Image via Complex Original
As the temperature begins to drop, and the holiday season is upon us, we look to the architects who create winter wonderlands fit for a season of snow and ice. No matter where you spend the chilly months, it's safe to say that winter is best enjoyed with a mug of hot chocolate and a warm fireplace, and there's no better way to weather out the season than in one of these architectural gems. To help you cope with the freezing air—or maybe to inspire a winter getaway in the near future—here are 25 Winter Dream Homes You Wish You Could Escape To. From sleek, modern homes like Studio B Architects' Linear House to Savioz Fabrizzi Architects' classic cabin Maison Boisset, there's a cold air escape here for everyone.
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Four-Cornered Villa
Location: Virrat, Finland
Architect: Avanto Architects
The Four-Cornered Villa is aptly named after its cross shape, designed to make it possible to see four entirely different views from each of its corners. The house is created to have minimal impact on the wildlife by using solar panels for electricity eliminating the need for running water. The bold black exteriors make the house invisible when viewing it from the surrounding lake, creating a sense of undisrupted nature. From the inside, the all-white interiors allow the walls to blend in to the snowy view outdoors, ensuring that the spectacular scenery will really stand out.
Apelle
Location: Karis, Finland
Architect: Marco Casagrande
Apelle is designed to maximize the functionality of a small space. The same room is used for everything, from sleeping to socializing to working out. White walls and open areas facilitate the versatility of the space while adding to the elegant simplicity of the design. Big windows provide lots of natural light and access to the beautiful surrounding nature, making the space feel quite large. The modern home provides a perfect hide-away during the harsh winter months.
Blue Hills House
Location: Quebec, Canada
Architect: la SHED architecture
The sloping roof and white cedar wood used in the design of this home allow it to become a part of the natural landscape, leaving the spectacular surroundings undisturbed. The cozy white interiors use accent colors to brighten up the simple and elegant rooms. Who wouldn't want to spend those long winter days in a house as awesome as this one?
Cabin Vardehaugen
Location: Fosen, Norway
Architect: Fantastic Norway
Cabin Vardehaugen creates a sharp contrast between the landscape and the building while still maintaining a sense of harmony with its surroundings. Located in a remote costal area of Norway, the cabin is a perfect place to escape the chaos of the holiday season and curl up with a good book.
Linear House
Location: Aspen, Colo.
Architect: Studio B Architects
This incredible house is built on a 24-acre alpine setting, giving residents access to the spectacular view of the Elk Mountain Range while still allowing them the comforts of the modern world. The materials used for the construction of this home include Japanese plaster, weathered teak siding, glass, and hand carved Yangtze River limestone.
Atelier Heikkilä
Location: Korpilahti, Finland
Architect: Architects Rudanko + Kankkunen
This minimalist building was designed for interior architect and professor Simo Heikkilä and his wife, an art historian. The goal was to create a space where the couple could store their artwork but was also habitable. The project was successful in creating a functional and efficient space, heated with geothermal energy.
Alpine Hut
Location: Lake Bohinj, Slovenia
Architect: OFIS Arhitekti
Tucked away in a small alpine village in the Triglav National Park, this amazing house is a great place to take a break from the frosty weather. The two-story house has three cozy bedrooms and a central staircase that wraps around a fireplace used to heat the entire home. Large open windows allow the residents to enjoy the gorgeous landscape while the sauna gives a much-needed escape from the winter.
Techos House
Location: Patagonia, Argentina
Architect: Mathias Klotz
This incredible house is located on the shore of the Nahuelhuapi Lake in southern Argentina. The house has two stories with a general area on the ground floor and the indoor pool and family space on the upper floor, allowing residents to enjoy more natural light and a better view. The Techos House provides an escape from the cold winter days where you can appreciate the spectacular view from the comfort of a heated pool.
The Barn
Location: Going am Wilden Kaiser, Austria
Architect: Mark Neuner & Mostlikely Architecture
For the construction of this home Marc Neuner and the Mostlikely team researched local Austrian history to construct a home that both celebrated the country's past and symbolized modernity. The Barn is designed to provide strong natural light to contrast a traditional dark, windowless barn. The concrete exterior walls were carved with delicate figures of flowers and creatures, reminiscent of local mythology.
House RE
Location: Vrhnika, Slovenia
Architect: Arhitektura SoNo
The bold structure of House RE is designed for the young family of today. The modern and simple interior find a balance in form and functionality. It's hard to imagine a more stylish place to hide out in during the harsh winter nights.
Lodgepole Retreat
Location: Rocky Mountains, Colo.
Architect: Arch11
The Lodgepole Retreat is a 2,200-square-foot cabin located on a 30-acre plot of land in a stunning alpine forest. This 3 bedroom and 3 bathroom cabin is built around the idea of sustainable living, heated with a solar thermal system and LED lighting. It is an ideal place to kick back and gaze at the Rocky Mountains.
Villa Bruun
Location: Kuopio, Finland
Architect: Häkli Architects
Villa Bruun is a house designed with the future in mind. Almost entirely built in timber, the wood will turn gray as it ages, slowly fading away into environment around it. The only part of the house not made of timber is the brick floors. It is entirely heated by fireplaces, giving the place a quaint, homey vibe that will get you in the holiday spirit.
Rierson-Salmons Cabin
Location: Tofte, Minn.
Architect: Salmela Architects
Salmela's bold design is composed of sharp geometric features and black exterior walls to contrast the surrounding landscape. The cabin was built as a guesthouse out of the original garage structure. The incredible three-story house now features a game room, a sauna, and rooftop access to take in the spectacular views.
House on the Outskirts of Prague
Location: Zdiby, Czech Republic
Architect: Martin Cenek
This energy efficient house was built by architect Martin Cenek to promote simple and sustainable living. What the house lacks in color it makes up for in character and strong design elements—the perfect place to hide away on those harsh winter days.
Yeti's Alphutte
Location: Grindelwald, Switzerland
Architect: Yeti
Step into this cabin to get into the holiday spirit. The entire place is designed to feel like a traditional lodge while still affording residents with the luxuries of the modern world. The warm wood and cozy furniture paired with the spectacular view of the snowy mountains make it all together the perfect setting to rest by the fireplace and eat some holiday cookies.
Chalet Béranger
Location: St. Martin de Belleville, French Alps
Architect: Noé Duchaufour Lawrance
The quaint exterior of this house contrasts with the bold modern features of the interior, finding a balance in the warm and homey atmosphere. From the incredible view to the cozy furniture and epic fireplace, this house is decked out with anything you could need during those long winter months, even an indoor pool.
Maison Boisset
Location: Switzerland
Architect: Savioz Fabrizzi Architectes
Though the Maison Boisset looks pretty classic from the outside, Swiss company Savioz Fabrizzi Architectes transformed the old cabin into a cozy, contemporary abode. Most of the exterior remained the same except for a revamping of the original structure for safety concerns and the addition of openings to allow for more light and warmth into the holiday home. Though it looks earthy and weather-worn on the outside, Maison Boisset's interior consists of warm and inviting wood panels.
Arsenal B47
Location: Switzerland
Architect: Ralph Germann Architectes
Ralph Germann Architectes converted an old WWII Swiss army building into a small, cozy home. The space is only 42 square meters, but through use of efficient and minimalist design, it becomes a habitable winter home. It is designed to look very clean and simple but the pop of fuchsia in the bathroom brings in a warm and homey feel.
Piampiano Residence
Location: Woody Creek, Colo.
Architect: Studio B Architects
Located on the edge of the Roaring Fork River in Colorado, this incredible home fits perfectly into the surrounding beauty. The simple white and maple interior allows natural light to travel around the house, giving it that warm yet elegant mood.
Twin Houses in Five Parts
Location: Upstate New York
Architect: William O'Brien Jr.
At first glance, William O'Brien Jr.'s Twin Houses seem like the quintessential example of minimalism. Upon studying the Boston-based architects' designs, however, it's apparent that much planning was involved in creating these sleek, geometric buildings. O'Brien Jr. planned the layout of the homes so that four various-sized trapezoids and a triangle can fit into both square and hexagonal spaces.
Black Magic House
Location: Budapest, Hungary
Architect: T2 Architects
There's no better time to curl up by the fireplace with a book than the frosty months of December and January. T2 Architects' Black Magic House, located in the remote woods of Budapest, offers inhabitants an idyllic space for escaping the cold. The house's black, wood panels mingle effortlessly with the environment. In fact, the entire building seems to incorporate some aspect of the natural setting—the house gives off a sense of the surrounding greenery; the walls have been made from smooth strips of timber, and in the winter, the house is heated with the firewood from the surrounding forest.
Alpine Cabin
Location: Vancouver Island, Canada
Architect: Scott & Scott Architects
At the northern tip of Canada's Vancouver Islands sits Scott & Scott Architects' Alpine Cabin, which serves as the partners' living quarters after a snowboarding escapade. The cedar-clad shanty is suspended above the ground, supported by six columns made from the area's surrounding Douglas fir trees. While the cabin's exterior has been designed to withstand harsh weather conditions (the house is raised above the ground so that it sits above accumulated snow), the inside consists of a warm lumber and fir interior and supporting columns which lodge through the house's two stories.
Mountain Cabin
Location: Laterns, Austria
Architect: Marte.Marte Architects
Despite having a minimalist and futuristic exterior, Marte.Marte Architects' Mountain Cabin actually blends in with the surrounding trees seamlessly in the winter. The rectangular, concrete structure features various-sized square windows, and two rectangular openings are cut out from the middle of the window to form terraces. While the outside of the home may appear barren, the interior also features the same concrete texture but with touches of wood to keep it cozy.
Peter Zumthor's Holiday Home in Leis
Location: Vals, Switzerland
Architect: Peter Zumthor
Originally designed and built as a holiday home for his family, acclaimed architect Peter Zumthor started renting out "Unterhus," one of two timber houses, beginning 2013. The three-story winter home ascends with the incline of the Leis Mountains, and with its gabled roof and massive windows, guests can take in the surrounding, magnificent mountain scenery.
Sugar Bowl Residence
Location: California
Architect: John Maniscalco Architecture
John Maniscalco Architecture's Sugar Bowl Residence is the ideal place for people to bask in winter's glory. Located in a mountain village of California, this modern cottage consists of two tiers. The ground level contains the bedrooms and service quarters. The upper level, with its large windows, holds the living space, where residents can lay by the fire and watch the snowfall.