Sunset Strip Residence

The Sunset Strip Residence by Los Angeles based Mcclean Design Architects is a striking home comprised of three units: luxury villa, glass garage, and a cozy guest house. Located in one of LA’s most famed neighborhoods just minutes away from the Sunset Strip, the contemporary residence is a two story structure with spectacular views of the Los Angeles Basin and the ocean, yet it still offers a peaceful natural environment. Other features include a bar, glazed wine cellar, along with an elongated see-through fire place that is visible from the family room on the other side, while the garage is constructed in a spot that enjoys breathtaking views of the surrounding canyons and is fitted with glass on both sides. All three buildings are connected by a water feature that leads to a pool and spa.

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoSeptember 11, 2014ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, GENTLEMANS DIARY MAGAZINEComment

The Cliff House Concept by Modscape

Inspired by the way in which barnacles latch on to rock and the side of the hulls of ships, Australian architecture collective Modscape have designed a modular home that delivers an ocean view like no other. Not for those afraid of heights, or water for that matter, the home is designed to be anchored to a cliff face via steel pins and will act as a natural extension rather than being built like a traditional home near the edge. The home is accessible through the top two-car overhang where a staircase and lift take you to the remaining four floors below. Inside, the interior is kept minimal with little furniture, as the focus is devoted to the large panoramic windows and breathtaking view. Commissioned by a couple as a holiday home near the southwest coast of Victoria, Australia, once insured, this home will be the first of its kind.

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoSeptember 11, 2014ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, GENTLEMANS DIARY MAGAZINEComment

Infinity House by AABE

A daydream of epic lines and breathtaking views, the Infinity House in Baleares, Spain is the stuff of music video or photo shoot lore. Designed by Atelier d’Architecture Bruno Erpicum & Partners (AABE), the grand edifice was conceived to soak up the balmy Mediterranean sun, playfully bouncing light off of its white walls. Rare Sabine pines punctuate the space and add a necessary dash of foliage to the otherwise concrete, structured interior. The kitchen, the living room, and of course the infinity pool all effectively convey the limitless feeling that likely overtakes visitors. Enjoy a tour through the home with the photos above.

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoAugust 27, 2014ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, GENTLEMANS DIARY MAGAZINEComment

Inside Tommy Hilfiger’s Miami Home

Legendary fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger has allowed photographer Douglas Friedman into his Miami home to capture the tastefully designed space. Although many may think Hilfiger’s home would have a strong sense of vintage Americana, the truth is quite the opposite as conservative and clean spaces are livened up with bright splashes of color and pattern and decorated with iconic pieces such as Basquiat paintings. The interior embraces motifs of ’60s to ’70s pop culture and we see an exquisite silver Mickey Mouse standing imposingly in the clean white foyer. Enjoy the images above and look out for the full read in the latest issue of Architectural Digest.

source:hypebeast

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoAugust 22, 2014TOMMY HILFIGER, DESIGN, ARCHITECTUREComment

Coastal House In Chile

photo by sergio pirroneall images courtesy of LAND arquitectos — photo by sergio pirrone
all images courtesy of LAND arquitectos

oriented to face the south pacific ocean, santiago-based practice LAND arquitectos has crafted a coastal residence appropriately named ‘catch the views house’. the dwelling is organized in order to provide expansive vistas along the chilean shoreline, framing specific sightlines throughout the two-storey property.in the same way that rocks surrounding the scheme are stacked, the connected volumes which make up the house are positioned on top of one another, arranged in relation with sunlight and wind exposure. the building’s external skin is also rendered in a color similar to that of the rugged terrain. constructed from prefabricated concrete panels, the home offers high insulation performance, while proving durable when confronted with the region’s erosive elements.

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoAugust 12, 2014DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE, GENTLEMANS DIARY MAGAZINEComment

The Russet Residence by Splyce Design

With a small wooded area to its west and an ocean view to its south side, the Russet Residence by Splyce Design is situated atop a steep incline in West Vancouver. Looking to make the most of this hilltop space without compromising its environmentally fragile surroundings, portions of its upper levels cantilever out past its foundation, thus allowing the native creek side vegetation to grow up, under and around as an uninterrupted forest floor. This is especially seen in the dining room as its dissolves into the adjacent forest canopy as well as frames the ocean view beyond it. Additional details include floating stairways, a bevy of skylights, alfresco living quarters, and so much more.

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoJuly 20, 2014DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE, GENTLEMANS DIARY MAGAZINEComment

N.B.K. Residence 2 by Bernard Khoury

Offering striking views of the entire city of Beirut is architect Bernard Khoury’s N.B.K. Residence 2. Occupying the top three floors of the Lebanese capital’s Plot #2251 project and home to a guest studio as well as staff quarters, the gorgeous penthouse sees a double-height first floor that features everything from a reception space and the master bedroom to a kitchen, dining room and library shelving stacked from floor to ceiling. Surrounding the space is a mezzanine that offers two additional bedrooms, as well as access to the third level – a stunning pool terrace overlooking the city.

source:hypebeast

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoJuly 7, 2014ARCHITECTURE, DESIGNComment

Marcel Wander’s “Mad Chair”

Dutch designer Marcel Wanders who is best known for his iconic “Knotted Chair,” presents his latest piece of work titled the “Mad Chair.” The harmonic structure has provocative suggestions, as the idea was to create a design without any material boundaries of great impact. This collaboration with Italian furniture makers Poliform, boasts a structure in flexible moulded polyurethane and legs in solid wood with spessart oak finishing. Furthermore, the piece incorporates a pre-covering in polyester padding and a stretch covered ring in fabric and leather. Head over to Poliform to find out more about its products and designs.

source:hypebeast

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoJune 17, 2014MAD MEN, DESIGNComment

Beaumont Hotel

The soon-to-open Beaumont Hotel in London’s Mayfair district has recently revealed a new addition to the façade of its 90-year-old structure. Celebrated British sculptor Antony Gormley was commissioned by the building’s restaurateur owners to design a multi-storied suite that would contrast the pre-war elegance of the hotel. “ROOM” – as it is named – is a massive modular piece made of stainless steel cubes stacked on top of one another and arranged to resemble a giant, crouching man. “My ambition for this work is that it should confront the monumental with the most personal, intimate experience,” said Gormley of his work. Although ROOM comes with a hefty nighly rate, art and architecture enthusiasts alike can get a glimpse of its dark, tomb-line interior on open days and during London’s Architecture Weekend.

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoJune 14, 2014DESIGNComment

Wieden & Kennedy New York

Advertising agency Wieden & Kennedy enlisted WORKac to redesign its three-storey office in Manhattan, New York. Making great use of the enormous urban space, the modern design aligns with the creative environment of the powerhouse ad agency. Standout structures include two circular staircases that connect the in-house library to the rest of the office. In an effort to blend functionality with design, the larger staircase located at the lower levels, aptly dubbed “Coin Stair,” doubles up as a seating area for a small auditorium or an open space to hold informal meetings. Click through the above images and head over to Frameweb for more on its in-depth case study on Wieden+Kennedy’s new office space, which comes out on July 1.

source and text:hypebeast

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoJune 12, 2014DESIGN, AESTHETICComment

Tonelli Design

To mark the 10th year of collaborations with industrial designer and interior architect Karim Rashid, Tonelli Design hosted an event at the ICFF 2014 in New York to celebrate the occasion. The Italian furniture brand presented a number of avant-garde yet elegant pieces, with a series of angular low tables, which feature overlapping surfaces constructed from smoked, frosted and transparent glass. The result in mind was to have the planes of glass appear to intersect to produce a very clever optical illusion. Head over to Tonelli Design to find out about more innovative interior design projects.

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoJune 11, 2014DESIGN, AESTHETIC, FURNITUREComment

Coca-Cola UK Headquarters by MoreySmith

When it came time to redevelop Coca-Cola‘s headquarters across the pond in London, architect Linda Morey-Smith was faced with a dilemma to resolve the past while nodding to the future. The architect and her firm – Morey Smith – creatively reconciled both, working from the building’s 20th century Edwardian/industrial interiors to create a striking balance between old and new. The design incorporates visual elements like vintage machines, bold neon signage, nifty glass bottle lamps, and cheeky painted brick ads. Underneath these cues though, the workspace is spaciously divided, with large work desks and soft lighting to encourage group collaboration – the preferred work mode of many modern companies. Finished by a feature wall by design studio Acrylicize, enjoy a look at the recently-completed space above.

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoJune 11, 2014COCA COLAComment

Tarifa House by James & Mau Arquitectura

Located on a hillside in southern spain, james & mau arquitectura have completed ‘tarifa house’, which overlooks the strait of gibraltar and the african coastline. The scheme is influenced by the vernacular architecture of andalusian ‘pueblos blancos’, while also responding to climatic conditions. High humidity and hot temperatures necessitate an open plan producing plenty of cross ventilation.

The dwelling is composed as a series of volumes spread apart creating a permeable arrangement of indoor and outdoor spaces. a pond passes through this organization, serving to cool the outdoor areas. In addition, expanded metal mesh wraps the structure, reducing thermal gain in the interior environment. this porous steel screen is also used for pergolas over the patio areas to provide shade.

source:deisgnboom

ARCHITECTUREPasquale KaratzetzoMay 31, 2014Comment

The Glenbrook Residence

Nestled in a small town just Northwest of the nation’s capital, the Contemporist offers a look at the David Jameson-designed Glenbrook Residence in Bethesda, Maryland. With this home, Jameson wanted to create three distinct structures: one for the “public” (entry space, garage and guest rooms), one for the most “private,” and one where the two can coexist. This can be seen from the two massive stone structures surrounding a glass and wood pavilion. Furthermore, the two adjoining wings feature their own outdoor terraces, the building itself is made entirely of all natural materials, and as an added sustainable element there’s an underground spring-fed water furnace HVAC system.

Source: Contemporist/hypebeast

ARCHITECTUREpaschalis karatzetzosMay 15, 2014DESIGNComment

Zaha Hadid's Dubai's Opus Office Tower

With construction moving ahead at the zaha hadid designed ‘opus office tower‘ in dubai, we take a closer look at the building’s interiors – also planned by the renowned iraqi-british architect. The holistic project involves the fitting out of the complex’s hotel rooms and apartment units, which are located at the upper levels of the structure. Hotel suites are designed to cater to local residents and international travelers alike, while apartments within the distinctive scheme combine an urban way of living with a home-away-from home appeal, offering panoramic views across the city below. Each room features an interactive media center and with an integrated digital music environment, while sliding and pivoting panels allow volumes to be readily and easily transformed.

source: designboom

ARCHITECTUREpaschalis karatzetzosMay 13, 2014ZAHA HADID, DESIGNComment

Inside the Set Designs of Mad Men

Nearly halfway through its seventh and final season, AMC’s critically-acclaimed series Mad Men has received award after award for its impeccable cast, writing, direction and overall performance. What really pushes a series about mid-century Madison Avenue advertisers to the forefront of TV land’s greatest dramas is its aesthetic, from the costume and set design to its historical accuracy and cultural relevancies. Granted a rare full access to tour Mad Men’s various sets by its creator Matthew Weiner, Interior Design sat down with Don Draper’s mastermind to discuss influences from his upbringing, the distinction between modernism on the two coasts, his team, cubicles and more.

Source: Interior Design

ARCHITECTUREpaschalis karatzetzosMay 7, 2014DESIGN, MAD MEN, GDM, GENTLEMANS DIARY MAGAZINEComment

The Fall House

In a scarcely known, typically overcrowded, yet mystical area of the california coast along big sur, san francisco-based studio fougeron architecture has completed a single family residence on an almost impossible sloped site butting up against the pacific ocean. The fall house possesses all the expected trappings of a typical residence: three bedrooms, kitchen, dining, living and office areas- organized within a linear transparent construction broken up in section next to a 250-foot drop to the almost non-existent beach below. what seems like an ordinary structure from the images provided proves to be a rather complex and unexpected form. Half of the house is cantilevered due to the challenging properties of the site, but also in an effort to preserve the beautifully harsh environment.

Two solid volumes are connected by a transparent library/den, stepping down in a series of tiers, so that from the top of the structure one can see clear down to the lowest level in an unobstructed space. Apart from the visual vibrancy of the scheme, the organization also offers natural ventilation. Employing a heat stack effect, automated shutters constantly filter hot air out of the upper-most volume, therefore sucking in colder air from the lower areas.

source: designboom

ARCHITECTUREpaschalis karatzetzosApril 29, 2014Comment

Prahran Hotel

Melbourne-based techne architects were commissioned to renovate the ‘prahran hotel’ in westgate, a corner pub fitted with a classic art deco facade and a one-story extension at the back of the site. As the client called for the demolition of the single-level addition to be replaced by a more dramatic two story atrium space, the architects sought out a new approach to fulfill the client’s needs.

The idea to use precast concrete pipes made sense on many levels: they possess a certain sculptural quality that brings a sense of image to the pub, they can be instrumental in naturally subdividing spaces into more intimate areas, and from the exterior could be recalled as a stack of kegs or barrels. Opposite the tubes, a full-height steel and glass atrium cuts through the space to visually combine the various programs. The timber plank-clad tubes now serve as more private tables while the atrium floor offers a more open flexible floor plan for larger groups and events. Structural material was left exposed juxtaposing the warmth of the wooden highlights and the vibrancy of the green plants hung throughout the spaces.

source: designboom

all images courtesy of techne architects

ARCHITECTUREpaschalis karatzetzosApril 8, 2014DESIGN, HOTELComment

Macau’s City of Dreams Hotel by Zaha Hadid

Universally revered architect Zaha Hadid will be making her own contribution to Macau’s bustling “City of Dreams” project with a new hotel tower to accompany the four that already exist on the property. Marked by a beautiful sculptural design with an exposed exoskeleton, the 40-story monolithic structure will boast 150,000 square-meters of floor space, approximately 780 guest rooms (including sprawling suites and sky villas), and a variety of gaming rooms, atriums, and restaurants to go along with both a spa and sky pool. Reinforcing the dynamism of the design, the building’s exoskeleton optimizes the hotel’s interior layout by reducing internal structural requirements while also allowing for neatly-integrated entrances and exits. Hadid’s “City of Dreams” hotel tower is on track for completion in 2017.

source: hypebeast

ARCHITECTUREpaschalis karatzetzosApril 4, 2014ZAHA HADID, DESIGN, MACAUComment

A Modern Loft

Burgeoning Spanish interior design label Egue and Seta have unveiled their latest project, reclaiming a sparse industrial space in the name of contemporary interior design. Located in the quiet city of Terrassa in Catalonia, Spain, the design label juxtaposed older feeling materials – unfinished exposed brick, concrete, and bamboo – with stainless steel to create an inviting new atmosphere for the space. A garden is placed as the centerpiece, reiterated along the walls of the loft, while sliding wooden doors conceal the bathroom, closet, and bedroom. Elsewhere, natural light flows through the expansive windows, lightly bouncing off of the steel accenting throughout the space. Enjoy a look through the space above, then head here to learn more about Egue and Seta.

source: hypebeast

ARCHITECTUREpaschalis karatzetzosMarch 18, 2014LOFTComment