Featured Architecture Picks: Wallpaper's Top July Homes Choices
In the July instalment of The Monthly Architecture Edit, ArchDaily showcases a selection of standout contemporary residences that blend design excellence with high-quality materials and craftsmanship. Among these notable projects is the Fukumura Cottage, a minimalist retreat located in Nasu, Japan.
The Fukumura Cottage, designed by Architect Mayumi Miyawaki in 1974, resembles a concrete treehouse with bold, primary forms and a raw material palette. The retreat is anchored to the hillside and formatted to meet local height restrictions, blending seamlessly into its panoramic views of the Teton mountains.
The interior of the Fukumura Cottage is a testament to minimalist design, featuring a compact living room, a tatami tea room, and an attic bedroom accessed by ladder. The retreat's materials echo its natural surroundings - Montana stone, cedar ceilings, walnut flooring, and blackened steel.
The Fukumura Cottage has been restored by collectors Noboru and Yuka Tanaka and integrated into a modern design compound that includes a gallery and office. The transformation used Studio Bark's modular U-Build system, a flat-pack timber method for self-build construction, which helped reduce energy usage by 75%. The renovation also added a 50 m² extension clad in timber and insulated with cork over wool, two bedrooms, and a kitchen-diner.
Another standout house featured in the July edition is the contemporary retreat designed by CLB Architects as an off-grid escape for a family in New York. The retreat boasts a high-performance envelope and geothermal systems to ensure minimal impact on the land.
The series also highlights the How House in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, originally built in 1925 by Rudolph Schindler and recently restored by Spencer Velasquez. The mid-century home in Berkeley, designed in 1956 by Roger Lee, was updated by Mork-Ulnes Architects.
The Rethymno House by Gkotsis Serafimidou, located in Crete, also makes an appearance. This residence blends into its rugged surroundings through materials and form.
In addition to these projects, The Monthly Architecture Edit features the Dione House by STUDIO ANDRE LENZA, the Rang Ste-Mathilde Residence by Jérôme Lapierre Architecte, the Naboa Tulum Hotel by Jaque Studio, and the Tai-Silk Courtyard by Deep Origin Lab + CO-MILEU. These examples demonstrate the series’ emphasis on contemporary residential architecture that showcases innovative design and new trends in urban and residential architecture.
The website specializes in showcasing architecturally-arresting houses from around the globe, spanning modern design. The monthly architecture series on ArchDaily focuses on showcasing notable contemporary architecture projects, updated regularly with news, competitions, and project highlights worldwide. The new monthly series, The Monthly Architecture Edit, will continue to highlight the website's favorite houses of the month, providing readers with a curated selection of the most inspiring residential architecture from around the world.
The Fukumura Cottage's minimalist design and integration into its natural surroundings during renovation showcases an elegant blend of home-and-garden lifestyle and contemporary architecture. The modern design compound that now includes the Fukumura Cottage, along with a gallery and office, represents a lifestyle that effortlessly merges architectural innovation with environmental consciousness.
Following the Fukumura Cottage, another noteworthy example of contemporary architecture that emphasizes sustainable living is the off-grid retreat designed for a family in New York, which boasts high-performance materials and geothermal systems. These projects in The Monthly Architecture Edit epitomize a lifestyle that values architectural excellence, sustainability, and a harmonious connection with nature.
