Creating a garden in Topanga involved an exciting contextual proposition: how best to achieve a balance between the built environment, the rocky hillside and the surrounding native live oak woodland. Specially selected hardscape consisting of Malibu rock and rough-hewn broken concrete married old with new and provided access and definition. A mixed palette of natives and Mediterranean plants joined garden with existing oaks and toyon trees. The resulting effect is one of a layered experience, a transition from semiformal to natural. A visitor to this garden experiences both the feeling of a residential setting and the beckoning wildland beyond.

AFTER - Rear yard entry with view through to the front of the house. Photo by Costas Picadas
Ornate home design photo in New York

Free Float is a pool house that continues UP's obsession with contextual contradiction. Located on a three acre estate in Sands Point NY, the modern pool house is juxtaposed against the existing traditional home. Using structural gymnastics, a column-free, simple shading area was created to protect occupants from the summer sun while still allowing the structure to feel light and open, maintaining views of the Long Island Sound and surrounding beaches. Photography : Harriet Andronikides

BEFORE - Side & Back of house. Old mud room entries.
Example of an ornate home design design in New York

The architecture of this greenhouse in Stamford, CT is profoundly contextual. We want it to fit right into the estate and even more so, we think its style should provoke an uncovering of the layered history of the location it sits on.

Elegant entryway photo in Milwaukee

Building a dream kitchen for a talented chef is always a challenge. We succeeded to make the home owners satisfied and happy with the entire project.
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen remodel in Seattle with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and multicolored countertops

The kitchen is open to the central room and the sink faces the view but is discreetly placed behind the wall. The Range and oven are to the left. Notice the simple limited color and shapes make a pleasing pattern and a backdrop for art and the mosaic triled kitchen..

Inspiration for a contemporary pool remodel in Las Vegas

AFTER - Front of house. New, wider porch. Re-used and created new brackets and rafter tails to match existing details. -- Photo by Costas Picadas

The 722 Ash Street residence consists of a 1500 sf primary house with a contiguous 500 sf accessory dwelling. The project is set in the rich culture of North Lawrence, its rear property line abuts the Lawrence levee trail which runs for nine miles along the north bank of the Kansas River. North Lawrence is known for its quality soil, large trees, curbless streets and random size parcels before it breaks into larger farms further from the urban center. It is built on the typical orthogonal grid of American development, but it represents the older growth of the city prior to urban planners and zoning regulations. The rumble of freight trains and farm trucks in the shadows of the towering grain elevators are only blocks away. It is home to many who enjoy being only a bridge crossing away from Lawrence’s vibrant downtown but are far enough away to maintain their independence from many of the restrictions on living near the historic district. They can work in their large gardens and toiling in their garages and shops in a manner more rural than urban. The house on 722 Ash St. is imbued with the character of North Lawrence and the Levee Trail area. The design was inspired by the Midwestern farmstead vernacular of the region. These timeless vernacular qualities house all the accommodations necessary for modern, sustainable living. A unique feature of this house is the Accessory Dwelling Unit permitted in the zoning district. It is a small separate residence on the same lot that can be used for income property or for extended family members. It also supports the city of Lawrence’s goals of increased density close to downtown rather than continued sprawl into the countryside. The buildings use technology and common-sense design to reduce the building’s footprint and assure the owners low energy use and costs. A 4.9 Kw solar collection system is located on the only south facing gable and the super insulated envelopes (r-62 roof and r-35 walls) of all three forms easily exceeds the standards. Studio 804 continues their long standing pattern of maintaining the highest level of sustainable design while remaining contextually sensitive to the surrounding community. This house, like every Studio 804 project since 2008, is USGBC LEED Platinum Certified.

Branksome Road Set within a Bournemouth conservation zone; Branksome Woods provided the challenge of designing additional, modern space for a growing family whilst respecting sensitive contextual conditions. Footprint Architects responded by continuing the existing roofline across the property, providing an extra two bedrooms whilst also allowing the proposal to blend seamlessly with the properties existing form, whilst breathing new life into the look of the dated building. On the ground floor, the kitchen and dinning area were re-organised and extended out from the property in a brick form that exhibits views of the garden, with an alternative contrasting timber rear entrance to provide improved access to the house from the drive and garage. The design changes have transformed the quality and functionality of Branksome Woods, providing modern additional space, with a minimal impact on the surrounding context. The project was completed in November 2017.

This urban townhouse took on new life when it was renovated for a couple relocating from New York City. The owner’s sophisticated taste, cultivated from world travels, paired with the character of the existing home and resulted in a fresh and colorful gem in the heart of the historic downtown. Extensive approvals from the local Historic District Commission preceded an addition on the rear of the time-honored building and a complete restoration of the exterior. The addition encompasses a first-floor, finished garage with arch doors that open to the gardens, ideal for entertaining. Above the garage accommodates the master bedroom, walk-in closets and a bathroom suite. The exterior restoration allowed the addition of window pediments, shutters with authentic hardware and gaslight features. Pocket gardens surround the townhouse and boast multiple plantings that complement a historic environment. The interior of the home was restructured to allow for reworking of the main stair. The reconfigured flight can now carry the weight of books and art alongside ascending residents and guests. Amid construction, two previously hidden fireplaces were uncovered. By the end of the renovation, four fireplaces were entirely refurbished and now lend immense aesthetic to interior design. The interior finishes within the home keep visitors engaged and impressed. From imported Italian tile to contextually historic light switches, the colorful décor is appealing to all senses. Specially painted walls coordinate with furnishings, bookcases and art. Photos: Greg West Photography

The Heckler St. Residence is a Mediterranean style inspired home located in the coastal neighborhood of Old Hobe Sound. The residence achieves exterior contextuality per the local Community Redevelopment Area guidelines, while preserving much of the original existing tropical vegetation, and the old Florida character this neighborhood is well known for. A vegetated pergola in the rear porch overlooks the pool and rear yard, creating an inviting semi-covered outdoor space.

Country home design photo in Austin

Elegant garage photo in Milwaukee

Kitchen - traditional kitchen idea in Milwaukee

Example of a classic garage design in Milwaukee

DESIGN + INNOVATION: Award of Excellence PROJECT: The Prairie House CLIENT: Name Withheld ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Fisher ARCHitecture PHOTOGRAPHER: Fisher ARCHitecture DESCRIPTION: Designed to relate directly to its location, the Prairie House recontextualizes Midwestern building motifs from the 1950s and ’60s, simultaneously old fashioned and tough yet ambiguously futuristic. Interior spaces are nestled in the ground, with earth sheltered construction protecting from high winds and variable temperatures that characterize this part of the country; rooms have a direct relationship with one of three partially enclosed courtyards that are carved from the solid mass of earth. JURY COMMENTS: The interesting aspect of this project is the self-imposed exploration of contextualizing a Midwest site where there are only roads and cornfields. The iconographic images remind us of Venturi’s Learning from Las Vegas, from the large-scale billboard and letters to the symbolic buffalo on the renderings. The design gestures all seem responsive to its site both in terms of its cultural heritage and to its environmental realities.