Image via Complex Original
Houses are significant, not only for their architecture, but for their interior design and place in the context of of everything being built int he current moment. As design and sustainability continue to align more closely with architecture, the resulting structures are both beautiful and (thankfully) eco-friendly. Look through these Fresh Builds: The 25 Coolest Houses of February 2013 to get an idea of how architects are making use of space and nature to build homes. While most of these have been in construction and in development for a while, they hit the Internet and reached completion in February, so we've decided to put them together for your viewing (and daydreaming) pleasure.
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25. Rieteiland House
25. Rieteiland House
Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Architect: Hans van Heeswijk Architects
While one side of the Rieteiland House features a facade of tiled aluminum panels, the opposite surface facing the water is composed entirely of transparent glass and sliding doors. The interior of the home is unified through open spaces connected throughout three stories, while privacy can be found in the rooms.
24. Carling Residence
24. Carling Residence
Location: Ontario, Canada
Architect: TACT Architecture
Located on the shores of the Georgian Bay, the residence lies amidst tall trees where views of both the forest and water can be enjoyed. The minimalist interior design and simple building materials—stone, wood, and concrete—provide a perfect home away from city life, integrated into its natural environment.
23. Hintonburg Home
23. Hintonburg Home
Location: Ontario, Canada
Architect: Rick Shean
The exterior of the Hintonburg home is wooden and accented by a front courtyard. The interior of this home is completely minimal on both levels.
22. Greenwood House
22. Greenwood House
Location: Seattle
Architect: Malboeuf Bowie Architecture
The Greenwood House has large windows in the rear, blending the minimal and honest interior with the green yard outside. The house is a series of rectangular volumes designed with minimal wood accents, concrete floors, and a white palette.
21. House P
21. House P
Location: Mühlbach, Italy
Architect: bergmeisterwolf Architects
House P is an elegant home with a sleek exterior and equally minimal interior. This house has several angled windows and rooms, allowing for an optimum view of the northern Italian countyside.
20. The Mineral Lodge
20. The Mineral Lodge
Location: Savoie, France
Architect: Atelier d'Architecture Christian Girard
The Mineral Lodge is a reinterpretation of the old chalet built on the peak of the mountains. With outside walls paved in stones and wrapped with wood, this house blends elegantly with the natural landscape.
19. 4249 House
19. 4249 House
Location: Vancouver
Architect: DGBK Architects
The room on the main floor of 4249 House has amazing floor-to-ceiling windows to capture the gorgeous landscape. The jagged rocks and hills further accentuate the sharp linear structure and abundance of glass windows.
18. Cedarvale Ravine House
18. Cedarvale Ravine House
Location: Toronto
Architect: Drew Mandel Architects
This suburban gem is located at the edge of the Toronto Cedarvale Ravine, and the rear of the home opens up to protected woodlands. A lap pool reflects light into the space under the second floor, which diverges into two wings separated by a double height dining space and its adjacent open courtyard.
17. Urban Cabin
17. Urban Cabin
Location: Medina, Washington
Architect: Suyama Peterson Deguchi
This modern take on the traditional cabin has a beautiful linear layout, allowing the interior of the house to flow seamlessly from room to room. The blend of natural wooden accents and the west side of windows and doors embrace the surrounding garden and ponds.
16. Cove 6
16. Cove 6
Location: Knysna, South Africa
Architect: Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects
Cove 6 is a private estate in Knysna, perched on an exposed cliff with amazing views. Each side of the house has a private terrace or deck, fully utlizing the outdoor landscape.
15. Bluff House
15. Bluff House
Location: Montauk, New York
Architect: Robert Young
The Bluff House is located on a property surrounded by water, wetlands, and woods. While keeping the land undisturbed as much as possible, the vacation home was built to provide the best possible views of its environment.
14. Monasterios House
14. Monasterios House
Location: Valencia, Spain
Architect: Antonio Altarriba Comes
This massive house is positioned at a height allowing views towards the Calderona mountains and Valencia's gulf to the south, and features a pool and an entrance hall.
13. Casa Entre Arboles
13. Casa Entre Arboles
Location: Mérida, México
Architect: Muñoz Arquitectos Asociados
The main section of the residence contains the bedrooms, kitchen, and dining room built near the largest and most beautiful trees. The third section of the house is located closer to the golf course and consists of a large swimming pool and a covered patio. The house has wooded areas outside and inside the rooms to reinforce the idea of respect for nature.
12. Levin Residence
12. Levin Residence
Location: Marana, Arizona
Architect: Ibarra Rosano Design Architects
Focused on simplicity, functionality, and "collapsibility," the Levin Residence consists of three rectangular structures. Its desert environment is highlighted in the design of its layout, while the constructions were built to make effective use of the sun and wind.
11. House AADD
11. House AADD
Location: Marco de Canaveses, Portugal
Architect: Helder de Carvalho
House AADD, a structure comprised of two stacked boxes, has elevated views of the faraway horizon and green inland scenery. The interior is integrated with heightened spaces, stone walls, and a skylight.
10. Sam's Creek
10. Sam's Creek
Location: Bridgehampton, New York
Architect: Bates Masi + Architects
Sam's Creek is a series of open-ended mahogany boxes with large glass facades, allowing views to pierce through from the front yard to the rear gardens and landscape. Polished wood planks wrap the walls and ceilings, as well as the pool house, both of which are accented by stone components.
9. St Leon 10
9. St Leon 10
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Architect: Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects / Antoni Associates
St Leon 10 has unbelievable views towards the 12 Apostle Mountains, Clifton Beaches, and Robben Island. The house is organized in a linear manner, with all rooms facing the sea, while the rear of the house offers privacy with no openings.
8. Vaucluse House
8. Vaucluse House
Location: Sydney, Australia
Architect: MPR Design Group
The four-story Vaucluse House is on a small suburban street with living spaces on the top floor allowing for 180-degree views of the city and harbor. The house is a series of sandstone horizontal layers with openings, which help maintain a thermally-efficient internal environment.
7. Wairau House
7. Wairau House
Location: New Zealand
Architect: Parsonson Architects
The surrounding hills of the Wairau House include farms, orchards, and vineyards, which contribute to the pitched roof design and naturalistic architecture. The concrete and wood structures organize the home across a single story, while glass walls allow for air circulation throughout.
6. Edgeland Residence
6. Edgeland Residence
Location: Austin, Texas
Architect: Bercy Chen Studio
Inspired by the construction and technicalities of the Native American Pit House, the Edgeland Residence was built on the shores of the Colorado River as an extension of the landscape. With an insulating green roof, positioning within the earth's mass, and a smart pool, the house uses sustainable geothermal technology that allows it to exist and function with its surrounding land.
5. Los Amates House
5. Los Amates House
Location: Morelos, Mexico
Architect: Jorge Hernandez de la Garza
Los Amates House lies in a tourist resort in Morelos and is beautifully designed with an outdoor corridor, a glass curtain, and a high ceiling parlor.
4. Embrun House
4. Embrun House
Location: Embrun, France
Architect: Vezzoni and Associates
This house was designed based on a contemporary concept and was built with wood to embrace natural surroundings. The front of the residence faces towards the mountains, while the rear is surrounded by the greenery of the woods.
3. Casa La Punta
3. Casa La Punta
Location: Punta Mita, Mexico
Architect: Elías Rizo Arquitectos
The views from this Punta Mita residence are simply breathtaking; the home sits right on the beach, with a wooden walkway leading directly to the sand.
2. El Viento
2. El Viento
Location: Madrid
Architect: Otto Medem Arquitectura
El Viento is located within Madrid's mountain range and features sharply contrasting white exterior and jutting lines. The residence fully embraces the surrounding natural elements with an outdoor patio and strategically placed windows to view the mountainside.
1. Water Cherry House
1. Water Cherry House
Location: Japan
Architect: Kengo Kuma
The Water Cherry House is located in a natural park at the top of a cliff overlooking the Eastern coast of Japan; the residence is surrounded by trees and is close to the ocean's edge. The house has shallow reflecting pools integrated into the land and structure as well as a wrap-around deck.