Today on Architectural Digest we visit Longmeadow, Massachusetts to tour a colonial-era home with a ton of potential but needing lots of work. Contractor Nick Schiffer from NS Builders takes us through this 18th century relic room by room – laying out the possibilities for restoring the historic flourishes while bringing the property into the present day.
Located on the east coast of Tasmania, Australia, Pine Flat Lodge emerges from the environment as a place of retreat and immersion. The off the grid lodge is proposed as a minimal insertion within the landscape, a simple gesture that holds the space between the pines and the expansive view beyond the site. Imbued with a sense of belonging and placemaking, the off the grid lodge was approached in a deliberate manner, with focus placed on the conservation and rehabilitation of the land.
As a response, the architecture and interior design of the lodge accentuates an outward perspective, blurring the lines between indoors and out. The off the grid lodge is comprised of a series of modules within a continuous envelope, which in turn opens out to the landscape. The communal spaces are separated by decks and continue the structure’s discourse with the external environment, while the sleeping quarters represent an intended moment of quiet and retreat. The lodge tour also highlights Pine Flat Lodge’s solar power and rainwater collection, a physical reminder to visitors to be mindful when experiencing the space and landscape.
When designing a lodge, especially one that operates off grid, sustainability must inform each component. The material of the cabin is motivated by the surrounding context – sustainably sourced timber is used throughout the off the grid lodge. The structure utilises resources in an accountable way by pursuing efficient use of materials and minimising carbon footprint while supporting local craftsman. Bespoke details feature throughout the off the grid lodge, celebrating craft and the natural environment in an authentic and sustainable manner.
Tallest buildings / skyscrapers in the world today, represented to scale in New York City. Including some skyscrapers under construction and other extravagant futuristic projects. Note: The chosen size is up to the tip, includes antennas. The video includes the 10 tallest buildings currently, the rest are elected subjectively. In the list are not included, structures as giant antennas, statues or monuments. Only buildings, skyscrapers and vertical cities.
Today on AD we visit Goshen in Upstate New York to tour a Victorian home from 1892 with a ton of potential, but needing lots of work. Contractor Nick Schiffer from NS Builders goes room by room laying out the possibilities within the walls while acknowledging how daunting the road to this former gem’s restoration will be. When you see it’s listed at just under $300,000, though – and similar sized homes in the area fetch double that amount – this massive renovation becomes one seriously worth considering.
“Buck wanted to stand in every room from his house, turn his head, and see every view. Even the bathroom. And so that was kind of what inspired the design of the house.”
Among the most famous photographs of modern architecture is Julius Shulman’s picture of Case Study House #22, also known as the Stahl House after the family that commissioned it. Two girls in white dresses sit inside a glass cube that seems to float atop a cliff over the illuminated grid of Los Angeles at night. Built by a family with a “beer budget and champagne tastes,” the two-bedroom home designed by architect Pierre Koenig changed residential design in LA. While Shulman’s image and others of the building have appeared in countless publications, advertisements, films, and TV shows, the story of how the house came to be and what it was like to live there is less well known.
In this episode, Bruce Stahl and Shari Stahl Gronwald and writer Kim Cross discuss the story of how Case Study House #22 came to be and share personal stories about what it was like to grow up and live in the home, from roller skating across the concrete floors to diving off the roof into the pool. Stahl, Gronwald, and Cross are co-authors of the recent book The Stahl House: Case Study House #22; The Making of a Modernist Icon.
To buy the book The Stahl House: Case Study House #22; The Making of a Modernist Icon.
Courtyard House by Ha Architecture is a Japanese inspired home, presented as a merging of heritage and contemporary design. The home’s streetscape heritage overlay allowed the existing home façade to be maintained; it was restored and repaired to its original condition, including the original windows. Internally, a meeting of contemporary and traditional principles imbues the space with a tranquil charm – a quiet space of reflection and rest. Inside the Japanese inspired home, Courtyard House is centred around its internal courtyard.
The brief required an adaption of contemporary Japanese architecture and lifestyle ideologies, with a focus on outdoor spaces and passive design principles. The entryway is intimate, instilled with ambient light and an immediate saturation of timber. This sensory experience allows Courtyard House to emerge as a Japanese inspired home, propelled by an inherent sustainability that underpins the very fabric of the project. Windows frame backdrops of bamboo and showcase selected stone features, creating a constant discourse between the internal and external spaces. The landscape orientation, as well as vantage points, play a considered role in the architecture.
Architect Richard Leitch from the USC School of Architecture isn’t spoken about too often however his work speaks volume. From The Hillsides of Altadena to the dry landscapes of the desert you can find some of Richard’s work throughout Southern California. Avid Car lover Joe Tseng found himself entrenched in a year-long restoration/Remodel of his current home ‘ The Desert Sun House’, a project which he wanted to share with his son Tyler. They’ve saved and transformed the home into what you see today, A classic home filled with rich History and thoroughly enjoyed by its new owners.
Boomers Daily 