Casa Batllo : The House of Bones – at Sooth Brush. They’ve got loads of interior pics posted – the best collection of this casa I’ve ever seen. You’ll love it. There are some incredibly lovely and unique features at Batllo.

What We Do Is Secret, a cool blog that should also win an award for having one of the top 10 best blog titles ever, has this amazing post up; Dancing trees, Singing birds, that looks at an apartment complex by Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP Architects. A DO NOT miss event.

And my fave find of the week…

Casey Brown Architecture: Mudgee Permanent Camping at Research Architecture. This house is so utterly fabulous that I want to go build my own replica right this second. Modern, green, and breath taking – you will not believe the images. This is house lust of the best kind, the kind you’ll be thinking about all day.

Have you seen anything amazing this week? Um, let me rephrase. Any amazing architecture this week – sorry, no weird stories about the perfect Cajun Black Bean Fettuccine – it might be good for dinner, but alas, you can’t live in pasta. Not comfortably anyhow.

Post from: Blisstree

Must-See Offbeat Architecture of the Week

1. They build homes that glow.

2. They have a thing for orange. I happen to like orange – orange old school tupperware, burnt orange dresses, orange skies at night, orange roses, and more. It’s not like they build ONLY orange structures, I just get this orange feeling when I’m browsing their work. I’m betting you – they have a thing for orange.

3. They turn out killer warehouse conversions. This from the girl drunk on homes NOT commercial sites.

4.They make the wood paneling look actually work for them – or at least they do this way better than some people.

5. I’m mesmerized by their about us/people page. Yes I always go and look at who builds all these houses I show here – it’s just something I do BUT I don’t usually care. At many architecture sites, if there’s a bio picture up, it’s often artsy – you know; not natural. Anyhow, at Pb, the images crack me up. It’s like someone took jail house shots without the jail house wall backing. Part of me wants to bolt the drive from pdx to Seattle just to see if they’re all standing around looking somber and cool against some wall. It’s way fun, and a nice change from most architecture sites.

#5 was a total cheat and basically a me issue. So I’ll also give you two bonus perks – they’re in the Pacific NW and they build green both of which are pretty lovable issues.

Check out all the nice Pb Elemental Architecture work and don’t forget the about page.

[images via Pb Elemental Architecture]

Post from: Blisstree

Five reasons to love Pb Elemental Architecture

Last week I posted the iPAD by Andre Hodgskin. In said post, I noted that I wasn’t as crazy about the exterior as I was the interior. Great house, nice lines, awesome interior, just not my cup of tea outside. You can choose various options, but I’ve only seen it in black, which may be my issue (not a black or red fan).

Well, Andre Hodgskin was nice enough to send me some new images of a three module house being built in the Waitaki Valley in South Otago. Hodgskin notes that he thinks the various groupings and external cladding options work really well here and I’m inclined to agree. I really like the natural vs. chocolate shades used here.

Check this out:

What do you think? You can see images of the original iPAD module at the iPAD site (along with the various options). I like the option above.

Thanks to Andre Hodgskin for the images. Personally if it was up to me, I’d wake up each morning to pretty architecture filled emails – so much more fun than dealing with spam and other nonsense.

Post from: Blisstree

New Andre Hodgskin iPad in South Otago

The idea is a good one. To save miles of footprints, why not simply move folks up onto billboard platforms? They’re already plentiful. They’re already in major residential areas. They’d cost less than those choice city real estate options.

I’d be a little freaked one might blow right over. It’s not the house integrity I’d be worried about but the actual billboard. Of course I know little about billboard construction; maybe they’re way sturdy. In any case, I still like the whole idea behind Aeroform.

The Aeroform renderings are award winning, and it’s easy to see why. Aeroform is pretty darn clever. Besides just plunking a prefab house atop a billboard the designers have a plan for resident revenue off said billboards. The outside is covered in insulated panels and a layer of carbon fibers to minimize weight and thus that structural problem of the billboard I mentioned.

It’s not the house for me, but then I don’t want to live in the city. I like it far out and away. If other people want to live in the city – on a billboard – good deal. More quiet for the country. I always adore the idea of building up though. Every time you build up you’re cashing in on a nice sustainable technique. Overall, this is a great project idea.

See more of Aeroform and other cool beans projects at Nocturnal Design Lab.

[images via Nocturnal Design Lab]

Post from: Blisstree

Would you live on a billboard?

The iPAD by New Zealand architect Andre Hodgskin arrived on the scene last spring but I don’t think I ever posted anything about it. While I like Hodgskin’s work, the iPAD is not one of those homes I totally fell for. The iPAD is designed to work well as a one bedroom home, a studio, an office, a holiday home, and more. I think you could use it as your main home base just fine though. Its starter size runs small, but you can configure the iPAD with more sq ft. I don’t particularly think this home would look great big. It’s nice small in my opinion.

iPAD stats:

• “A single iPAD totals 50m sq with decks of 55m sq and will retail in New Zealand for $125,000.00.
• Various external cladding and color options are available.
• iPAD can be manufactured off-site and transported to its final destination, or shipped (as a kit) and erected on site by a licensed contractor.“

iPAD is not my fave so far as exteriors go, but I like the interior layout options a lot. Below are main space and bedroom shots.

Learn more about iPAD.

[images via here]

Post from: Blisstree

iPAD by Andre Hodgskin

Two structure. Both rolling. Both Kundig.

The first; Rolling Huts…

Rolling huts are, in the words of the Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects website, “Several steps above camping” – I’ll say. These sure beat a leaky tent. These lovely and unique huts were created for housing visiting family and friends. They also of course make stellar party conversation.

Hut construction is unfettered; a steel clad box on a steel and wood platform. 200 sq ft of simple rolling living, well, not counting the extra 240 sq ft of decking. The interior is just as cool, made with cork and plywood. See many more images (including the great interior).

The second rolling structure is very much to die for…

I could just say oh bliss, and leave it at that. If you need more though, this is Chicken Point Cabin in Idaho. A gorgeous little cabin that sleeps 10. The rolling that this cabin does is very cool. The cabin’s big window-wall (30 feet by 20 feet) rolls right open to expose the living space to the forest and lake. Again, I say oh bliss. You can see the rolling in action by clicking here. They’ve got some nice videos up that show the process.

Honestly if Mr. Kundig insists on being so clever all the time, I’m never going to narrow my favorite structure of his down. I thought my favorite was the Delta Cabin, but I REALLY like this cabin above. So much amazing architecture, so little time. That’s the best sort of problem to have – don’t you think?

Need more Kundig? Read – Eleven Eleven East Pike.

[Rolling hut image via photographer Tim Bies; Chicken Point Cabin image via photographer Benjamin Benschneider both via Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects]

Post from: Blisstree

Houses that roll – in more ways than one

Arch Daily has a huge scoop on this amazing Tree House of sorts by Sander Architects. And by huge I mean photo gallery DELUXE. According to the post, the site was limited space-wise, so the answer was to build up. This vertical beauty is one of the coolest structures and structure posts I’ve seen in a while. Seriously – look:

Awesome right!? It makes me rethink what I want in a house, I’ll tell you that much. The back story is really interesting too and kind of touching, totally worth a read.

Go see scads more images and read this great post.

[images via Arch Daily]

Post from: Blisstree

A different sort of tree house

It’s been a while since we had some yummy structural link love. Since my bookmarks are way too full, now seems like a good time to drop some…

house of the week: 003 | Terrace House via Architechnophilia – this image above is the part of the house that’s not actually there, or so the post states. What’s that mean? Why not go find out? It’s worth the click.

I’ve had this saved for almost a month and it’s time to let go. This delicious little prefab hails from Jetson Green, but I actually first saw it at Architecture.mnp. What to do? Who to give the link love to??? Well, either way, you win, because both blogs rock. That said, why not visit Jetson Green to read more about the Johnson Creek weeHouse Prefab Home and then head to mnp for a surprise old school post of mnp’s that I really liked. (Yes, it’s a nice kind of surprise, not one of those surprises that suck btw).

inhabitat has a very nice Top Ten Green Architecture Projects Of 2008 round up going on. It’s a lovely read, with all sorts of sustainable delights of the last year; well, except the Eco Spheres, which are way older than 2008 (????) Still, I love inhabitat too much to complain any more about this – how petty of me.

Lastly, those kooky cats at Swamplot are having a big ol’ contest for the Greatest Moment in Houston Real Estate, 2008. If you know Swamplot, then you’ve already guessed that the awards nominees are super fun. In case you’re lost, the nice folks at Swamplot brought us the home with nine and a half bathrooms and the killer wood panel home. Voting has ended, but you can still view the nominees, and soon, you’ll be able to see who won.

NON STRUCTURAL LINK LOVE OF THE WEEK:

Just for fun, and because Valentine’s day will be here soon enough, I have to ask – is there anyone on this planet who you love MORE than zombies love brains? If you said yes, here’s a smacking good offbeat worthy V-day gift idea.

Post from: Blisstree

A house that’s not all there, wee structures, the green life, zombies, and more…

In the Pacific Northwest, many of the structures I love blend seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, while SW structures I like tend to stand out boldly. I adore both types of work, it’s just different. I suppose it depends on your mood. Today, I’m feeling a little stand out. Hence, the Hummingbird…

This beautiful curvy structure, originally known as the Townsend Residence, is located in the eastern saddle of Mummy Mountain (AZ), and was designed by the amazing Will Bruder. Brunder, of Will Brunder + Partners designed the Hummingbird with an array of colored resins, glass, steel, concrete, aluminum and various wood. It’s a large home (downside) but still chock full of goodness like intertwined circles, curvilinear geometry, natural light, resin window squares, and pivoting glass doors. Not to mention the surrounding mountain views. 

Ah – light delight. This bath view above is a great example of how natural lighting and organic colors were used in this home. Fans of Brunder seem to hail the Hummingbird as a best-of sort of work. It is beautiful, but while I like this structure, I’m not sure I’d say it’s the best Brunder design because that’s too tough a call. Seriously this is a stunning architecture co. You have to visit Will Brunder + Partners to see all their great work.

You can also cut to the chase and view stats and many more lovely images of the Hummingbird at AZarchitecture. It’s worth a click.

+ AZarchitecture

+ Will Brunder + Partners

Post from: Blisstree

Hummingbird of Mummy Mountain