Copenhagen White House

Located in Copenhagen, Denmark, The Fredensborg House is a single-family residence designed by Norm Architects. The residence is built on five small plateaus connected by steps, reflecting the shape of its surrounding terrain.

“The house aesthetic is derived from inspirations brought about by the labyrinthine mountain village architecture, those that you may find familiar in Southern Europe, the architecture of Chinese temples, and in the works of modernist Danish architecture Jorn Utzon”.

The many tile roofs of the Fredensborg House overlap each other, resonating the movements of the slopes in design. The colour palette of the roof consists of four different yellow and brownish tones in a mix, to achieve a natural imperfection. “It gives a seemingly harmonious and charming miniature scene like that of a traditional Southern European mountain village, when the roofs are viewed from the highest point of property”.

A feeling of serenity and calm was one of the main goals for this house. To achieved this goal, the use of different contrasting materials was minimised. In order to suit the elements of the buildings surroundings and stay true to its natural form, a lot of local materials were used. The exterior of the residence consists of yellow tiles, yellow brick and black painted wood. The interior is made up of raw grey walls, brushed natural oak floors and white ceilings. This consistent use of the same materials “throughout the house is what gives this labyrinthine structure a cohesive look and feel as being one continuous space. It is the choice of local materials that provides the same harmony as you find in old villages where everything is constructed from what was accessible around the village. The use of natural materials, that had some imperfection gave the house an authentic aesthetic - like that of an aged and well treasured structure which only becomes more beautiful as it decays”.

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images.

Iconic “Urban Retreat”

Architect Paul Rudolph, in the 1960’s, transformed this 19th century carriage house into a four story home which is located in Manhattan’s Upper East Side in New York city, USA.

According to Architectural Digest, the residence, “commissioned by a real-estate lawyer, was later sold to fashion designer Halston, who used the living room to host bacchanals for his famous friends.

Its most recent owner, the late German-born industrialist and photographer Gunter Sachs, replace the wall-to-wall carpeting with white-oak floors and added balustrades on the precarious mezzanine and catwalk.

The rudolph scheme otherwise remains intact”.

“We look at it as a piece of art,” said Noble Black, a broker at Corcoran Group, who is listing the house along with Bonnie Pfeiffer Evans and Carmen Marques Perez.

“There are no comps for a house like this”.

Special thanks to Home DSGN for the above images.

Open Box 2 Home With White Oak Flooring

The San-Francisco based studio Feldman Architecture has designed this Open Box 2 House. Originally a “boxy 1940s stucco house, this now two story contemporary home is located in San Francisco, California, USA”.

This project involved modernising the home completely to something fresh and new. The original house was a series of small, dark rooms with a completely unfinished ground floor and little connection to the outdoors.The whole home had to be updated with the living space increased.

“The main living spaces were opened up to allow the small house to feel more spacious than its modest 2000sf size. Also, the unfinished space on the ground floor was converted to create a new entryway, bedroom, bathroom, and family room”.

Finishes such as Italian Oak cabinetry and round glass tiles were used to add texture. The flooring of the home is made up of white oak which really adds character and an elegance to the home. The flooring also seems to add a feeling of spaciousness which is further enhanced by the strong connection to the outdoors. Carefully placed windows and skylights are in place to maximise sunlight, garden views and privacy.

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images.

The Ravine Residence

Cindy Rendely Architexture has designed the Ravine Residence. Located in North Toronto, Canada, “where the streets are lined with neo-historical châteaus in beige brick and taupe stucco, the Ravine Residence contrasts with its neighbours”. The house was created to be multi-generational, for the grandparents, parents and three children and to take advantage of its “spectacular ravine setting” to comfortably provide “community and privacy as desired; and reflect the contemporary attitude and lifestyle of its owners”.

The plan of the residence is a U shape made up of three floors. This U shape wraps around an outdoor courtyard/dining room and a wide, feature staircase that unfolds into the back garden.

The house itself mainly consists of local materials in both its exterior and interior. The use of stone and wood ensures a “harmonious aesthetic throughout”. Whitewashed natural white oak has been used for the flooring, millwork and furniture. This use of oak throughout adds a real sense of modern combined with nature to the residence.

Special thanks to Contemporist for the above images.