Architecture: Snow White

In the remote desert of Idaho, Tom Kundig of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, created the perfect heaven for artist and designer Jan  McFarland Cox. Ms McFarland spent the past decade working on her dream project that would serve as a residence and a work studio at the same time. A secluded garden is designed as an oasis, separated from the dry landscape by thick concrete wall. Concrete block, car-decking and plywood are a few of the sustainable materials used to withstand the extreme weather and to integrate with the natural landscape.  

via The New York Times

Architecture: The Dream House

This could easily be the definition of an oasis... the private house in Arizona designed by the owners themselves, Sarah Swartz Wessel and Ethan Wessel of Tennen Studio is sited on a rocky slope planted with agave, desert mikweed and night-blooming cacti. The 10,500 SF house carries a strong influence of Asian design that is eminent to all of the work of Tennen Studio. The house is projected out from the slope, taking advantage of the mountain views mostly rather than the valley near by. Its undeniable how this modern creation has a timeless element to it... With the use of natural materials, the house is perfectly embraced within the natural landscape. The art above, a Lucien Wercollier bronze sculpture, is just icing on the cake! 

via Architectural Digest 

Architecture: a Sheik's High-Tech McMansion...

While architecture and new developments have come to a halt, due to the current economic crisis, one place that is still keeping things busy is Qatar. This private villa was designed by Project A01 architects, based in Vienna, located in the West Bay Lagoon area in Doha.  The beach house, with a very Zaha Hadid air to it, has blended modernism and heritage perfectly, by embedding local ornamental and traditional patterns in its context. 

Architecture: The Green House

We love when New York gets greener and especially it's rooftops... Above is real estate developer Matthew Blesso's 3,000 SF penthouse in Lower Manhattan, a New York heaven, that cost over $1 Million in renovation. The house now includes a herb garden, full of peppermint and spearmints, and wooden floors. 

Architecture: Minimal wonder...

...is what architect Len Marmol and partner Ron Radzinger created by renovating and expanding interior designer Carole Katleman's 1963 Beverly Hills residence. "The modern character of the house had potential, but we simplified the plan and improved the disjointed circulation patterns", says Marmol. The designers cleared out the doors, in order to connect all units to create a more spacious living area. A Frank Gehry corrugated-cardboard chair is next to Valerie Jaudon's Mound Bayou, 1978. (May 2002 of Architectural Digest)

Architecture: Something to light up our moods...

... and make us jealous of this New York penthouse designed by Andrew Berman. The rooftop is transformed into a magnificent garden... all surrounded by incredible views of Midtown Manhattan.   

Architecture: The Kaufmann House on Sale

The historic Kaufmann House in Palm Springs, California, designed by Richard Neutra in 1946 will be auctioned in a month's time at Christie's. This landmark modernist house that helped to shape postwar Modernism is estimated from $15 to $25 million dollars on the presale. Check out a showcase of the house in Christie's video. 

Architecture: Greeks do it with style...

When it comes to places of worship... greek architects were the pioneers! Now, in the 21st century, Alexandros Tombazis decides to continue his national legacy by designing the Sanctuary of Fatima, Church of the Most Holy Trinity and assembly hall for 9,000 pilgrims in Porto of Portugal. The space designed and the element of light are overpowering... trully as if a superior power lives within the grand metalic doors of the sanctuary...

Architecture: New Museum... New Images...

Simple. Clean. Elegant. More images on Sanaa's New Museum of Art in New York...

Architecture: Why we love New York...

just because buildings like this one are constructed and light up your day! The New Museum of Art in the Lower east side proved once more that the Japanese architects are here to take over the world! Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa's design have created a new fan base already... Take a look at the construction of the site from A to Z...

Architecture: Aegean Design

Greece has been known for its beautiful islands, its Aegean sea and its divine light, since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has been considered a top preference as a tourist destination and acquiring a second home in the islands is considered to be ubber luxury. Nevertheless, Greece took slow steps in the design element in the architecture of its second homes, as other places on the contrary, like Spain (Ibiza), Italy, France (less so...), Miami or Malibu, were known for it. Now, things have changed... This is due to the addition of a high-profile and multi-awarded summer house in the Cycladic island of Antiparos. The house designed by Deca Architects was "conceived as an inhabitable Krater, a dwelling, which is inextricably linked to the landscape that forms it". The architects focused on two major challenges for this site... On the one hand, they had to protect the exterior living areas from the strong winds of the Aegean Sea and on the other to focus on hiding the volume of the house from the settlement. The idea for this was to create the perfect habitat in harmony with the landscape. The result was the birth of a unique sensual identity for the site...

The development is a concept of Iasson Tsakonas, founder and manager of Antiparos Design Properties, who has formed a series of design summer homes on the island and has placed acclaimed design architects to produce the concept design, like We Design, Zege and Tala Mikdashi. It looks like the other developments will cause the same kind of stir, as this one! Krater, now, places the Greek architecture onto another level... and portrays Greece as the ultimum hot-spot destination!