Hanoi Corner Kyoto

02/12/2015

Good Design. Rooftop lobby and bar! W Hotel San Diego

24/11/2015

Japanese people are unique! Its just Japan! Make your own ring tone!:)

21/11/2015

http://brightside.me/article/100-best-photographs-without-photoshop-46555/?image=210605&utm_campaign=art-images-share

According to BrightSide.me.

20/11/2015

The L House is a Japanese-inspired family home in Culver City, LA. It combines both modern and traditional thinking, influenced by elements of zen. As opposed to some people who buy a starter house and then upgrade from there, this couple wanted to build their dream house and make it their lifelong home. A truly sustainable approach.
In terms of sustainability, the house is designed with a tankless water heater and recirculating pump for near-instant hot water, 26 solar panels and a foam cool roof, which reflects heat back to the sky rather than having it absorbed into the house, cutting cooling costs by up to 15%.
In the yard, water use is kept to a minimum via gravel and drought-tolerant hardscaping.

Traditional Japanese features are integrated both inside and out; the engawa deck is a place where guests are often greeted to sit with a casual cup of tea; at the entrance there is ample space for removing and leaving one’s shoes; and the communal master bathroom, located in the middle of the second floor, features Muji bath stools for washing off.

The larch rainscreen covering the second floor give the house a light appearance and also provides privacy. Though it’s difficult for outsiders to look in, the openings between the slats of wood let the family sneak views to the outside.

17/11/2015

Greenery.

17/10/2015

17/10/2015

Tiny house

If you ever get to Stoughton, Massachusetts you might stumble upon the Boxy Lady, the Hickshaw or the Gypsy Junker – tiny home full of rustic charm, which are actually made out of, well, junk. Each of these small outbuildings have been constructed by Derek Diedricksen – “a mad scientist with too much lumber on his hands” – who lives there with his family in a compact 950 sq. ft. house.

These one-of-a-kind shacks were all built from salvaged materials at a cost of less than $200 apiece – Wow! Talk about upcycled garbage.

You’ll recognize the Boxy Lady by its stained glass panels, created by the artist Stephanie Atlee; the Hickshaw, named because it’s “a rickshaw for hicks”, was designed to be easily moved around, built on the base of a found cedar deck chair on wheels; the Gypsy Junker features an exterior counter, made from an old front-loading washing machine. You’ve got to love this charmingly small hut, with its discarded shipping pallets frame, a built-in bunk bed and heater, which runs on vegetable oil.

17/10/2015

Sitting on a very limited lot, this small house features an exceptional pentagonal shape. The structure is a one-story private home, featuring a compact space of 87 sq. meters. You might think that because of the small size of the overall space and the irregular shapes inside the house, the impression would be crowded and uncomfortable – but that is not the case. The result is modernly beautiful.

The unique shape of the structure creates irregular interior spaces with sharp corners – spaces that are in need of creative solutions and wise planning.

17/10/2015

Inside the box

You know the saying that you can never have enough storage space… Well, this prefab home has taken it to the extreme. As you can see, each architectural element in this space – stairs, windows, desks, chairs, etc – have been designed on the basis of a 360 x 300 x 300mm shelf scale, creating a beehive effect – It’s almost like living inside a Tetris game.
Located in Osaka, Japan, this unique private house has been designed around an extensive collection of books on the subject of Islamic history. The owners were looking to create a living space, that will combine geometrical harmony with the ability to store and exhibit their extensive collection.

Inspired by a lattice structure, made from 25mm thick laminated pine-board, the structural system affords not only large amount of book storage, but the possibility of various platforms and floor levels.
The inter-locking laminated pine-board was prefabricated and assembled on site. Similarly, the pyramid-shaped roof was assembled on-site, from 12 pieces of prefabricated wooden roof panel. The completed roof has a thickness of only 230mm and sensitively covers the whole space like the dome of a Mosque.

“In addition to its unique structure, the outer wall employs the construction techniques of a traditional Japanese storehouse Dozou.
The bamboo net wall foundation layer was attached to the lattice structure and the clay and straw mixture was applied to the foundation by the trowel. Then the red cedar panels forms exterior wall. The interior clay wall was finished with white plaster. These techniques are in accordance with urban fireproofing specifications, as well as maintaining a suitably humid environment for the storage of books.”

17/10/2015

Bridge House

This compact house touches the earth lightly, and as its name points out, it is designed as a narrow bridge connecting two rocky banks above a billabong (a small lake formed by a change in the watercourse).
I love the fact that the house has such a small footprint; supported by steel trusses and anchored by four small concrete piers, the structure hovers above the watercourse, amongst the trees in an almost untouched beautiful setting.

It serves as the new home of a South Australian couple, with only 110 sq. meters of space, consisting of a single bedroom, an open plan living area and kitchen, and a home office/guest room.
Large glass walls on each side of the house open indoor spaces to the natural surroundings and a magnificent gum tree.
Several elements keep the house heated during cold weather: a dark concrete floor that stores heat, a wood combustion heater, and double glazing to retain the heat.

In summer, perforated steel louvres shade the north facing windows; the narrow form of the bridge house allows cross ventilation, and combined with ceiling fans, keep the space nice and cool.
This sustainable house is completed with solar hot water heating and solar panels positioned on the garage roof, as well as three tanks to collect rainwater.

17/10/2015

Based in Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Twelve3 do small in a big way. Their collection of micro homes, or should we say Cubes, are simple, convenient, and oozing with style. These small, sustainable homes feature approx. 1700 cubic feet of space, with plenty of natural light – Living smalldoesn’t mean you need to compromise.

Cubes can serve as small homes, guesthouses or rentals, or studios for all types of creative work. Each home consists of four distinct sections:

Living area which includes a comfortable couch/guest bed, a handy slide out storage compartment, and a spacious work surface serving as a home office space.

Kitchen with a large window, extensive counter space with smart under the counter lighting and wall-mounted cabinets, a stainless steel sink, fridge, propane cook top and options like a dishwasher, induction cook top, microwave or grill oven.

17/10/2015

Japanese small house - Charmingly Simple

This small house design was carefully planned to incorporate a gabled roof and a large atrium, creating a spacious living area that is kept cool during hot summer months, while warm and cozy during the winter. The overall impression – both inside and out – is charmingly simple.

Located in Kyoto City, Japan, this compact home features an airy open plan living space on the ground floor, while private areas are located at the top of the stairs. I like the way the space is divided into living, dining, cooking and storage areas – nothing too bold, yet comfortable, functional and very pleasing to the eye.