Located in Beijing, China, Folding Roof Courtyard is an information center designed by MAT Office. The project incorporates a folding roof, opening the building to its surroundings and creating a unique spatial experience in the ongoing redesign of a traditional northern farmhouse. The focus of the design is on the integration of local materials as well as the use of construction techniques familiar to local craftsmen, maintaining the power of the mountainous countryside.
Lebanon-based design office StudioBo has completed a six-by-six-metre rooftop mini home in Beirut, creating “a space to find peace” amidst urban chaos. Designed in 2023, Pied-à-terre features a sloped sunbed room and a monolithic interior. Described as “a space to find silence”, the entirely off-grid home is powered by rooftop solar panels.
ARRCC has re-envisioned a Cape Town home’s interior layout and exterior composition to include a flowing, open-plan arrangement beneath a newly crafted self-supporting concrete roof. Named Wave Villa, the project is located on the Atlantic Seaboard at the foot of Lion’s Head in South Africa. The home’s existing footprint and foundation were retained, but the envelope was remodelled to connect better to the natural environment.
Vincent van Leeuwen designed Villa Ruwiel in Breukelen, Netherlands, in 2022. Situated on a historic estate, the house features an asymmetrical roof inspired by local barns, providing shade and connecting the interior to the landscape. Clad in Fraké wood, the energy-neutral home offers panoramic views and natural light through large sliding windows.
Weald House, designed by Mailen Design and Peter Bradford Architects in 2023, is nestled in Kent’s verdant landscape. This single-story house harmonizes with its surroundings by adopting local vernacular architecture.
The contemporary design, characterised by black cladding and a pitched zinc roof, reflects the architecture of historic local farm buildings. Prioritising natural vistas, Weald House incorporates large windows and a refined material palette, connecting interior spaces with the outdoors and optimising energy efficiency.
Casa Serra Azul, a wooden structure and prefabricated panel house designed by Apiacás Arquitetos in 2022, occupies a plot in São Paulo, Brazil. The layout embraces a horizontal form, maximising interaction with the land and providing excellent cross-ventilation. Its cohesive design, featuring a large wooden roof, aims to minimise material waste and introduce new construction possibilities, prioritising environmental concerns.
Lansdowne Road is a house extension in the City of London, UK, designed by Mulroy Architects in 2020. The project increased the floor space by 25 percent in this family home. The design features a courtyard between a new rectangular extension and an original Victorian bay window. A frameless curved window creates more space, wrapping around the bay and focusing the new dining area. The first-floor addition includes a study and bathroom.
Situated in the vibrant Itaim Bibi neighborhood of São Paulo, Brazil, the newly inaugurated Il Carpaccio Restaurant showcases a captivating design by the architects of FJ55 Arquitetos. This Italian cuisine destination, completed in 2024, offers a contemporary reinterpretation of classical Italian elements, creating a harmonious ambiance that seamlessly blends modernity with tradition.
