This years Pritzker Prize winner, the highest recognition in architecture, is Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. This amazing architect is not the most well known name in his field, and he has remained in "relative obscurity" for most of his 30 year career. I am sure winning this high honor will shed some much deserved light on his projects which include mountain side chapels, and spas in and around the European countryside. One of Zumthor's works that I find particularly intriguing is the Kolumba Art Museum in Cologne completed in 2007 which rises out of the ruins of the late gothic St. Kolumba Church, destroyed in World War II. The Pritzker jury called the project "a startling contemporary work, but also one that is completely at ease with its many layers of history." Here is a look at some of Peter Zumthor's architecture that won him the 2009 Pritzker Prize.
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Some people's vision of a ranch style home is a more western or rugged theme. This Southern California modern home is anything but "home on the range". True, it spans out a good distance as most ranch style architecture does, but the details are very modern. This is the Sharpe residence in Somis, California designed by SPF Architects. Somis is near Ventura and about 60 miles out of Los Angeles. An interesting take on the home is the choice for a ranch styling as opposed to a more built up version such as a 2 to 3 story project. The home has a very narrow and long footprint. By design this was the choice of the home owners and I cannot be sure as to their reasoning. I can only speculate that they wanted to enjoy the wonderful Southern California views on either side of the home building it in a long format. As far as interior rooms go, I am quite fond of the wine cellar area with the dining table. This would be a great place to have dinner or share a bottle of wine with family and friends. Via.
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These are wonderful Hollywood Hills home pictures that provide great ideas on architectural possibilities. For those of us that have been fortunate enough to visit the area, the gorgeous hilly terrain creates wonderful views of Los Angeles for local real estate owners. Of course Hollywood is world famous so the setting is optimum for a person in the entertainment industry. This is the Bueth residence designed by SPF Architects. The house features modern design that capitalizes on wonderful views offered by the hilly terrain. The whole style of the home is built in a way that maximizes the views through windows on the first and second floors. On the right hand side of the first floor, you can see the amazing windows that make up the living room. The night time imagery from the photo is truly amazing. The same theme continues up to the next floor where windows are strategically incorporated to maximize the experience of he home owners. Via.
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The costs of home construction can be great when you add in all the features that you want. Stone veneer is one way to keep costs lower by forgoing using natural stone in the home's construction. I am a skeptic when it comes to stone veneer as I love the beauty of natural stone particularly in architecture. In "16 Stone Veneer Houses that You Must See" I thought that our readers can judge from themselves the look of the product. I must say that on first glance the product passes the test. I have not had a chance to "place my hands" on the product so if someone has, please leave a comment for others to read. These pictures are courtesy of Eldorado Stone whose site can be found here.
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SchwimmHausBoot has sent over their latest design called "Silberfisch" which takes a houseboat to a modern extreme. Inspiration for the project comes from the limited availability of residential space in most large cities. With that in mind it makes sense to make use of waterways as potential living spots. Here in the United States, houseboat rentals are popular in vacation areas where lakes are common. Is it feasible to have a waterfront property in a major city? That could happen in the future. The interior and furniture concepts that you see in the pictures were created by Confused Direction Designers. Source: SchwimmHausBoot.
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