This is the studio of artist Gary Faigin, Perched on the border between Ballard and Phinney Ridge, the Belyea Faigin residence works hard. home for Gary, his wife Pamela Belyea and their two children and the site of social and business gatherings centered around the Gage Academy of Art that Pamela and Gary direct. Their 1936 bungalow sits in the back seat and a new three story, 1600 SF addition is in the driver’s seat. The lowest level is Gary’s studio, the middle level is the living/dining room and the top floor is a new master suite. The interface between the original structure and the addition is expressed in the glassy gasket between the two buildings.

Studio House Design of artist Gary Faigin by Johnston Architects

The original beveled siding slides from outside to inside marking the transition between old and new. The new portion is emphatically modern in its use of materials, structure and detail but the gable roof and areas of wood siding make it sympathetic to the character of the old house. The straightforward design direction was set by the need to economize and dictated the use of exposed truss-joist framing, simple forms, aluminum windows and sleek but modest finishes. Vivid paint colors and walls full of art enliven the rooms. This addition has allowed a busy family to work, entertain and live more efficiently and comfortably in a neighborhood they love. And the views aren’t bad either!

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This project consists of two town houses Johnston Architects PLLC is located half a block from the beach. They are also found in the Alki neighborhood in Seattle. Both houses have three bedrooms and two master suites equipped with two-car garage.

The glass facade and the view from the roof of the buffet collect neighborhood, Seattle skyline, and the beach. Master bedroom has access to the terraces and large glass walls, so that they cover some of these views. In addition to a spacious living room and high-quality surfaces, such as BSH framing beams, bamboo flooring, marble countertops and fir frames, Alki town houses are beautiful and practical. [Johnston Architects]

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Primo Estate is a purpose-built tasting facility in McLaren Vale, South Australia. It is sited over a rise, away from the road, amongst eight hectares of cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and merlot vines. Its south façade overlooks the vines and the picturesque Willunga escarpment beyond.

The brief was straightforward – tasting rooms, offices, production areas and a home for a specially imported wood oven. The Italian clients also provided imagery of the things they admired; cloisters, centuries-old gates and doorways and views of the hilltop town of San Gimignano.

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Here are is modern 3000 square feet suburban residence is located near Seattle. An openness, close connection to nature and fun are things that define the house’s design. It incorporates an eclectic yet refined mix of materials into playful and light-filled spaces. Besides that the materials are also those that architects use in contemporary house construction: concrete, steel, plaster and wood.

The main part of the house has two storeys with blackened steel panels and an arched metal roof. Inside the structure, heavy timber meets a cement-based walls coated with veneer plaster. The house is heated with hydronic coils in the floors and is cooled passively through locally manufactured windows, doors and ceiling fans.

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Coffou Cottage in Michigan City, Indiana, USA, was designed by Chicago-based Brininstool + Lynch with a simple structural system, and was enhanced by a horizontal wood rain screen of Western Red Cedar to privatize the entry sequence on the North, and a wall of operable glass on the South.

For decades the woods and fields of Southwestern Michigan and Northwestern Indiana, with their close proximity to Lake Michigan and short travel distance from the city, have offered Chicagoans weekend reprieves from urban intensity. The owners of this cottage sought to gain a sense of privacy with their vacation property, and preferred the experience of pastoral views to the natural landscape over views to the lake waters. They were fortunate to find the land that fit their aesthetic aspirations, and subsequently desired a home that would meet their modern concept for living.

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