevation enables further control of the sunlight.

Inside, white walls and a pitched ceiling brings a feeling of lightness and space, with simple fittings focusing attention on the framed views of the landscape.

A ladder leads up to a mezzanine loft above the kitchen area, creating a more intimate space for reading and reflection away from the brightness and open views of the ground floor.

The house features neutral interiors

Along the northern edge, the roof extends down to provide greater privacy in the bedroom and bathroom spaces, which feature smaller horizontal windows.

Opposite, a small garage building has been designed with the same form and weathered exterior finishes to mirror the main home.

White walls are set against darker cabinetry in the kitchen

Other projects recently completed in Utah include a charred wood home by Klima Architecture and a cedar-clad courtyard home by Kipp Edick and Joe Sadoski, both located close to the Wasatch Mountains.

The photography is byCity Home Collective.

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Logan Architecture and ICON complete "first 3D-printed homes for sale in the US"

A quartet of houses designed by local firm Logan Architecture and built from 3D-printed concrete by construction tech company ICON has completed in Austin, Texas.

The East 17th Street Residences in East Austin are now on the market, which construction company ICON and developer 3strands claim is a first. "They are the first 3D-printed homes for sale in the US and ready for move-in," ICON told Dezeen.

The East 17th Street Residences development includes four homes of varying sizes and layouts

The four dwellings have ground-floor walls built using ICON's Vulcan construction system, which uses a robotic armature to layer Portland-cement-based material Lavacrete into striated surfaces.

ICON claims that this process creates a stronger and longer-lasting building material compared to traditional techniques, and makes the homes tougher in the face of extreme weather.

Each of the houses has a ground floor built using an additive manufacturing technique

"3D-printing technology provides safer, more resilient homes that are designed to withstand fire, flood, wind and other natural disasters better than conventionally built homes," said the company.

The 3D-printed elements for the development, which comprises two two-bedroom homes and two four-bedroom homes, were completed in March 2021. It took five to seven days to print each house.

Black standing-seam metal clads the timber-framed upper floors

Although differing in size and layout, all four of the 3D-printed homes have the same external and internal features.

Black standing-seam metal clads the timber-framed upper floors and roofs, while large porches have red cedar undersides.

The houses' interiors were designed by Austin-based Claire Zinnecker, who referenced southwestern design when creating the spaces.

"Drawing inspiration from the homes' natural structural materials, wood, metal and concrete, she chose a simplified colour palette of green, white and terracotta and fixtures that play off the natural materials," ICON said.

Minimal interiors by Claire Zinnecker draw influences from southwestern design

The open-plan spaces have a neutral palette, with wood cabinetry, woven rugs and touches of greenery.

Zinnecker also incorporated glazed saltillo tiles from her collection for local company Clay Imports into some of the homes.

Kitchens feature wooden cabinetry and marble countertops

Flooring downstairs is finished with a concrete overlay, while engineered wood is used upstairs. Double glazing, tankless water heaters and variable capacity AC systems are all included to help with energy efficiency.

Of the small development, the two-bedroom properties are currently under contract, but both of the four-bedroom houses are still available.

The striations created by the printing process are visible on the interior walls

3D-printed homes are popping up all over the world, built using a variety of materials that range from bioplastic to clay, and even waste from rice production.

ICON's 3D-printing technology is also being used to build a prototype habitat for Mars, designed by architecture firm BIG in collaboration with NASA.

The company is also working with the space agency on robotic construction techniques for the Moon, and planned a community of affordable printed houses in Latin America with Fuseproject.

Photography is byRegan Morton Photography.

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