2019 Silver Winner | PHTA International Awards of Excellence This custom, design-build project in Lincoln, NE is all about attention to detail. A concrete swimming pool, spa and outdoor patio with a 1,600 square foot bar and grill building are the focal points of the outdoor entertaining area. The pool features an infinity-edge spa, natural stone waterfall and slide, swim up bar with levitating stainless steel bar stools, and zero-entry pool edge. It was important to the clients, who are from the Midwest, to incorporate natural stones and colors from the region. The outdoor landscape design also ensures enjoyment and safety for their family and young grandchildren. The pool is a custom shotcrete structure that is 1,147 square feet. It has a beautiful natural stone and shotcrete waterfall with a built in Dolphin slide, and underwater bench. Opposite of the waterfall are five custom-built levitating stainless steel bar stools with an in-pool walk lane and a full swim up bar. A pallet of glass tile gives this natural, freeform pool some shine. The glass-walled, infinity-edge spa features a separate filtration system, heater, pumps and air blower that run off automation. Across from the spa is a custom-cut, flagstone beach entry with LED-lit bubblers for the grandkids. We incorporated the brick and architectural design of the home throughout the outdoor building, and continued this look into the open-concept bar and grill. The bar and grill is over 1,600 square feet and seats 50 with beautiful, hand-tufted booths, bar stools, professional bar equipment, custom granite tops, and even a men’s and women’s bathroom. Two 16’ wide glass bi-folding doors flawlessly incorporate the covered outdoor travertine courtyards, with matching travertine flooring used inside the building. A 27’ linear fire pit with natural stone wall includes five stainless steel scupper boxes to match the bar stools. The project has over 6,000 square feet of “tiramisu” travertine used in the patios and courtyards, including a second natural stone fire pit and seating wall. This project sits on a natural spring, so the entire design was elevated to help mitigate groundwater, and also provide a safer barrier to the pool. A second stream and waterfall are fed by the natural spring runoff water, which is also used for irrigation purposes. This self-contained stream and waterfall extend the enjoyment of the outdoor space further into the season, when the pool system shuts down for the winter months. Large spruce trees and a variety of maples were planted along the property, incorporating natural landscaping materials and design concepts to both provide privacy and manage downhill drainage. The energy-efficient outdoor lighting system is fully programmable for zoning, dimming, and color changing. In addition, the pool pumps and in-pool LED lights are also automated, and all can be programmed from a simple, smartphone app.

Step Inside a Superb Altamount Residence by Hirsch Bedner Associates ⇒ Based in Santa Monica, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) is an international firm dedicated to hospitality design as well as residential projects. Since 1965, the leading design firm has been continuously concerned regarding the pulse of changing industry trends, which are mainly directed towards today’s modern traveller. Quite recently, HBA has designed a superb Altamount Residence that will be the focus of our article, so get ready to be inspired and step inside a beautiful residence.

This elegant backyard graces the Canadian summer home of a US based professional hockey player. His wife is also an athlete at the international level, so the demands of continuous training makes owning a backyard pool and spa a wellness essential. You can only imagine the endless energy of their three young boys!

Within a modernist house nestled in the hills, a family of five wanted to create a minimalist home to suit their casual, indoor/outdoor lifestyle. Our clients for this project, who have discerning tastes, but also love to have fun, collaborated with us on every detail. Everything in the home contains meaning, from the typographic artwork in the dining room that spells out “family” in logos, to graphics calling out the ownership of lockers in the mudroom, to the surfboards that line the stairwell like functional artwork. All-white walls allow these details to take center stage, while Fleetwood doors slide open to usher the outdoors in and continuous concrete flooring unifies the indoor and outdoor spaces. Italian cabinetry, an opaque glass accent wall and an internal garage door that rolls up to reveal an industrial workout room complement the contemporary architecture, while in other spaces reclaimed barnwood and retro tiles provide a playful sense of contrast.

The Atherton House is a family compound for a professional couple in the tech industry, and their two teenage children. After living in Singapore, then Hong Kong, and building homes there, they looked forward to continuing their search for a new place to start a life and set down roots. The site is located on Atherton Avenue on a flat, 1 acre lot. The neighboring lots are of a similar size, and are filled with mature planting and gardens. The brief on this site was to create a house that would comfortably accommodate the busy lives of each of the family members, as well as provide opportunities for wonder and awe. Views on the site are internal. Our goal was to create an indoor- outdoor home that embraced the benign California climate. The building was conceived as a classic “H” plan with two wings attached by a double height entertaining space. The “H” shape allows for alcoves of the yard to be embraced by the mass of the building, creating different types of exterior space. The two wings of the home provide some sense of enclosure and privacy along the side property lines. The south wing contains three bedroom suites at the second level, as well as laundry. At the first level there is a guest suite facing east, powder room and a Library facing west. The north wing is entirely given over to the Primary suite at the top level, including the main bedroom, dressing and bathroom. The bedroom opens out to a roof terrace to the west, overlooking a pool and courtyard below. At the ground floor, the north wing contains the family room, kitchen and dining room. The family room and dining room each have pocketing sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundary between inside and outside. Connecting the wings is a double high living space meant to be comfortable, delightful and awe-inspiring. A custom fabricated two story circular stair of steel and glass connects the upper level to the main level, and down to the basement “lounge” below. An acrylic and steel bridge begins near one end of the stair landing and flies 40 feet to the children’s bedroom wing. People going about their day moving through the stair and bridge become both observed and observer. The front (EAST) wall is the all important receiving place for guests and family alike. There the interplay between yin and yang, weathering steel and the mature olive tree, empower the entrance. Most other materials are white and pure. The mechanical systems are efficiently combined hydronic heating and cooling, with no forced air required.

This Inner Suburban Cottage is located in Tighes Hill, Newcastle, formerly an industrial area but due to it's proximity to the city is now becoming popular with young families and professionals seeking the inner city lifestyle. The client brief was to replace a rundown two bedroom miners cottage with a modern home for a family of three children and two adults on a 320sqm corner block. The design solution delivered the main house containing open living, dining, kitchen, three bedrooms, main bathroom, laundry and double garage. The large parents retreat comprising of a combined spacious bedroom, lounge and sitting area, seperate kitchen and generous ensuite is located above the double garage, connects to the house via an internal stairway and features a separate entrance to enable the space to be utilised as self-contained guest lodging. The street front facade reflects the original miners cottage with weatherboards, front porch and skillion roof while beyond the street frontage, a stylish transition to finishes such as Colorbond Nail Strip cladding and timber paneling relfect the contemporary style of the young family. Passive solar design was incorporated with north-oriented living, dining, kitchen areas featuring polished concrete slab for thermal mass. Cross-ventilation has been incorporated into the design with strategic window placement throughout. The seamless transition from indoor living areas to covered outdoor entertaining area is achieved through the polished concrete slab continuing from indoors to outdoors, at one level and large sliding stacker doors with screens.

Inspired by stained glass, the Diamond pendant light collection by Feiss features modern, large-scale, pedants with dramatic facets made of individual panes of glass in a metal frame. The Opal White glass creates a warm glow and hides the internal lamping. Soft light shines out the bottom of the open pendants. The custom canopy features a raised, faceted design detail to continue the motif. Available in either Black or Polished Nickel finishes, the assortment includes a 4-light pendant, 1-light pendant, 1-light mini-pendant, 1-light wall sconce and 2-light flushmount ceiling fixture. The incandescent light fixtures can also be converted to fluorescent or LED. Dimensions:W: 12 5/8'' H: 5 7/8'' Lamping: (2) Fluorescent GU24 Self Ballasted CFL 13w Max. (Bulbs included)

The Atherton House is a family compound for a professional couple in the tech industry, and their two teenage children. After living in Singapore, then Hong Kong, and building homes there, they looked forward to continuing their search for a new place to start a life and set down roots. The site is located on Atherton Avenue on a flat, 1 acre lot. The neighboring lots are of a similar size, and are filled with mature planting and gardens. The brief on this site was to create a house that would comfortably accommodate the busy lives of each of the family members, as well as provide opportunities for wonder and awe. Views on the site are internal. Our goal was to create an indoor- outdoor home that embraced the benign California climate. The building was conceived as a classic “H” plan with two wings attached by a double height entertaining space. The “H” shape allows for alcoves of the yard to be embraced by the mass of the building, creating different types of exterior space. The two wings of the home provide some sense of enclosure and privacy along the side property lines. The south wing contains three bedroom suites at the second level, as well as laundry. At the first level there is a guest suite facing east, powder room and a Library facing west. The north wing is entirely given over to the Primary suite at the top level, including the main bedroom, dressing and bathroom. The bedroom opens out to a roof terrace to the west, overlooking a pool and courtyard below. At the ground floor, the north wing contains the family room, kitchen and dining room. The family room and dining room each have pocketing sliding glass doors that dissolve the boundary between inside and outside. Connecting the wings is a double high living space meant to be comfortable, delightful and awe-inspiring. A custom fabricated two story circular stair of steel and glass connects the upper level to the main level, and down to the basement “lounge” below. An acrylic and steel bridge begins near one end of the stair landing and flies 40 feet to the children’s bedroom wing. People going about their day moving through the stair and bridge become both observed and observer. The front (EAST) wall is the all important receiving place for guests and family alike. There the interplay between yin and yang, weathering steel and the mature olive tree, empower the entrance. Most other materials are white and pure. The mechanical systems are efficiently combined hydronic heating and cooling, with no forced air required.

New Media Art All works reflect the work of the artist, Carol Ashton, with each piece anchored in acrylic on canvas then further investigated with digital media. Carol draws on her experience as Digital Literacy Specialist with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to continue her exploration with digital technologies as a relevant and robust means of expressing beauty in the digital age. Significant in her work is the desire to validate the union of art and function, recognizing the role of beauty in the internal conversations we have with our home and work environment.

This Inner Suburban Cottage is located in Tighes Hill, Newcastle, formerly an industrial area but due to it's proximity to the city is now becoming popular with young families and professionals seeking the inner city lifestyle. The client brief was to replace a rundown two bedroom miners cottage with a modern home for a family of three children and two adults on a 320sqm corner block. The design solution delivered the main house containing open living, dining, kitchen, three bedrooms, main bathroom, laundry and double garage. The large parents retreat comprising of a combined spacious bedroom, lounge and sitting area, seperate kitchen and generous ensuite is located above the double garage, connects to the house via an internal stairway and features a separate entrance to enable the space to be utilised as self-contained guest lodging. The street front facade reflects the original miners cottage with weatherboards, front porch and skillion roof while beyond the street frontage, a stylish transition to finishes such as Colorbond Nail Strip cladding and timber paneling relfect the contemporary style of the young family. Passive solar design was incorporated with north-oriented living, dining, kitchen areas featuring polished concrete slab for thermal mass. Cross-ventilation has been incorporated into the design with strategic window placement throughout. The seamless transition from indoor living areas to covered outdoor entertaining area is achieved through the polished concrete slab continuing from indoors to outdoors, at one level and large sliding stacker doors with screens.

Step Inside a Superb Altamount Residence by Hirsch Bedner Associates ⇒ Based in Santa Monica, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) is an international firm dedicated to hospitality design as well as residential projects. Since 1965, the leading design firm has been continuously concerned regarding the pulse of changing industry trends, which are mainly directed towards today’s modern traveller. Quite recently, HBA has designed a superb Altamount Residence that will be the focus of our article, so get ready to be inspired and step inside a beautiful residence.

This Inner Suburban Cottage is located in Tighes Hill, Newcastle, formerly an industrial area but due to it's proximity to the city is now becoming popular with young families and professionals seeking the inner city lifestyle. The client brief was to replace a rundown two bedroom miners cottage with a modern home for a family of three children and two adults on a 320sqm corner block. The design solution delivered the main house containing open living, dining, kitchen, three bedrooms, main bathroom, laundry and double garage. The large parents retreat comprising of a combined spacious bedroom, lounge and sitting area, seperate kitchen and generous ensuite is located above the double garage, connects to the house via an internal stairway and features a separate entrance to enable the space to be utilised as self-contained guest lodging. The street front facade reflects the original miners cottage with weatherboards, front porch and skillion roof while beyond the street frontage, a stylish transition to finishes such as Colorbond Nail Strip cladding and timber paneling relfect the contemporary style of the young family. Passive solar design was incorporated with north-oriented living, dining, kitchen areas featuring polished concrete slab for thermal mass. Cross-ventilation has been incorporated into the design with strategic window placement throughout. The seamless transition from indoor living areas to covered outdoor entertaining area is achieved through the polished concrete slab continuing from indoors to outdoors, at one level and large sliding stacker doors with screens.

Making a real impression by designing & building with exceptional people is exactly the effect JL Design & the client as owner-builder have achieved with “Scarborough House” in Scarborough, NSW. The brief required the dwelling to take maximum advantage of stunning views over the ocean & nearby escarpment cliffs. The residence was also to be a contemporary modernist four bedroom family dwelling, maximising built external living & pool areas. The client was extensively involved with the overall design, & carried out material selection, interior detailing and selection of fixtures and fittings. This collective method guaranteed a result where the client as the builder, through continued personal investment throughout the design and construction achieved a stunning result. The concrete, steelwork, windows, timber & various forms of cladding, joinery and concealed lighting are all custom made hand crafted elements. The design called for minimal tolerances, requiring a high level of skill and cooperation between trades. “Scarborough House” features BlueScope Colorbond monument matt ribbed wall cladding with rendered & ‘rendered look’ areas in off-white. A vertical feature hardwood timber screen to the side of the entry softens the ‘industrial’ feel, giving a modernist external appearance. Carefully calculated overhangs allow a passive solar solution to heating & cooling, with efficient reverse-cycle air conditioning required only during weather extremes. Internally, timber floors to the upper living areas give a feel of comfort & warmth. The warm, substantial character of the dwelling is carefully composed by means of the clarity of the detailing, a palette of tactical natural materials and the careful manipulation of light.

Step Inside a Superb Altamount Residence by Hirsch Bedner Associates ⇒ Based in Santa Monica, Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA) is an international firm dedicated to hospitality design as well as residential projects. Since 1965, the leading design firm has been continuously concerned regarding the pulse of changing industry trends, which are mainly directed towards today’s modern traveller. Quite recently, HBA has designed a superb Altamount Residence that will be the focus of our article, so get ready to be inspired and step inside a beautiful residence.

Sunday, April 12, 3:00-5:00pm | Dallas The Dallas Urban Reserve by Kevin Sloan, ASLA, M.Arch of Kevin Sloan Studio, with Robert Meckfessel, FAIA, DSGN Associates Registration: https://tclf.org/event/garden-dialogues-dallas-fort-worth-2015 Internationally recognized as an “innovative green project,” the award-winning Urban Reserve transformed a 10-acre site that had been an illegal landfill for more than 50 years into an exquisite Modernist community. In 2004, Urban Edge Developers in Dallas purchased the tract to construct a sustainable community, engaging landscape architect Kevin Sloan Studio and architects including Tod Williams and Billie Tsien. The refined aesthetics and careful grooming are equaled by environmentally sensitive details: the main street is a continuous biofilter; storm water is conveyed into rain gardens, separated by parking; cypress and reed plants filter water to sedimentation ponds for low-velocity drip irrigation. Concrete fragments and steel beams left over from its previous use as a landfill have been repurposed as “bricolage” for pavements and terraces. As part of the Dialogue, attendees will visit the landscapes of three private residences. Photos Courtesy Kevin Sloan Studio and Courtesy Diane Cheatham

The golden sunset streams through the open wall all the way to the kitchen. We like to bring the indoors outside, specially when the outdoors has spectacular views of the sea. The entire wall of the Great Room opens up to merge the outdoor space with the indoors and suddenly, your living space increases by double and you can enjoy uninterrupted the entire area. The sliding doors hide seamlessly within the walls and doubles the space for entertaining. Wooden floor continues outside to make the space look even more, one. The sandy color of the furniture blends in overall and spotlights ensures even lighting through out.

This channel features the CABLE WINE SYSTEMS™, a floating wine racking system known for its versatility, sophistication, and unmatched quality. Custom wine racking displays from Cable Wine Systems Inc. are made of the highest quality stainless steel cable and chromed brass clamps. The perception of a floating wine rack placed almost anywhere in your home or establishment can beautifully showcase either some or all of a wine collection. And with the ability to hold any number of bottles of wine of various sizes, the Cable Wine System meets all the needs of even the boldest wine collectors. The CABLE WINE SYSTEMS™ wine racking system was formally introduced to the public at Toronto’s Interior Design Show in 2012 where it received rave reviews from the design, building, and architectural communities alike. It has continued to gain in popularity across North America and internationally ever since. For more information please visit www.cablewinesystems.com

Within a modernist house nestled in the hills, a family of five wanted to create a minimalist home to suit their casual, indoor/outdoor lifestyle. Our clients for this project, who have discerning tastes, but also love to have fun, collaborated with us on every detail. Everything in the home contains meaning, from the typographic artwork in the dining room that spells out “family” in logos, to graphics calling out the ownership of lockers in the mudroom, to the surfboards that line the stairwell like functional artwork. All-white walls allow these details to take center stage, while Fleetwood doors slide open to usher the outdoors in and continuous concrete flooring unifies the indoor and outdoor spaces. Italian cabinetry, an opaque glass accent wall and an internal garage door that rolls up to reveal an industrial workout room complement the contemporary architecture, while in other spaces reclaimed barnwood and retro tiles provide a playful sense of contrast.

Malibu Glass Box House by Klopf Architecture Following the devastating Woolsey Fire of 2018, the site in Malibu offered a unique opportunity to rebuild not just a home, but a new architectural composition that highlighted the property’s potential while navigating strict fire-rebuild codes in the area. Designed by Klopf Architecture, this project embraced a set of limitations and translated them into an architectural asset. The city’s fire-rebuild process required the new structure to remain close to the original footprint, size and bulk, a constraint that ultimately clarified the architectural direction. Perched near the front of a long, narrow lot, the new home frames and overlooks a private, park-like rear expanse, an uncommon luxury especially in this part of Malibu . Without a fixed program, the design process allowed for a different kind of creative focus allowing Klopf Architecture the opportunity to explore how a modernist home could best respond to this site. The team approached the project not with a list of requirements, but with a question: How might a modernist live here? What spatial qualities would inspire calm, connection, and a sense of wonder in this setting? The process became less about problem-solving and more about architectural storytelling—letting the site, the light, and the principles of modern design guide the form and flow of the home. The response emerged in the form of a glass-box pavilion, an open, Mid-Century Modern inspired living, dining, and kitchen space that floats at the edge of the property’s natural descent. Connected to the more enclosed, private areas of the home by a glass-walled hallway, the living pavilion becomes a distinct centerpiece of the design. It opens on all four sides to the landscape with decks and patios on the flanks, an internal garden and water feature to the north, and a dramatic unguarded view of the expansive backyard and ocean horizon to the south. Because of the mandated footprint, careful planning was required to ensure every space could still engage with light, landscape, or both. Strategic voids in the form of atriums and courtyards allow daylight to filter deep into the home’s core, while offering moments of surprise and retreat. These design gestures allow natural light to filter deep into the interior, creating a sense of brightness and openness throughout the day. At the same time, they expand the perceptual boundaries between inside and out, making the home feel more expansive while anchoring its connection to the surrounding landscape. The siting of the house is what gives it its unique character. Rather than receding into the backyard like the neighboring homes, the house holds a slight prominence. From the central living pavilion, stepping down into the landscape feels more like entering a secluded park where a separate existing accessory structure, trail, and recreational areas await. The home’s modest street presence gives way to this unfolding drama of space, view, and nature. Fire-resilient materials and assemblies are integrated seamlessly throughout including triple-pane glazing, under-slab and roof insulation, and locally sourced fire-rated cladding ensure the house not only meets Calfornia’s rigorous wildland-urban interface (WUI) standards, but feels effortlessly aligned with them. While technical decisions like fire-hardening and mechanical systems presented some construction challenges, particularly around the cantilevered glass box, the team found a functional compromise that preserved the integrity of the design. Inside, a restrained palette and exposed post and beam design celebrate the ethos of mid-century modernism. A central circulation spine extends from the entry to the rear glass wall, offering a continuous visual link from street to ocean. Spaces such as the library and office, though more intimate in scale, are never cut off from nature as each opens to its own unique courtyard or garden view. Though born out of a strict regulatory framework and developed without a specific client, the rebuild design unfolded with remarkable clarity. Grounded in site logic, refined by limitations and an emphasis on timeless spatial relationships – light, proportion, and a strong connection to nature, the resulting design feels both effortless and uplifting. The home lives lightly on the land, opens generously to its surroundings, and strikes a careful balance between privacy, openness, and calm. For Klopf Architecture, it stands as a compelling case study in how site, code, and circumstantial constraints can inspire enduring, modernist architecture. With years of experience reimagining mid-century modern design for how people live today, the firm took the project’s limitations as an opportunity. The result is a home shaped by open, flowing spaces, strong indoor-outdoor connections, and a calm, clear sense of structure. It’s a good reminder that even with strict constraints, there’s still room for architecture to breathe—and for modernism to keep moving forward. Klopf Architecture project team: Geoff Campen, John Klopf, AIA, and Sherry Tan Structural Engineer: ZFA Contractor: Maison D’Artiste Photography: ©2025 Mariko Reed Year Completed: 2023