Design Milk Architecture

Designed by Rockefeller Partners Architects, the 33rd Street Residence is a modern beach house with views of the Pacific and the Malibu coastline. Located in the southwestern part of Los Angeles County in Manhattan Beach, California, the smartly-designed house was able to fit everything the client wanted and needed, all while reflecting their love of southeast Asia.

The ground floor contains the covered parking area, a family room, home office, and a beach room. The middle floor is where the bedrooms are and the top floor is the public area with the kitchen, dining room, and living room. That’s done to make the most of the views.

Various types of wood were used throughout the house including teak on the floors and for the staircase, mahogany was used for the doors and windows, and the ceiling is covered in cedar slats.

The three-story home even features an open space in the center that houses an interior Zen garden.

Photos by Eric Staudenmaier.

The Bethesda, Maryland NaCl House has a Tetris-like white exterior that resembles a natural formation of mineral rock salt, hence its name. You remember the periodic table, right? NaCl is the chemical formula for rock salt. Designed by David Jameson Architect Inc., the house isn’t your typically laid out home that’s horizontally stacked.

The white exterior contrasts nicely with the natural landscape that surrounds the home.

The interior features white walls and light wood floors, along with a mostly neutral color palette for the furnishings. The double-height ceiling in the central living room creates an open and airy vibe. Large windows throughout frame the views of the home’s half-acre site.

Photos by Paul Warchol Photography.

Rarely do architects in Vienna, Austria get the opportunity that Lakonis Architekten did with the renovation of the top floors of this historic building. They were able to build a modern loft space in an original building without compromising the historical aspects of what the location brings. At first glance you see a classic four-story corner building; then looking up you spot a modern roof structure that is made of steel, wood, and concrete.

In the hallway, a wall of books becomes a library making sure no space is wasted.

The walls, floors, and ceilings are made of concrete to make for a cooler summer and rows of angled windows provide cross-ventilation.

The double height kitchen is cube-like with windows and skylights towards the ceiling. The staircase leads to the spacious upper roof terrace.

The limestone bathrooms are lit with artificial light ceiling panels giving the feel of skylights.

Photos by Hertha Hurnaus.

Born and educated in Austria, Juri Troy has become a powerful voice in modern architecture in a short time with his partner Matthias Hein, with whom he formed Hein-Troy Architects. Juri talks to us about his architectural priorities, the challenges and rewards of sustainable building, and combining traditional and modern design. Read ahead to learn more and get a closer look at the refreshing K3 House!

Tell us about your process.

Maybe I would characterize it as a mixture of traditional treatment of architecture by using materials like concrete and wood and also new materials, such as reused materials that were used a long time ago like sheep wool, or we’re using special insulation made from plants, etc. So a focus on sustainability is a very important part of our process. Another part of it is how we arrive at our concepts, and I think it’s based mostly on working with models and the very three-dimensional kind of design process.

What is the role of sustainability in your projects?

A lot of it can be explained by my origins — I’m from west of Austria, where there’s a long tradition of woodworking, and when you have a look at these traditional buildings in the mountains it’s obvious to see that people had to deal with what was available to them. So they were working with wood because it was growing there, it was easy to get and it wasn’t too heavy to carry around. Another traditional material is stones, which were used for flooring in basements. So Austrians were already dealing with these ideas of sustainability in a very pure way without even knowing about them. For example, even their energy concepts were quite clever — they had a need to use as little wood as possible during the winter because logging was very heavy work, so they were using central heating systems that transferred heat from one room to another as people moved through the house. For instance, the kitchen would get heated during cooking, then the family would move to the living room and direct the flow of heat to that room, and right above the living room is the bedroom to capture the rest of the heat via a small window in the ceiling.

What is the tradition of green design in Austria?

That was something that made us the subject of ridicule for decades, because from the 50s to the 70s and maybe 80s people weren’t dealing with this concept and weren’t interested, and now that this topic of energy efficiency and sustainability is getting more popular, we’re trying to get back to this very simple use of energy and reduction of energy, and with newer concepts of technique. In terms of house technique elements — it’s always something that should be a part of the concept of the house, but it shouldn’t be the most important part of the home. It’s still very important to have atmosphere and develop a poetic space inside and out, and we strive to combine that with sustainable design.

You use traditional materials in your designs but your designs are not very traditional. How do go about creating something new out of these elements?

I’m sometimes asked, “why does this building look this way?” or “did you know this building would look like this when you started your design?” and I say I never know how the building will look when I start the design because there’s always some kind of process that is influenced by the client, the sites, the decision about the material. I’m often myself very surprised about the form that comes out of this process, and the most interesting thing about this is that sometimes if you just take very simple elements and you just use them in a little different way than you’ve seen before, you could create something completely different. I think it’s not always about using completely different elements and the newest techniques but to just take the things that you have and use them in another way.

I particularly enjoy the asymmetry in your designs.

That is something that is coming from the design and from inside out. In the design process you need to first consider the needs of the client then work from the inside out. For example, if you go the other way and design a building with windows, you will have to order the different rooms in relation with the windows. What we are doing is completely the other way around – we are just putting the rooms freely in space where we would like to have them rather than where would we want to have the connection between inside and outside. And what it influences is the way the building looks into the outer space, because it’s like the eyes of a person, this part where the inside and outside are connected. If you’re trying to put the windows where they should be just to make it follow some kind of idea of what a building should look like, then often the windows are just in the wrong place. But if you see it the other way around – you have the space and you want to put the window just where you think it should be, then the building shows it in a completely different way to the outside. I think that’s something that has to do with honesty – like not trying to show something that is not the way inside.

What architects inspired you and what inspires you outside of architecture?

I think these two questions are quiet similar to me because I’m often influenced by nameless architecture. I try to travel at least once a year, and I often see very interesting design elements in these places that influence me quite a lot. Then you take these ideas and inject them into your own work. Also, in the connected parts of art I find a lot of inspiration for the design process.

A few years ago it was not so important to focus on energy efficiency and sustainability, and I don’t know how it is in the States, but here in Europe, especially in Austria, Switzerland, etc., it has been a very strong topic in the last five to ten years, and people are getting more used to the idea that architecture isn’t something that’s just against the environment, but can also be a very positive part of it, and therefore I think it is quite important to make this kind of change of thinking go around the world. Because maybe if you just change the idea of housing for example, you could change a lot of how the environment is treated.

Photos by Studio 22.

Editor’s Note: Say hello to our new weekly column that’s all about color: CMYLK! Thanks for all your name suggestions on Twitter and Facebook (“Milkshake” was a close second choice but I think I’m going to save that gem for something else). Each week, we’ll be rounding up some images – products, interiors, and art – and their associated color palettes to inspire and delight. Enjoy!

Last June, we blogged about this colorful house in Torres Vedras, Portugal, designed by Portuguese architect and designer Pedro Gadanho. Given its unique color blocked interior, it jumped to mind when we decided to experiment with palettes. We took three spaces from the project and created corresponding color palettes through Colourlovers, one or favorite places for color inspiration (if you visit their site, prepare to lose at least two hours clicking around!)

The Lima-based firm Vértice Arquitectos has designed the Beach House E-3 that’s located south of Lima, Peru in Palillos Beach. Built on a sloping lot that presented challenges, the house offers stunning views of the ocean, which was a requirement of the client. The house was built on three levels, each of which features various materials and textures.

The bottom level is the family’s private area that houses five bedrooms, most of which have balconies and ocean views.

The entrance is technically on the third, or top, level that is reached by a bridge. When you enter into the main volume of the house, you step onto a platform that gives you views of the double height central living space below. You enter the space heading down a staircase.

The main level is where the social area is situated. The space is closed off on the sides for privacy and to avoid the direct sunlight. It’s also open to the deck and pool area and provides the best views.

Photos by Juan Solano, courtesy of v2com.net.

Hidden away in the Orto Botanico in Milan’s Brera District, was the intriguingly titled Secret Garden.

Zaha Hadid created an elegant installation, very much in her trademark style, to showcase inlaid marble surfaces by CITCO.

She said “The composition of the marble panels derives from the complex beauty found in the organizational patterns of the natural word.”

Her installation concealed and revealed each panel from different perspectives, giving the experience a real sense of exploration and discovery.

Taking that idea even further, Paola Navone enveloped Barovier&Toso’s hand blown Murano glass chandeliers in “nests” made of hazelnut branches, with viewing holes people queued to peer through.

She described them as “Nests which welcome and protect some of the most beautiful pieces of Murano glassmaking tradition which have come by chance to the garden.”

The colors and textures in the branches, the silver foil lining the insides of the “nests” and the chandeliers themselves provided a visual feast.

Perhaps you will recall Mary Lennox, the angry little girl brought out of herself by the walled garden in the book? I think this Secret Garden may well have had the same effect.

Our trip to Milan for Milan Design Week 2012 was supported in part by Airbnb.com.

This old existing home in Spain made of dry stone got a completely modern makeover on the inside. Situated on top of a mountain with stunning views, you really can’t beat the location, so why build something new when such a gorgeous place exists already?

Reimagined by Cadaval & Solà-Morales, this project called House at the Pyranees marries the old and new worlds. The architects kept the exterior completely original, respecting its history, while creating a very contemporary interior living space. But oh the views, the views!

Project Name: House at the Pyrenees
Location: Valle de Aran (Spain)
Project: Eduardo Cadaval & Clara Solà-Morales
Collaborators: Mariona Viladot, Alex Molla, Pernilla Johansson
Structural Engineering: Carles Gelpí
Construction Management: Ballarin TGN, sl
Photography: © Santiago Garcés

Fai-Fah is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program that began in 2010 in Bangkok by TMB Bank. Fai-Fah, which means “light energy,” is a studio that was brought about for low-income families with children and teens to bring change through arts-related learning.

Spark redesigned two shop houses in a residential district of Bangkok to house the Fai-Fah program. The studio is made up of five floors that contain an art studio, multi-purpose “living room,” library, gallery, dance studio, and a rooftop garden. Looks like an incredibly fun and creative space for the neighborhood kids!

Photos by Lin Ho, Spark, and TMB Bank.

Located in Australia’s Central Highlands of Victoria, the Trunk House was built as a small weekend cabin for two busy professionals wishing to spend time in nature. The firm of Paul Morgan Architects was originally inspired by old bones found on farmlands, which led them to utilize local wood that had natural splits in their formation. Besides being incredibly strong, they added a sculptural effect to the exterior of the house.

The house is built around a central column that has beams radiating from it. The interior is coated with Stringybark boards that were milled and cured onsite reducing the need to haul material in.

I love how they combined the rustic elements with modern, clean lines on the interior, like with the built-in sofa.

Photos by Peter Bennetts.

How would you like to work in an office like this?

Dufaylite, makers of a 100% recyclable, robust and versatile core material (recycled paper honeycomb) partnered with Leeds-based Duke Studios for a truly unique workspace environment. They created ten studio offices using their substrate material called Ultra Board.

Located in Leeds, Duke Studios is bringing some fun and life back to an old building by transforming all 7000 square feet it into an open floor plan studio space for creatives. This place already looks like tons of fun!

The Koby Cottage was designed by the Brooklyn-based Garrison Architects as a weekend retreat for families visiting their teens at the non-profit Starr Commonwealth in Albion, Michigan. It’s an 1100-square-foot prefab that consists of two modules that intersect with a central dining area. The cottage is broken into two volumes to create more light and it’s cantilevered off of the sloping lot for privacy from below.

The structure has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and living room with a dining room in between. The cottage even has a rooftop deck to enjoy views of the lake.

The interior is filled with light wood and white walls giving an open and airy feel.

Check out the building process:

You can check out more modular homes on their Modern Modular House blog.

A young couple with two children searched for months in Seattle for the perfect property and stumbled on a vacant tear down on a nice corner lot with easterly views of Lake Washington. With a limited budget, the property was perfect due to the condition of the existing foundation.

A new home was designed by Pb Elemental on the lot, located in the Leschi neighborhood of Seattle. Pb Elemental had the challenge to design a three-bedroom home that was not only modern and perfect for a young family, but within a small budget.

The two level home features the three bedrooms on the lower level, with the living (great room), kitchen and media room on the second floor. The living level is flanked with a South-facing lot capturing light and views. An exterior staircase was designed to add access to the rooftop deck which was sited privately to provide a place of refuge and relaxation. The home is connected with a steel open riser stair pulling light into the spine of the building.

Photos by Miguel Edwards.

Located in the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica, Casa Mecano is a residence designed by Robles Arquitectos that’s situated on a hilltop for natural ventilation and spectacular views. Seeing that it’s built in a tropical environment with lots of sunlight and rain, it was important to incorporate ways to control the direct rays with the use of a controllable sail. They’ve also put to use a tank to collect rainwater that is then used for irrigation.

Their goal was to integrate environmentally friendly practices during construction but also into the design of the home. They kept the footprint to a minimum with a scaled back design and the use of a modular steel structural system, which reduced the need for materials and the debris that they left behind.

The large paneled windows also allow for the house to be filled with natural light.

I really want to go for a dip in this pool!

The roof

Photos by Andrés García Lachner.

You’ve seen the house tour, the nursery, the kitchen before the reno (I swear the “after” photos are coming soon!) and family room in progress (on the to-do list: reupholster ottoman, put in skylights, add storage, new fireplace doors)… but I want to show you the two rooms in the home that sealed the deal for me.

They say that when you walk into the right house you just know that it’s “the one”? It was totally like that for me: the light, the windows, the high ceiling, the glass screen planter, the sunken living room… SOLD!

More about my sculpture here.

More about my piano here.

These rooms look pretty done, but there are still things we want to do.

Dining room:
- Paint the walls and ceiling, also fixing cracks and drywall issues
- Replace sconces in dining room (you can’t see them – be thankful)

Living room:
- Paint the walls and ceiling, also fixing cracks and other wall issues
- Replace fireplace doors
- Replace sliding doors with higher quality ones
- Replace the four trapezoidal windows – they are original and one is fairly damaged
- Introduce plants (done but not shown in these images)

Entry way:
- Sand and repaint glass screen (any suggestions on what color? white? gray?)
- Add rocks and plants to planter

Phew!

Melbourne, Australia-based firm Neil Architecture designed the Orchard Crescent house in which the exterior and yard are just as spectacular as the interior. They were able to fit tons of smartly-designed features into a tight space, even fitting in a double carport to boot.

Let’s start with the solar heated pool that’s nestled into a courtyard. It can be viewed from the long window-filled hallway, the low rectangular window in the master bedroom, as well as from the huge kitchen window placed behind the cabinets.

See how much extra light comes in the kitchen from having the window extend below the floating cabinets?

Space is maximized with built-in bookcases and a desk in the study and more are located floor-to-ceiling in the living areas.

You can lay in bed and stare at the pool (or people in the pool can spy on the bedroom)!

The living and dining areas open up onto a wooden deck perfect for eating and with views and access to the landscaped yard.

Located in Paris’ 7th district, this apartment was redesigned by the Paris-based architect Alia Bengana. The building was built in the 1920s and while the owners wanted to keep the original feel of the space, they also wanted to modernize it for their family’s needs.

The central living room is the heart of the home with five doors leading to other rooms of the apartment. The main wall in the living room is deep, offering hidden storage and open cubbies to display artwork. This also provides the custom-made doors to pivot around revealing space hidden behind them for even more storage.

The master bath has a clean and simple design with added interest coming from the white mosaic tiles.

Check out the mosaic tile pattern and narrow sink in the half bath.

Photos by Gabriele Galimberti.

Remember our post on backyard offices? You can add this one to the list! The Tetra Shed might just be the perfect solution for those looking for a private home office space. Place the geometric-shaped unit in your yard to accommodate your office or storage needs. One of the cool things about it is that you can expand it beyond a single module and create larger workspaces. They could even be used as a guest room, garden shed, or kid’s playhouse.

Clad on the outside either in copper, zinc, corten steel, marine plywood, or even a color, while the interior is lined with either birch-faced plywood or plasterboard.

I love that you can open it up for light and for the view.

Although this is a much better view.

Various configurations of multiple units:

Wouldn’t it be great to have an entire office “building” made up of these sheds?

This three-storey building, dubbed House in Shirogane, is the work of Okuna Architects, based in Japan. The residence is 95 square meters in size and constructed of reinforced concrete and wood. The house is located in Shirogane, Minato-ku, which is toward the outskirts of Tokyo.

The floors are all outfitted with wood, a complete contrast to the blacked out exterior. The building itself stands out from its neighboring structures, providing a glean of modernism from the mostly drab neighborhood. The sharp angle of the roof dictates an almost fort-like interior setting.

I am a huge fan of lofted spaces, and this house takes the cake. It reminds of my childhood when I would flip over sofas to construct a cozy fort. This dwelling is no different aside from the fact that it has a kitchen and a few stairs. The coziness of the home is still completely intact.

The Himmelkutter weekend house sits on a steep slope in the mountainous city of Sandnes, Norway and was designed by Tommie Wilhelmsen. The unusually shaped house has a triangular tip that juts out slicing the sky in two giving it its name, which translates to “Heaven cutter.” Part of the house is stacked in a cube-like form with a slightly crescent-shaped form coming out from it. All sides of the house look different, which was intentional on the architect’s part.

The wall of floor-to-ceiling windows in the main part of the house provides perfect views to the valley below and allows maximum daylight to flood the space. I love the wood slats on the ceiling and how it mixes with the concrete walls, similar to the exterior of the house.

Photos by Nils Petter Dale.