Perched in the Oakland Hills on a double-sized 13,000 sq. ft. multi-layer lot overlooking San Francisco Bay, the award-winning Margarido House exemplifies outstanding, sustainable design. Over 4,600 sq. ft. on two levels, the new five-bedroom, five-bath masterpiece features designer finishes throughout, and an open floor plan that takes full advantage of the breathtaking views.

The Margarido House is 55 percent more energy efficient than California’s Title 24 energy standards. The home features extensive green building components such as eco-friendly Western Red Cedar siding, a planted green roof garden and deck, on-site rain and ground water reclamation, in-floor hydronic heating, and solar electric and solar thermal (hot water) systems.

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Casa G is a vacation house in the countryside of Iceland designed by Gudmundur Jonsson’s architect. The concept of Casa G is based on reading and feedback to the landscape it exists on. The characteristic landscape situation and view differences distinctively in each direction. Towards south the view to the sea and islands, towards north the characteristic triangular mountain, towards east the glacier and towards west the river and canyon.

Those elements are the creator of the project, the transitions between the landscape views giving the entrance from the north and the curved plan giving a vitalized focus towards the seaside in south. When turning back the north view towards the mountain is as well enhanced with the widening view due to the fan-shape of the tilting wooden wall, being a mediator between the northern and southern landscape characteristic. The tilting is an answer and an interpretation of the glacier towards east, they are communicating and the only and huge window in that wall is creating “a painting” of the glacier experienced from the interior. The guest-wing of the building stretches to the canyon and the river towards west. Thus the building concept is a composition and dialogue of views and experiences of the various nature at site.

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