The brief: A bed amidst the trees; a shower amongst the rocks, the site sits in a nature conservation in rural South Africa; where trees and shrubs and rocks create the architectural backdrop for any home.
A bedroom that opens itself out into the treescape; that invites in the smells, and wind, and rustle; a bathroom that grounds itself against the landscape; that speaks of earth, and rock, and shrub.
The idea: The originating idea was to root the bathroom into the rockscape, whilst allowing the bedroom to float amongst the trees. The building is organised as a long thin building which allows it to fit snugly between the forest trees. The two chimneys are not only essential to the structure of the building, but also naturally ventilate the bedroom (the building was designed in such a manner as to not disturb any tree during construction).
When governor Jerry Brown signed a law that made Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) legal in California, it started a revolution in the ways that homeowners, builders and city planners think of small living. Homeowners’ applications for these small backyard buildings have skyrocketed after this regulatory reform in 2018. 
Atelier Alice Trepp, located in Origlio, a small and stunning village, is an atelier designed for Alice Trepp, an Ecuadorian sculptress. The site is characterized by a gentle descending slope, the view of the pastures and of Monte Tamaro, and the coolness given by the lake. 
The shape develops from the analysis of the contour lines and the folding of two of them upwards, under which the building is inserted by cutting out sinuous spaces and movements. The volumes take shape like leaves lifted from the ground, so that the architecture actually seems to be a part of Earth itself.
Coated in a buff render, with a pale pink tone and duck egg blue metalwork, it brings some gentle colour to the street. As one neighbour has kindly put it: ‘The Cloud House introduces a valuable ‘softer’ element to the street’s dressing, with its hoops and curves and decorations. It is just what Vicars Road needs and will lighten and humanise the street’.
‘Monocle On Design’ discusses the origins of tessellations in Islamic art and ask how architecture affects our work-life balance. Plus: author Shelley Klein recounts her childhood in a mid-century house in Scotland and we preview Monocle’s city-themed July/August issue.
The Modular Water Dwellings incorporate standardised components that provide efficiency in manufacturing, while still allowing a variety of internal layouts for occupants’ individual requirements. The Dwellings can be orientated and spaced in different ways, responding to varying site contexts, local conditions, light sources and primary views. They also maximise the use of durable and non-corroding materials, such as concrete and glass, ensuring a long design life that anticipates multiple occupants.
Boomers Daily 