Modern Eco Houses
Our homes represent a place of belonging, a place where we rest, gather and make memories.
In the last decade, eco products have become all the rage as people make an effort to be kinder to the environment, as well as their wallets. A green home is a type of house designed to be environmentally friendly and sustainable. And also focuses on the efficient use of energy, water, and building materials.
Having that in mind, we prepared a selection of our favourite modern eco-houses designed by amazing architects to inspire you and your clients next projects.
House #1
A collaboration with the German company Huf Haus to bring life to the house owners vision of an energy-efficient premanufactured home.
The house has triple glazing, underfloor heating, a heat pump and excellent insulation. But adding a 10kW array of solar electric panels, 12kW of storage batteries and LED lighting meant the home achieved its zero-bills aim.
House #2
From the outside, The Curved House has an unassuming posture that evokes curiosity. Once inside though, the home shines with distinctive character and thoughtful placement of community spaces. The home was designed by Hufft Projects an architecture firm that has quietly built an impressive portfolio of modern designs in the heart of America. The Kansas City-based firm considered sustainability at every phase of designing The Curved House, most notably with a solar array on the cabana roof, a geothermal system and radiant floor heating.
House #3
Floating house brings luxury design and pure fantasy together in their minimal design. The house was designed with the highest standards of sustainability and the idea of seamless connection with nature. The home was architected by Singapore based Dymitr Malcew. Malcew’s designs include imaginative takes on sustainable office, retail and residential spaces.
House #4
Clients opted for a highly insulated timber frame with a blockwork outer skin and triple-glazing to ensure their award-winning project met Passivhaus standards. Warmth generated by solar gain and activities such as cooking is recirculated throughout the building by a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MVHR) system. An air source heat pump (ASHP) warms the property’s domestic hot water supply. This results in extremely low annual energy bills, despite the Scottish Highland location.
House #5
The owners new home offers the accessible and comfortable environment they were after and keeps energy bills to a minimum. Warmcell, a cellulose insulation made of recycled paper, provided an eco-friendly way to make the engineered timber frame thermally-efficient. The windows and doors are timber and triple glazed with a powder-coated aluminium cladding, so they require little to no maintenance.
House #6
The Ecocapsule was designed as an independent alternative to settling down in one place. The design uses solar, wind and rainwater to allow for off-the-grid living from anywhere. You’d have to live without a white picket fence, but something about this idea provokes some serious feelings of wanderlust.
House #7
The Meera Sky Garden House connects design to nature through four stories of brilliant architecture and tranquil gardens. The Singapore home was created by Guz Architects, best known for their use of sustainable materials and commitment to increasing the use of gardens to break down the transition between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Stay tuned for weekly articles about interiors, design, and architecture. Jumping from a virtual world to reality, get in touch with our team for a project’s quote.
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Guidelines for a pleasant restaurant aesthetic design
One of the most critical aspects of making a restaurant successful is the design itself.
A restaurant interior plays an important role in the whole experience of eating out, a good review isn’t solely down to the food. Creating an environment that complements the menu and the space’s interior architecture is no simple feat.
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At its core, restaurant design is all about creating a holistic dining experience for the customer. Whether it’s the entryway of the establishment, the communal seating area of a private dining space, or the energy of the bar, every component of restaurant design is purposeful.
Below a list of the top 7 topics to keep in mind when undertaking a restaurant design project:
- Restaurants Everywhere Need to Feel Safe & Comfortable
- A Variety of Dining Options
- Texture, Texture, Texture
- Local Flavor
- On-Brand Design and Storytelling
- Warmer Palettes
- Increased Online Presence
10 Movies for Architecture and Interiors lovers
Cinema is, probably, one of the most inspiring of all creative arts, which has a special power to bring its audience to the past or future and show how everything looked or will look like there.
Today, we brought you 10 movies for Architecture and Interiors lovers that will boost your creativity and inspire your next design adventure.
“As far as interiors inspiration goes, there’s no better place to look than the imaginations of the world’s favourite image-makers.”
1. Contempt by Jean-Luc Godard, 1963
A masterpiece of cinema, Le Mépris is just as mythical as its setting. Perched on a cliffside on the island of Capri, Villa Malaparte overlooks the Bay of Naples with its pink walls and majestic staircase. Designed by architect Adalberto Libera for writer Curzio Malaparte between 1938 and 1943, it sees Brigitte Bardot and Michel Piccoli replicate it in one of Jean-Luc Godard’s best-known films.
2. Shining by Stanley Kubrick, 1980
Among Stanley Kubrick’s crazy sets, The Shining is one of the most successful, resulting in one of the most famous horror films in history. Long corridors and seventies interiors characterize the famous Overlook Hotel, especially the particularly distressing green Art Deco-inspired bathroom.
3. Blade Runner by Ridley Scott, 1982
An architectural wonder of Frank Lloyd Wright and a true star of Hollywood cinema, the Ennis House can claim to have appeared on screen more than eighty times.
4. Great Gatsby by Baz Luhrmann, 2013
In Gatsby’s house, played by Leonardo Di Caprio, exuberance and opulence are the order of the day: he wants to impress his beauty. Evoking the glamor and effervescence of the 1920s, it features gilded metal, crystal chandeliers, and marquetry.
Most impressive: the entrance hall with an oversized ceiling height with its incredible staircase. Catherine Martin and Beverley Dunn won the Oscar for Best Production Design for this film adapted from the novel by Francis Scott Fitzgerald.
6. Down With Love, 2003
Catcher Block and Barbara Novak’s New York condos were the his’n hers of modernist Manhattan style.
His, brown with hints of navy, clean tiled walls and sparsely furnished; hers, hot-pink and pale-pink with tutti frutti cushions and pearlescent teardrop chandeliers.
7. Call Me By Your Name, 2017
Maximalism never looked so enticing. Everything in Elio’s parents’ house is simple and timeless, from antiques, lamps, and sofas to decorative objects and a grand piano. The epitome of faded Italian Buona Famiglia charm.
8. Darkest Hour, 2017
A WWII biopic that sees Winston Churchill deciding whether to fight or negotiate with Adolf Hitler, “Darkest Hour” is also a feat of traditional British design. If your ideal home is full of rich mahogany, marble mantles, and polished silver, this is your movie.
9. The Shape of Water, 2017
If you can distract yourself away from the River god in the bathtub, “The Shape of Water” swims through rooms that are gorgeous, if not in a bit of disrepair. In this shot alone, we have leather-bound books, a gallery wall, and a molded window that we would travel the sea for.
10. The Devil wears Prada, 2006
While it’s not actually a home, Miranda Priestley’s office in “The Devil Wears Prada” features one of the most perfect gallery walls we’ve ever seen. And her townhouse isn’t too shabby either.
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Outdoor Kitchens – How to fulfill your Outdoor Entertaining Dreams
Why limit yourself to a lawn with just a grill when you can own a home that has a full-on outdoor kitchen?
Below, a roundup of listings where outdoor kitchens are a standout feature.
Built in a Georgian Colonial style, this home in the tony town of Greenwich has an entrance featuring a curved staircase and several formal entertaining rooms. The lower level is decked out with a gym, sauna, movie theater, game room, and wine cellar. And then there’s the impressive 7,000-square-foot stone terrace that includes a pool, and a cabana with a souped-up kitchen that even has a wood-burning fireplace.
Sustainably built with a solar-energy system and energy-efficient appliances, this estate is located in The Strand, an upscale Turks and Caicos development with oceanfront residences. Owners have access to amenities such as tennis and pickleball courts, a pool, and a yoga deck. Grand Residence R-4 includes a main house with a great room that leads to a terrace with an infinity pool and a kitchen that has two grills.
Featuring uninterrupted Pacific Ocean views from most rooms, this property has 12-foot ceilings and overlooks the 16th and 17th holes of the Hualalai Golf Course. The nearly 2,500-square-foot lanai, or covered porch, is the big claim to fame: It has a large pool and a chef-worthy kitchen complete with a pizza oven, fire pit, and Molteni oven: the centerpiece appliance in the kitchens of the world’s top restaurants.
Here’s another useful article: Inspiring ideas for the ideal Living Room
This architecturally distinctive home is contemporary in design and overlooks the Strip and the Red Rock mountain range. There’s plenty to be impressed about: the neutral serene color theme, indoor-outdoor casita, gym, billiards room, glass wine cellar, bar, and indoor-outdoor office. The outdoor area is equally wow and includes a courtyard with a reflecting pool, two infinity pools, a cooking area with a hibachi grill, a bar, and a swim-up barbecue kitchen.
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Modern Concrete Houses
A robust building material, concrete can withstand extreme weather conditions and requires little maintenance as a non-porous substance. It boasts excellent thermal mass, which reduces energy spent on heating and cooling, takes less energy to produce compared to other materials, and boasts low CO2 emissions.
“Extremely durable, versatile, and sustainable to boot, concrete is a smart building material, as these homes show.“, Dwell
Our Studio is a fan of concrete houses, and that’s why we prepared a selection of 10 Modern Concrete Houses to inspire you and your clients’ next projects.
HOUSE #1
A circular skylight carved into the patio canopy allows occupants to dine under the sky, whilst being shielded from direct sunlight. It also opens up the living room and kitchen to natural daylight, which is especially beneficial during the darker winter months. Designed by Pascual Architecte, this unique feature gives the house an unexpected twist, accentuating its modern minimalist feel.
HOUSE #2
This highly exposed, ocean-facing home was created using thick concrete walls supported by a steel frame. Chosen for its durability and resistance to erosion, the angular concrete structure with sloping external walls blends beautifully into the rolling rural landscape. The addition of extensive floor-to-ceiling glass panels creates an interplay between indoor and outdoor spaces while showcasing panoramic views of the ocean. A central courtyard, outdoor swimming pool, and external buttress supports were all created using varying shades, textures, and finishes of concrete.
HOUSE #3
This airy brutalist family home near Tel Aviv At was designed by the Israeli architect Pitsou Kedem. Modern and light-filled interiors enliven a brutalist concrete structure in the city of Ramat HaSharon near Tel Aviv. Another amazing reference for Modern Concrete Houses.
HOUSE #4
Designers Christopher Robertson and Vivi Nguyen-Robertson conceived their house as an unfolding sequence of simple geometric forms: a low concrete wall, a concrete cube, and a box clad in Siberian larch.
HOUSE #5
Blackened wood and bronze-colored aluminum window frames blur the boundaries between the house and the surrounding acacia tree forest, while the textured concrete walls soften the overall feel and pale concrete floors create a clean aesthetic. A central wood-burning in the open-plan living room offers a cozy focal point for the winter months. Created by Buenos Aires architect studio Luciano Kruk, this one-storey concrete house on the coastline of Costa Esmeralda combines wood board-imprinted concrete with wood, glass panels, and a metal frame to form a quick-build home that’s as cost-effective as it is beautiful.
HOUSE #6
Sitting on the edge of Puertos de Beceite national park in Aragon, Spain, is Casa Solo Pezo, the first property in the Solo Office collection of cutting-edge, architect-designed vacation rentals. Designed by the award-winning and MoMA-exhibited Chilean architects at Pezo Von Ellrichshausen, Casa Solo Pezo features a large concrete square structure that’s set on top of a smaller concrete square base.
HOUSE #7
The structure was inspired by “Walden”, a book written by Henry David Thoreau about living a simple life in a natural environment. Inside, guests will find a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen area. A terrace with a concrete table becomes the ideal outdoor dining space. Guests can relax in the comfortable hammock, cool down in the private pool, walk through the nearby gardens, or take a swim in the ocean, which is just five minutes away from the house. The minimalist structure is made of concrete and features wooden accents that add a rustic warmth to the interior. Surrounded by vegetation and sand, the peaceful, comfortable and simple house is the perfect choice for a relaxing getaway in the middle of nature.
HOUSE #8
The Wall House in Cascais, a coastal town in an area known as the Portuguese Riviera, is an 11,840-square-foot homemade with concrete, wood, and glass—and boasts a pair of large swimming pools on two levels. Designed by José Guedes Cruz, César Marques, and Marco Marinho of the Portugal-based firm Guedes Cruz Architects, The Wall House is laid out in an open-box plan and is fitted with plenty of glass windows to enhance the synergy between its interior and exterior spaces.
HOUSE #9
An undulating, S-shaped interior wall guides the programs within this Brutalist-inspired concrete abode. In the city of Hsinchu in northern Taiwan, Taipei-based firm Yuan Architects designed a four-level dwelling with a Brutalist-style, raw concrete shell. An S-shaped wall weaves through the interiors, carving up public and private spaces shared by three generations of a family.
HOUSE #10
With a distinctive indented facade, the property resembles its namesake, particularly appropriate given the house was built for a stamp collector. While the architecture is pretty incredible, the design serves a practical function too – the durable home was built to withstand the area’s powerful cyclones, while its cantilevered structure minimises the impact of flooding.
Designed by Wright Architects, the dwelling’s interior is equally as impressive. A large open-plan living room houses the kitchen, dining zone, lounge and gym, sheltered beneath a vaulted concrete-beamed ceiling. Bedrooms flank this area in secluded wings, offering private spaces to relax and slumber.
Stay tuned for weekly articles about interiors, design, and architecture. Jumping from a virtual world to reality, get in touch with our team for a project’s quote.
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Inspiring ideas for the ideal Living Room
Whether your living room is an open plan space in need of parlor-style seating zones or a smaller, cozier spot, these living room ideas from the world’s top interior designers are sure to inspire your next decorating project.
With everything from fearless splashes of color to richly patterned wallpaper, these masterful displays will guide you in creating chic, statement-making living rooms that burst with their own senses of character.
SEE MORE INTERESTING ARTICLES HERE: Guidelines for a pleasant restaurant aesthetic design
Here are a few topics to have in mind to help with your living room decoration:
Frilly details
All comfortable everything
Multipurpose furniture
Natural elements
Curved pieces
Statement art
Plenty of texture
Three Penthouse projects that truly inspire us
South Villa
South Villa is a five-story penthouse in the award-winning Clifton Terraces apartments on Victoria Road, Cape Town. Its elevated position on the iconic Lion’s Head takes in extravagant ocean views and local landmarks such as Table Mountain and Clifton’s pristine beaches. The building mimics the existing contours of the site, sensitively ensuring that the views from neighboring sites were unaffected or even improved. The interior décor and interior architecture, by ARRCC and OKHA, has stylistic connections to the style modern movement of the Art Deco period of the 1920s and 30s.
Penthouse in Magdalena
The intimate area of the project is characterized by the dominant use of warm tones, optimizing the lighting in the space and at the same time creating a comfortable atmosphere. The playfulness of the lines present in the finishes and furniture give visual continuity to the project, in addition to subtle textures. In this way, Penthouse in Magdalena is conceived as an interesting project in terms of interior design and distribution, where its elements are related both in functionality and aesthetics, providing identity and character.
De Rotterdam Suite
In order to create a spacious home, 2 properties are combined into this one luxury penthouse. One apartment is designed as one big living area including kitchen. The second apartment includes 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a jacuzzi and a sauna – 6 meter long bathroom for the master bedroom with a view towards the Rotterdam harbour – a jacuzzi besides the bed in the master bedroom – a glass sliding door behind for semi outside experience. Even from the 2 person shower you can enjoy the view because you can look all the way through the 13 m long bathroom and bedroom.
3D visuals are a basic need in the design industry
The world evolves daily, as do all the needs and requirements of customers from all industries. We’re in 2020, and still, most interior design studios do not enjoy the advantage that 3d visuals provide. 3D visuals are a basic need in the design and architecture industries due to all the advantages they offer.
Reason #1 – Marketing Purposes
Every image developed works also as an investment in your portfolio. You can use them to promote your projects on your website and also to feed your social media channels. “3D visuals can also work as promotional tools for your company.”
Reason #2 – Demand
A large percentage of today’s clients are Millennials, members of a generation, which has grown up with technology. The level of proficiency and confidence when using technology is rather high – not just among design professionals but clients as well. The majority of clients now appreciates the involvement of the latest technologies in their projects. 3D visuals designs are just the ticket. “Meet your customers’ reality.”
Reason #3 – Quickness
Booking a meeting just to look at samples, drawings, and technical details is no longer enough, and in fact, it’s not an efficient use of anyone’s time. Having a clear image to present your project proposals, makes things quicker and easier for you and for your client. You can email or WhatsApp them all the images, and get quicker feedback. Everything together will speed up all the processes and obviously, the project. “Time is the most valuable thing in life for everybody – clients and professionals alike.”
Reason #4 – Competition
You are not the only one. When a client requests a quotation from your studio, you can be sure that he will also request other quotes from other studios. So, what makes the difference between your studio and the others? It isn’t only the price itself, but in fact, it’s all about the experience that you’ll provide since day zero – the first contact day.
Together with the quote, you can also impress your clients if you use 3D rendering to show your vision of their interior in the best possible light.
As you well know, the world of business is a jungle. Only the ones who well-hold the clients since day one can survive.
“3D visuals offer clients an opportunity to see how their project will look and feel before they decide to go ahead.”
Reason #5 – Convenience
Based on the 3D, the designer can ensure that the planned interior fulfills all aesthetic and technical requirements.
3D visuals offer an experience throughout textures and colors with a massive percentage of realness. As a designer, you can also opt to display the ambient looks with different lighting effects, like natural vs artificial or day vs night. “More convenient than classic and traditional design methods.”
Reason #6 – Not Expensive
3D rendering is no longer reserved for big design companies only. The technology required in the process is becoming more affordable and many design professionals are more open to using new tools in order to deliver the best service to their clients. Overall, one of the biggest benefits of 3D is the amount of time you can save during the development phase. And as we all know, time is in fact money. “3D is more efficient and less dependent on resources at the same time.”
We hope you’ve enjoyed this article. Stay tuned for much more. If you would like to boost your studio’s work, surprise your clients, and support your projects, fill the form below and get in touch with our team.
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