Modern Residential Design

A-cero Santander House A-cero , have recently received great press and interest in their Dubai Tower project, but they also produce fantastic, single family, residential designs. In fact it was difficult to choose a project to lead with! Here is their Santander house. The house is located on a skewed rectangular plot, with a gradient of around 1 in 3 and covering 2,204m2. The plot is bordered on the south by the access road, to the north and east by other properties and the west by a pedestrian pathway. The focus of the design was to maximise views of the river Miera to the South. The slope of the ground, usually problematic in construction, became an asset allowing them to set the house into the hillside. With a natural barrier at the rear, the front of the house opens up to the views and Southern sun. The project evolves, embracing the surroundings via a set of 3 very simple rectangular volumes, a large longitudinal central core from which two others protrude, angled slightly to the ...

Wolveridge Architects Sorrento House Wolveridge Architects bring us a unique modern bach for a retired couple, that proves modern design can accommodate all a client's needs without compromising on style. The Sorrento House was designed for a retired couple as a holiday house and a place they and their extended family could retreat from urban life. Located in a beach side suburb near Melbourne, the client's requirements were fairly straight forward. Four bedrooms, open living areas, a separate place for the grandchildren to play and to be private. After removing the existing house the basin like nature of seaside plot was revealed. Setting out, the idea of security and privacy was achieved through two monolithic structures at the rear of the house. The solid black wooden garage and rusting steel box, materials chosen for longevity in these conditions, face the street corner. Windowless on 3 sides, these boxes act as guards to the main door, the entrance to the contrasting open...

Arkhefield Balaam House Shaun Lockyer (one of 3 Directors) heading the team at Arkhefield created a unique solution in a very urban, riverside plot. Overlooked to the east, the house looks for winter warmth from the north and west whilst trying to take in southern river views. A private garden to the west provides light, a play area for children and a fire pit for relaxing around in the evening. The house combines zinc aluminium, concrete, rich timbers and raw battening as the house moves from secure bedrooms on the easterly spine towards the more open living rooms of the setting sun. Centre piece of the property is the cantilevered pool, providing an eave for the main entrance with its showpiece, glass end. It’s not all show either. Complementing its modern style and perhaps Gehry-esque (without comparison or wanting to offend) zinc curves, the house packs in green features as well. Rain water harvesting, solar hot water, passive “heat stack” cross ventilation (see the stairwell ve...