If you’re looking for a unique getaway experience in the Scottish Highlands, consider the AirShip 002, a submarine-inspired, insulated aluminum pod designed by Roderick James Architects. The compact cabin is located in a secluded 4-acre site in Drimnin near the Isle of Mull, with views of the surrounding hills and sea.

The AirShip 002 features a galley, double-bed, kitchen, balcony and sitting area, all fitted with essential amenities, electricity and spring water. Both ends of the ship boast domed glass windows, while a wood-lined interior and indoor fireplace ensure a cozy stay.

You can book the AirShip 002 on Airbnb now for about $200 USD a night. For more stunning getaways, the Sacromonte Landscape Hotel is a modern vineyard resort in Uruguay.

SOURCE: UNCRATE

Europe’s Q-Yachts pursues avant-garde boat design, with a contemporary design bent. The company’s latest creation is the Q30, a revolutionary yacht that utilizes a completely silent propulsion system and zero-emission electric motor. Its clean white design ensures that the Q30 is as easy on the eyes as it is the ears, with sleek lines, a hydro-dynamically-optimized hull (for producing minimal wake) and surprisingly spacious below-deck cabin. Touch screens grant the helmsman complete control over the boat and access to a digital map, while the beach deck towards the rear offers a variety of functions and storage space. Though the cabin is minimal, the clever use of space makes for an impressively-expansive lounge area, complete with mirror, air conditioning and sink.

Lean more about the Q30 on Q-Yachts’s website and check it out in action below.

For more nautically-inclined designs, take a look at Ireland’s submarine-inspired AirShip 002 Cabin.

source:designboom.com

1. Don't Try So Hard

"Most people try to accomplish too much in their homes," advises David Mann. "They try to be this and this and this, and when they're done, it doesn't function in any of the ways they envisioned. What are the most important goals? Choose a few and accomplish them." Mann had worked with Indiana-native and art collector Rodney Miller on two prior projects when they were given the opportunity to build from the ground up on a 25-foot-wide vacant lot in Carnegie Hill. "Miller is very tall, and one frustration he had with many apartments is they felt claustrophobic." He wanted a place that wouldn't make him, his art collection, or his friends—who he liked to have over for drinks and dinner—feel cramped

So Mann imported space, by way of light. The glass curtain wall at the back of the house lets the sun flow in and the interior lighting flow out, where it brightens up the backyard at night. Mann dropped blue stone throughout the entire place—from the front courtyard, through the first floor, and through the outside—so that it feels like one continuous space. The dark-toned flooring and wood accents, paired with damn-that's-white walls, put the focus on the hanging art. All Miller's missing is a quiet suited man in the corner reminding guests not to use flash photography.

2. Play Nice with Mother Nature

The most minimalist house possible would be a shipping container painted white with one lone mid-century modern chair in the corner, but nobody wants that. No, even if you want minimal, you still want some of the messiness that is the outdoors meshing with your design. The key, then, is to be intentional about how that happens.

The template for this 2,400-square-foot weekend home in upstate New York were drawings and renderings of a desert home Mann had designed for himself. Mann wanted to orient the house to face the western sunset, toward the Catskills, but his client, Sara Rotman of MODCo Creative Inc, argued that it would involve cutting down too many trees and it would be just as nice to wake up to the sunrise towards the Berkshire view. "The lesson here," says Mann, "is to trust your instincts. Don't just listen to someone else."

3. ...And Make the Yard Minimalist, Too

Look at that pool. That glowing green grass. Those clean lines and startling edges. That's how minimalism goes out into the yard.

The outside of this house is clad in Cembonit, a kind of dyed stain-proof synthetic wood, and that flat textured expanse mirrors the clean walls inside. For good reason: "The exterior here becomes a room, embraced on three sides" says Mann. "The family spends a great deal of time outside together." You won't find much littering the lawn—no fire pits or tchotchkes, no botanic garden landscaping—save a freestanding screen hides an outdoor shower and barbecue. (The screen has a little window so the grill master can see what's happening and tell anyone who wants a burger well-done to kick rocks.) The lesson here is that you can—and should—bring the interior design you love out into all that green space. Maximize your patio, buy pool furniture you love, invest in a better grill.

4. Save Your Soul

So you're not building your dream Zen zone from scratch, but working with the house you've been given. Attaining minimalist nirvana means you'll want to do some surgery—but don't go so minimal that you lose what made the space special in the first place.

For the gut renovation of the 4,000-square-foot bachelor pad of Yoon Kim, Mann preserved the industrial loft's existing architecture, including its massive rolling steel doors, vaulted ceilings, arched top windows, and exposed brick walls. "You have to know what not to take away," said Mann. "Know what's good in the space and what to leave."

source: GQ.COM

French furniture company Hervet recently launched an exhibition inside Maxfield’s Beverly Hills output in Los Angeles, California. Helmed by co-founders Cedric and Nicolas Hervet, the show displays a stunning selection of handmade pieces in futurist forms. Cutting-edge block desks, coffee tables, and lounge chairs are placed throughout the Jean Prouvé building. Highlights include the company’s Le Satellite that houses a Bose sound system, Passager armchairs made of steel and full-grain leather, and smaller items such as the Astrolux lamp crafted out of exotic wood as well as Vedette skate decks. All items were built using traditional woodworking techniques such as marquetry and veneering.

View the exhibition above and drop by Maxfield LA where the show is open to the public until June 28. Shop select products at Hervet’s official website. In other design news, Raf Simons curated Calvin Klein’s first-ever installation at Design Miami 2018.

Maxfield LA
8825 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90069

Source: Hypebeast.com

For MIA Design Studio, one of the key requirements was to connect the different zones of the large Louvers House in order to reflect the needs of a modern Vietnamese family. At one end of the house is the bedrooms and living area, while the other end features a spa and gym. To link the different zones, the architecture firm built the space around a shared courtyard that also brings light and air into the middle of the house.

Other key features of the house include its first floor living area, which was moved up from the ground floor in order to give the best views across the park lying in front of the house. The Louvers House’s location is also an influence on the design of the large canopy, which is needed to keep the house cool from the tropical Vietnamese sun.

In other architecture news, take a look at this take on the traditional Finnish log home.

Nestled along a rolling green pasture patch overlooking the scenic grandeur of Werri Beach, New South Wales is a concept home created by Atelier Andy Carson. The Headland House, which sits sandwiched between arching cliffs on one side and picturesque blue water on the other, is an imposing structure linking three separate pavilions within the confines of a protected courtyard.

Tasked with creating an alternate viewing experience for its homeowners, the architecture firm thought to incorporate framed glimpses of the exterior landscape, as opposed to typical dwelling arrangements that provide the same view from standard wall-to-wall windows. The interior space plays into the structure’s unique layout, further enhancing the thematic flow of each area. Color schemes keep to the subtle side, with varying shades of brown and grey echoing not only through raw materials, but furniture and accessories to boot.

A two-bedroom guesthouse caps of the project — providing out-of-town guests a cozy set up to relax and take in the majestic beauty of their immediate surroundings.

In case you missed it, Zedd gives a tour of his $16 million USD mansion.

SOURCE: ARCHDAILY

Located on the edge of a forest 60km from Saint Petersburg, this house from architecture firm AB CHVOYA was created to blend into its environment. As well as the woodland location, the space is shaped by the plot’s slope and other realities of the area’s geography.

Designed for two artists, the building features both a studio space and a residential area consisting of a kitching-living-dining space, three bedrooms and a yoga area. The two zones of the house are linked together with a transit porch. The exterior of the house is clad in carbonized wood, that hides the structure in the forest.

Take a look around the house in Roschino above. For more houses, check out the peaceful L20 building in Mallorca, Spain.

SOURCE : ARCHDAILY / HYPEBEAST

hufton + crow have just released a new set of images documenting the exterior facade of the now completed 520 West 28th building by Zaha Hadid Architects. Proposed in 2013, the luxurious condo complex houses 39 units — priced between $4.95 million and $50 million USD depending on the size — and is brimming with the architect’s signature use of curves, and choice of material.

As the first completed project in the city, the building is situated in an ever-growing neighbourhood, which sees a number of art galleries and restaurants, but with amenities like an IMAX cinema, large gymnasium, swimming pool, and extended outdoor section, the building is more than well equipped for a night in.

For more ZHA projects going on in the world, check out this alien-like cultural hub that’s set for construction in UAE.

NYC Condo Project by Zaha Hadid
520 W. 28th Street
New York, NY 10001

SOURCE: HYPEBEAST

Looking over the town of quilanto in chile is the ‘wulf house’, a three-storey family home designed in response to its environment. Taking advantage of the uninterrupted views of lake llanquihue, a natural balcony was created and the three floors distributed in a way to make the most of the terrain. On the exterior, each face of wulf house visualizes differently due to thedifferent construction systems chosen and combined in according to their role and location on the land. The construction grows from a semi-buried re-inforced concrete base and serves as the support to the rest of the house that is then built and resting on a metallic structural skeleton. This is complemented by wooden beams to give the dwelling a delicate and contemporary character.

source: designboom.com 

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Ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, architecture studio Penda has designed a new bridge connecting Beijing and neighboring city Zhangjiakou where some of the outdoor Olympic games are slated to take place. Inspired by the five Olympic rings, the structure consists of a series of overlapping arcs made from tubular stainless-steel struts. The shape also pays homage to the nearby mountains, which led to the name San Shan Bridge (translated as Three Mountains Bridge). The 452-meter bridge adds an inviting context toward the mountainous scenery of Zhangjiakou, as envisioned by architects Chris Precht and Dayong Sun. The helix construction provides structural support similar to a roller coaster, while using five times less steel than a regular box-girder frame. Finally, a row of hedges and trees create divisions on the deck separating pedestrians and cyclists from cars. If the project is approved, it will spearhead a system of upgrades for Beijing’s preparation of the Winter Olympics.

SOURCE: DEZEEN

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Interior renderings have been released for the One Thousand Museum, a skyscraper in Downtown Miami that is just one of the many projects started by Zaha Hadid before her untimely passing. The 62-story tower features a contoured exterior, and a structurally strategic exoskeleton which has left the building almost entirely column-free and open. The luxurious residence also includes its own private helipad, a two-story aquatic center and sky lounge, a duplex penthouse, several full-floor penthouses, half-floor residences, townhouse residencies, indoor and outdoor spas, and a sculptural sun and swim terrace. Every detail of the building has been thoughtfully planned, including it`s location. The One Thousand Museum neighbors other stunning architectural feats such as the Perez Art Museum, the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, and Frank Gehry`s New World Symphony, while overlooking Museum Park and Biscayne Bay. The skyscraper will be completed posthumously, with expected completion in 2018.

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SOURCE ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS

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Situated in China’s northernmost Heilongjiang province, Harbin is an industrial city set amongst a bitterly unforgiving landscape. The last place, therefore, that you would expect to find the sumptuous, sweeping curves of the Harbin Opera House. Designed by MAD Architects, the Opera House seems misplaced from a cityscape of the distant future, featuring a biologically-inspired aluminum exterior that, as envisioned by MAD founder Ma Yansong, “would blend into the winter landscape as a white snow dune arising from the wetlands.”

Dutch architectural photographer Iwan Baan traveled to Harbin in the midst of one of its infamous winters — where temperatures drop to a bone-chilling -30°C (-22°F) — to capture the building as encased by the throes of snow and ice, lending even more to its otherworldly aesthetic.

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Roman and Williams, the firm behind Ace Hotel New York, The Boom Boom Room, and the Standard Highline, adds another name to its impressive resume with the unveiling of the Fitroy. The latest addition to New York’s luxurious High Line residences is a beautiful 10-story building clad in green terracotta and copper-clad oak, boasting 14 residences that rival any 5-star establishment. Ranging from two to five bedrooms, the homes have been furnished with chevron oak floors, north and south exposures, custom marble counter tops, and copper bathroom fixtures. Other amenities of the building include a secure wine locker, storage room, fitness center, rooftop lounge, and a 24-hour concierge. With prices ranging from $5.3 million USD to $15.8 million USD, head over to the building’s homepage for more information.

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SOURCE: UNCRATE

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Let’s get one thing out of the way right off the bat: no, this house isn’t called the “Antsy Plum House,” as cute as that may sound. Rather, the house is located in and named after the idyllic village and civil parish of Ansty, England.

The house itself was originally built in the ’60s on a steep, sylvan slope overlooking a collection of 12th century buildings. The home was originally built for Danish-British civil engineer Ove Arup and included a separate studio for the homeowner to work in. Over the years, water damage, decay and disrepair ate away at the house.

The architects at Coppin Dockray, however, saved the day and retrofitted the entire original structure, repairing and retouching the home to preserve it. The renovations included an overhaul of the building’s insulation, which resulted in an 80% reduction in carbon emissions and eventually landed the architects a shortlisting for an AJ Retrofit Award in 2015 and the award for ‘Best Renovation’ in the 2015 Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating Awards.

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Norwegian studio Lund Hagem has designed a beautiful cabin nestled between two large boulders. The boulders create a natural formation making a protected area, of which the building is accessible from a small path cutting through a heavily vegetated area. The design of the cabin itself was also intended to extend its natural surroundings, with a unique precast roof that juts out from the side of the rock and angles down to meet the ground. This roof also doubles as a staircase that leads to the deck, while the interior and exterior are seamlessly integrated. Check out more sleek and innovative designs at Lund Hagem’s site.

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SOURCE:DESIGNBOOM/ HYPEBEAST

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Step into artist Cai Guo-Qiang’s personal headquarters in downtown New York City. Its recent renovation and expansion sees historic elements from the building juxtaposed against newer materials of translucent resin. A resin-built wall is the central spine of the building and not only distributes natural light to multiple studios but references Cai’s work of unfolding different scenes on a common space. On the cellar level, we see a library, filled with the artist’s collection of publications, and a traditional tea room for reception. The building is a masterful site-specific approach to the cultural backdrop of Cai’s artwork. Get more information about the artist here. 

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Source: ARCHDAILY

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The Djerassi Resident Artist Program is tucked into the Woodside, CA’s Bear Gulch, providing writers and creatives alike with an oasis of privacy. The Diane Middlebrook Studios (informally known as the Writers Cabins) offer the ultimate remote hideaway — free of technology, Internet, social media and distractions. The four units face South-west with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. The units also feature private balconies, red cedar exteriors and a steel canopied roof. For added privacy, the units are even skewed away from each other to allow shut-in novelists to work completely devoid of distractions.

If sustainability is more your thing, check out this house in the hills of Mexico that creates the illusion of living amidst the forest.

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Photographer:CSS Architecture

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Thanks to interior designer Dominic Gasparoly and architect Khalid Watson, Los Angeles’ scenery is welcomed with their newest housing design. Part of GWdesign, the duo has assisted in developing a home on the beautiful hills of LA. Filled with tons of space, its views are seemingly endless thanks to windows wrapping around some corners all throughout the house. To complement the home’s interior, you’ll also find a custom bookshelf that matches the height of the stairs and a retro-like theater room that’s decked out in all red. Additionally, tons of natural light and organic views are welcomed throughout the home thanks to huge windows.

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Source:CONTEMPORIST

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After a couple of years on the market and with many price drops, Pharrell’s Miami penthouse is back on the market. Located at the top of the Bristol Tower in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, the 9,000-square-foot residence includes everything from an open cathedral-like living room, a second-floor loft space, spiral staircase, library, private screening room, 5,000 square feet of outdoor terraces, and five bedrooms in all. The penthouse even features an “opposite fishbowl effect” — meaning those inside can see out of the windows, but nobody can see in.Current asking price? A cool $10.9 million USD. But hey, it’s better than the original asking price of $16.8 million USD back in 2012.

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Source: Business Insider/ hypebeast.com

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This serene 520 square meter home was designed with nature in mind, creating a very open and bright space. The Greenbank Park semi-detatched home perfectly fuses modernity with wooden accents, exuding zen and serenity. With an open courtyard sitting on two levels, natural sunlight fills the entire property, On the first floor, a frangipani tree sits in the middle of a pond, framed by a timber box while a double volume living and dining room wraps around the courtyard. On the second floor is the master bedroom in front of interlocking vertical and horizontal timber which encloses a glass facade facing the open courtyard. Check out the space and let us know what you think.

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