Design, Science and Technology

Set above and within a natural stone wall which runs along this length of the Greek Rhodes coastline, Villa F is a design by Hornung and Jacobi Architecture for a holiday retreat. There’s a strong emphasis on comfort and minimalism throughout the dwelling with markedly few distinct rooms and a lack of internal walls.

Hornung and Jacobi Architecture opted for a lightweight plaster coated timber framework for its superstructure, as opposed to the typical tendency towards brute force and concrete cantilevers in modern architecture. A key aspect in the design brief was that it should be possible to cool and heat the building relatively quickly in order to reach a comfortable temperature as soon as possible. This was achieved through the use of lightweight components in its construction, and the incorporation of a mechanical roof vent to encourage convectional ventilation to occur throughout Villa F.

 

Via Lauren Moss

Wind-dyed House by acaa in Yokosuka Kanagawa, Japan

From the architect:

A residential building located halfway up a cliff, overlooking the ocean. Thick clumps of trees that grow along the slope of the land surrounding the house cast a series of organic silhouettes that make the slope seem to come alive. We decided that the appropriate form to build would be as low-lying as possible, while also allowing the architecture to become embedded in the surrounding landscape according to the contours of the terrain. This would allow us to minimize the impact of the building on its environment.

 

The design of the walls plays an important role in creating the overall sense of presence that a building projects. As such, we also tried to prevent the walls of this house from becoming surfaces that would obstruct or impede movement and sight. Glass and screens along the enclosed perimeter of the house gives the second floor of this residence a certain transparency. Slender, deep-set eaves cast deep shadows on the facade of the building, softening the impact of the building's physical presence in relation to its environment.

Via Lauren Moss