The owner of this home had purchased an early 20th Century house that had been carved up into apartments and otherwise unsympathetically modified and added on to over the years. After careful review, it was determined that there was little value in the existing structure. A new design, based on the existing foundation, was created. The existing foundation was added onto, increasing the height of the basement to create useable space. The new three storey home, building off the owner’s theatre background, incorporates a double height living room, dramatic open riser stairs and abundant natural light. The finished house includes three bedrooms, two bathrooms, open plan kitchen and dining space, walk out rear terrace and second level balcony. The third floor master retreat is tucked into the low slope roof, maintaining the character of the street; the industrial type cladding creates a contextual reinterpretation of the original community’s blue collar background. Featured in the Ottawa Citizen on several occasions including Glebe house tour.

The Evening Sky Residence is a vineyard home in the foothills of McMinnville, Oregon. The house is placed in a natural clearing at the vineyard’s highest point, sited to overlook the Willamette Valley to the East and the Coastal Mountain Range to the West. The architecture’s linearity, contextualized materials, and indoor-outdoor living create a place that is inviting and timeless. Interiors promote a warm minimalism, with elevated finishes and tailored moments responding to the clients’ vision. Views from the residence connect those who reside here with their vines and the surrounding landscape, composing a daily life that is deeply intertwined with the working vineyard and Oregon wine country.

In collaboration with the Lawrenceville Corporation, Rothschild Doyno, and The Urban Redevelopment Authority, EcoCraft Homes is helping to redefine the image of affordable urban housing. Working through a newly defined mechanism called the “Community Land Trust” program Lawrenceville Corporation is pioneering a new standard for community development and affordable home ownership. Phase one of the CLT development consists of 6 new and one renovation unit that are built with materials that are equal to, or often times of a higher quality than the market rate homes that Lawrenceville has become known for. In addition, every CLT home has been designed to seamlessly integrate into existing historical fabric of Upper Lawrenceville by respecting and implementing design elements from contextual neighborhood patterns. The CLT design team’s radically different approach to sustainability, resiliency, and energy efficiency will ensure the affordability of these homes remain intact for generations, challenging the idea that affordability should equate to compromises in the quality of living.

Inspiration for a contemporary living room remodel in Ottawa

The residence illustrated here is the successful result of the design process where the Owner’s needs and wishes were translated into aesthetically pleasing spaces to live and enjoy. The custom new home provides a unique landscape while still providing a strong contextual look to this quintessential beach community.

AFTER - Back of house. New mud room entry. New patio. New steps to the pool and rear yard. Notre replication of porch detailing. Photo by Costas Picadas

In a rural stretch of East Hampton not far from the beach, the client presented a program for this summer home that called for open, casual entertaining and an extension of interior living spaces to the outdoors -- a counterpoint to his boxy Upper West Side pre-war apartment. We looked to local agrarian building forms and materials, as well as the Modernist tradition of the Hamptons, to develop a contextual vernacular appropriate to the quaint and peaceful property.

INSPIRATION: local settlements in northern Iran formed by a simple adaptation of the nature, geography and climate of that region. The local architecture of this place is so intertwined with nature and in harmony with the climate that it can be called naturalistic architecture. We are looking to redefining the region's former architecture, which needs protection, into today's language. Unique properties: Extroverted architecture is a solution that is necessary to respond to the hot and humid climate of the location of this project. But in Iranian culture, introverted architecture is unavoidable therefore, in this residential apartment where several families live together and also have common spaces, providing a response to introversion and extroversion at the same time has been considered. Description: Extreme use of the porch refers to the deep structures of the Iranian Architecture The "primitive cottage", which is a favorite of the residents of this small town, when converted into a contemporary apartment, must include several basic spaces to implement the residential scenario. Private and semi-private balconies are the most important of those spaces. Extensive vista is the potential of this project. because in addition to the forest view from the south and the beach view on the north side, the other two sides of the project have a unique view due to their height from the city. Therefore, the location and type of openings affect the quality of the space. Each space has a pleasant view, light and proper air circulation. Roofed and non-roofed yards equally divided at different levels. These independent courtyards in the vertical surfaces seen as a vertical and integrated garden in the urban context. CHALENGE: The value that the project pursues is to answer: How contemporary architecture can be faithful to culture, nature and context? How architecture can affect the audience without showing off? this challenge arose for us when we noticed that the surrounding new buildings had nothing to do with local architecture except for adhering to a form such as a sloping roof. Audience tastes have also gone in a direction that is not compatible with contextual factors. So having a few touches of culture and context can be a turning point in the contemporary architecture of this Small scale area.

In collaboration with the Lawrenceville Corporation, Rothschild Doyno, and The Urban Redevelopment Authority, EcoCraft Homes is helping to redefine the image of affordable urban housing. Working through a newly defined mechanism called the “Community Land Trust” program Lawrenceville Corporation is pioneering a new standard for community development and affordable home ownership. Phase one of the CLT development consists of 6 new and one renovation unit that are built with materials that are equal to, or often times of a higher quality than the market rate homes that Lawrenceville has become known for. In addition, every CLT home has been designed to seamlessly integrate into existing historical fabric of Upper Lawrenceville by respecting and implementing design elements from contextual neighborhood patterns. The CLT design team’s radically different approach to sustainability, resiliency, and energy efficiency will ensure the affordability of these homes remain intact for generations, challenging the idea that affordability should equate to compromises in the quality of living.

To meet our Tepin clients is to meet two individuals who fully embrace what life has to offer. Whether in their passion for the arts, extensive travels, or their commitment to family, one thing is clear... this Mr. & Mrs. have mastered The Art of Life. This home is contextual - cohesive with the natural Palm Desert surroundings and the architectural language. Other words to describe the resulting space are: High Quality, Livable (not too perfect), Playful, Unique & Timeless.

The Evening Sky Residence is a vineyard home in the foothills of McMinnville, Oregon. The house is placed in a natural clearing at the vineyard’s highest point, sited to overlook the Willamette Valley to the East and the Coastal Mountain Range to the West. The architecture’s linearity, contextualized materials, and indoor-outdoor living create a place that is inviting and timeless. Interiors promote a warm minimalism, with elevated finishes and tailored moments responding to the clients’ vision. Views from the residence connect those who reside here with their vines and the surrounding landscape, composing a daily life that is deeply intertwined with the working vineyard and Oregon wine country.

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.

ARCHITECTURE: Certificate of Merit
 PROJECT: A House for a Writer in Bohemia CLIENT: Private Owner, Czech Republic 
ARCHITECTURE FIRM: Front Studio Architects CONTRACTOR: Zikmund Hriste 
ENGINEERS: Inveko, Vitatech, Carvan Elektromontaze 
PHOTOGRAPHER: Jana Rackova DESCRIPTION: Located 30 miles north of Prague, Czech Republic, the House was to be a retreat, a private yet open space, full of light. The energy efficient 1200 sf residence is modern yet contextual, blending with the abandoned single-story structure for housing pigs and chickens on which it is built. JURY COMMENTS: This looks like a fun place to live and it is also laudable that it is a passive house. It is an honest, yet modest, project with an appropriate level of craft and detail.

The Fortune Family chose to renovate the rundown 1970's house to reflect their eclectic intercultural heritage. To create an open floor plan, walls were removed and glass doors and operable windows added. Plentiful daylighting and natural air enhance the connection of the indoor and outdoor spaces. The exterior was renovated with stucco, natural stone and wood paneling. The use of natural materials and contextual patterns created a contemporary space that achieved the owner's goal of a warm and inviting home. The main level is oriented around an open kitchen that is adjacent to dining room. the library and main entrance. The top floor is an open master suite and loft that combines the sleeping area with bathroom and closet. The floors are connected with a new open staircase with added windows that allow for an open and airy experience. LaCasse Photography

The Evening Sky Residence is a vineyard home in the foothills of McMinnville, Oregon. The house is placed in a natural clearing at the vineyard’s highest point, sited to overlook the Willamette Valley to the East and the Coastal Mountain Range to the West. The architecture’s linearity, contextualized materials, and indoor-outdoor living create a place that is inviting and timeless. Interiors promote a warm minimalism, with elevated finishes and tailored moments responding to the clients’ vision. Views from the residence connect those who reside here with their vines and the surrounding landscape, composing a daily life that is deeply intertwined with the working vineyard and Oregon wine country.

3500 sq ft residence comprised of two distinct volumes. The lower portion of the home dictates the entry sequence and circulation throughout all the rooms. It becomes an organizing element anchoring the building to the site

Harlan Hambright
Example of a mid-sized minimalist white three-story stucco exterior home design in Atlanta

Kitchen - traditional kitchen idea in Milwaukee

The Fortune Family chose to renovate the rundown 1970's house to reflect their eclectic intercultural heritage. To create an open floor plan, walls were removed and glass doors and operable windows added. Plentiful daylighting and natural air enhance the connection of the indoor and outdoor spaces. The exterior was renovated with stucco, natural stone and wood paneling. The use of natural materials and contextual patterns created a contemporary space that achieved the owner's goal of a warm and inviting home. The main level is oriented around an open kitchen that is adjacent to dining room. the library and main entrance. The top floor is an open master suite and loft that combines the sleeping area with bathroom and closet. The floors are connected with a new open staircase with added windows that allow for an open and airy experience. LaCasse Photography