Lake Joseph Boathouse

Muskoka Lakes Region  Canada  –  Altius Architects Year Built:     2011 Built Area:     600 sq. ft.  (55.5 m2) Lake Joseph is located in Ontario, Canada. It is one of three large, adjoining lakes located a little over two hours from Montreal.   Being only two hours drive from Montreal it is a […]

A Reflection of Mineral

Reflection of Mineral Atelier Tekuto

Tokyo  Japan  –  Atelier Tekuto Site Area:    44.62 m2 (482 sq. ft.) Building Area:    31.1 m2  (336 sq. ft.) Total Floor Area:    86.22 m2  (931 sq. ft.) Structure:    Reinforced Concrete Photography:     Makoto Yoshida Here is yet another tiny lot in the middle of Tokyo. Clearly, imagination is the first […]

Outside in – Inside out

The inside - outside house by Makoto Tanijiri

Seya, Kanagawa Japan – Makoto Tanijiri Lot Size:  73 m2  (788 sq. ft.) Year built:  2011 Most of us have a perception of the ‘built environment’ that is very ordered and neat – polished and refined with smooth finishes and a ‘conventional appearance. Yet, on a global scale, that perception is not the norm.  Most humans live […]

A Vancouver Coachhouse

Vancouver Canada  –  Birmingham and Wood Built area:    1,000 sq. ft.  (92.6 m2) Photography:  John Smith The drive for urban infill continues in Vancouver as it does in most cities around the globe.  Infill lots are typically small and usually have limitations as to the size of the home that can be built on […]

The Hackney Gingerbread House

Gingerbread Hackney

Hackney  London  –  Laura Dewe Mathews Built:     2012 Area:     80 m2  (864 sq. ft.) It’s always interesting seeing what an architect designs and builds for themselves.  In this instance, it’s a one bed, home built on the site of, and using some of the structure of, an old box factory. The […]

To Work and Back in 60 Seconds…

Hackney, London  UK  –  Edgley Design Area -Studio:     79 m2  (853 sq. ft.) Area – Home:     105 m2  (1,134 sq ft) Year Built:          2011 Like so many cities, London is crowded and expensive.  Infill provides opportunity for greater use of space without forcing people to either live in high-density […]

57th and Vivian – Modular, Prefabricated and ‘Net Zero’ Solar

Vancouver  Canada  –  Lanefab Design/Build Lot frontage:     50ft (15 metres) Built area:    1020 sq. ft. (95 m2) including single garage  Photography:     Dylan Doubt Cities and local governments around the world are struggling with the challenges of urban sprawl. The financial cost of providing roads and transport infrastructure and maintenance is crippling […]

Retreating to the Foothills

Yatsugatake Villa – MDS Location: Hokuto-City, Japan Area: 110.01 m2 Built: 2012 The owners of this villa are an older couple who left the city to spend their retirement farming. They wanted a low-maintenance home with maximum energy efficiency. Located in a harsh environment in the foothills of a mountainous region, it was necessary for the house to […]