minimalist

The American Institute of Architects recently recognized this Montecito, CA, home's functional, graceful design when it named it one of 17 winners of its annual Housing Awards Program. Montecito Residence is a single-family home set in the dry, wildfire-prone Toro Canyon. Designed by Seattle-based firm Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, the Montecito Residence won in the One/Two Family Custom Housing category.

The home's minimalist look is both practical and elegant. Given the fire danger in the area, simple, fire-resistant materials such as steel and concrete reduce the risk of the structure being lost to a wildfire. The architectural firm utilized a raised roof that shields the house from the area's brutal sun. This umbrella-like roof also creates a central hallway that catches off-shore breezes, helping to naturally cool the house.

The minimalism continues on the interior as well, which helps to keep focus on the exterior landscape, and provides open interior spaces for relaxing (as well as for romps for the owner's three dogs). I'm impressed how practical materials, such as steel and glass, showcase the beauty of common-sense architecture and design.

For more photos of this stunning residence, read more

Architect Craig Steely pays close attention to nature when it comes to designing structures. He has to, since his modern home designs on the Big Island in Hawaii share space with lava flow.

Steely, an architect based out of San Francisco and Hawaii whose work has been featured in such publications as Dwell, Sunset, and the New York Times, was awarded recognition by the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects for this home. His passion for Hawaii's very particular landscape is apparent in his comment in a New York Times article that "The volcano is so immediate and fresh . . . You're constantly reminded how fragile life is."

While the proximity of lava flow would be a little too jarring for some homeowners' comfort, I recognize the attraction and thrill of living near it. The alien landscape of volcanic rock makes this steel-framed home all the more fascinating in appearance. Hovering on a cliff that overlooks the ocean, this 1,400-square-foot-home is wrapped in glass on all sides, allowing residents to take advantage of the gorgeous, otherworldly views. The interiors take cues from the landscape, with red-and-orange tiling muscularly wrapping a curved wall in the bathroom and limited furnishings echoing the minimalist exterior vegetation. Take a look at the gallery for the big picture on this Big Island beauty.

Source

If you happen to be traveling through the Green Mountains of Vermont, you may be taken off guard by a decidedly modern interpretation of the classic farmhouse. Set on 44 acres of rolling hills and open farmland, this passive solar house, which won the 2008 AIA Vermont Honor Award in Sustainability and Design, manages to successfully marry vernacular architectural traditions with modern sensibilities.

The home, which was designed by Pill-Maharam Architects, has a laundry list of green features, including a LEED platinum rating, a 5+ Energy Star rating, a ground source heat pump, high efficiency lighting and appliances, and a 10KW wind turbine that supplies all of the energy for the home's heating, hot water, lighting, and appliances. Its wind turbine ensures that the home has a net zero energy output, and results in zero carbon emissions — incredibly impressive.

To see what this home looks like on the inside, read more