Green Edge House 

• Residential 

• mA-style architects

• Japan

•  2012

 

The Green Edge House is designed to blur the lines between outdoor and indoor spaces while addressing functionality and privacy concerns. Located in a residential neighborhood on a small lot with very close neighboring houses, maintaining privacy was a key challenge. mA architects addressed this by making the most of the lot’s city and mountain views. The design emphasizes these views while ensuring privacy, allowing light and a smooth flow between indoors and outdoors. They created a floating privacy wall around the house, with green space inside and glass partitions separating the interior. This setup allows light and wind to pass under and over the wall while providing privacy and a connection to nature.

Significance:

• interesting use of green spaces contrasting with the stark white surfaces and sleek lines.
• The combination of modernism and natural elements creates a welcoming environment where you can appreciate the outside from within
• strikingly beautiful example of modern architecture that includes nature 
• There are always ways to create privacy without taking away light and green spaces
• Creating flow between indoor and outdoor spaces can be achieved in various avenues

 

https://www.archdaily.com/460051/green-edge-house-ma-style-architects/52b21b3ae8e44e04e3000183-green-edge-house-ma-style-architects-photo?next_project=no

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Lunuganga House and Garden

 

• Residential

• Geoffrey Bawa

• Sri Lanka

• 1948-2003

Lunuganga sits on a beautiful 12-acre lot along the riverbanks of Deduwa Lake. It’s Bawa’s country home, where he spent around 30 years developing the gardens and many more years creating the estate, which includes various buildings reflecting his style of tropical modernism. Bawa revitalized the former rubber mill into a home that reflected his identity. Originally a rubber plantation, the land was purchased by Bawa in 1948 after Teardrop Island gained independence. He transformed it into an incredible estate, focusing on lush gardens surrounding the main home.

Significance:

• Reflecting your personality in design is important 
• Revitalizing and reimagining land and spaces can be transformative 
• Nature and the environment should always be key aspects to consider in design 

   

https://www.cntraveler.com/hotels/sri-lanka/alutgama/lunuganga

https://www.archnet.org/sites/2991

https://www.agoda.com/lunuganga-country-estate/hotel/bentota-lk.html?cid=1844104&ds=cGJAg1hJ1uh%2FdsMi

 

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Marie Short House

• Residential 

• Glenn Murcutt

• Australia 

• 1974

The Marie Short House was designed around the environment. Murcutt explains that this project was an example of “the idea of architecture as a response to the place, and not as an imposition on the place.” Wind patterns, rain, and orientation to the sun were all environmental aspects that Murcutt considered in the design. One example of his design around the place is how the house is raised up, allowing airflow and providing shelter to animals. The use of materials that reflect the context of the place, such as corrugated metal for siding—a nod to farmhouses—and the choice to use local timber are all important elements that make this project well known and well observed. The original design was created for Marie Short, who wanted something that could be built and then taken apart and rebuilt. This paid off for Murcutt when he purchased the house and transformed it to suit his family’s needs better. Murcutt added more space and a connective addition. In this process, he had to deconstruct part of the original house to make way for his new design. However, Murcutt prides himself on using every single original material in the updated design and highlighting that this is a responsible design.

Significance:

• Designing around space, not imposing on it
• Creating designs that can be transformed helps in creating a sustainable design
• Considering the climate and environment while designing is essential for creating a design that can withstand the test of time.

https://architectureau.com/articles/revisited-marie-short-house/