1993-95 Brit Andresen dedicated her time to designing this Ocean view Farmhouse in Mount Nee, Queensland, Australia. This one story farmhouse closely resembles many of her designs. Very symmetrical structures, wooden beams, lots of wooden shutters, open space, abundance of windows for light and views. This house is placed at the top of the hill facing a downward slope. The backside of the Farmhouse is constructed with wind bracing panels and few windows with most of the view to been embraced from the alternate side.

In 1997, Brit Andresen designed this magnificent space for a family home in Highgate Hill, Queensland, Australia. While looking through the photos of this place, I was mesmerized. The thick greenery surrounding it was intended for shadows, interesting rays of light, and to add a sense of seclusion. It is a modern take on a cabin in the jungle with symmetrical structures, tall wooden beams, wide open spaces and an abundance of windows. It is a simplistic home that appears safe and as though it is one with nature. Every room is walled with both wood and glass to illuminate the tall ceilings in every room.

The Australian native, Brit Andresen, is an impressive scholar and architect. This photo shows one of my favorite designs of Andresen’s. The unique stilt standing Lookout House in North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia, over looks both Moreton Island and the Cylinder Beach. She re-vamped an older piece of architecture from the 1950s and added this pristine lookout house as an attachment. Made from wood with a few glass shutters and various levels for specific captivating views. This Lookout House differs from the cherry colored wood of the rest of the house. This separate piece offers both serene privacy, outdoor space, and an interesting perspective of views.

The Warren House in London was designed by the architect Adriana Natcheva to be a small scaled hotel for people to stay at whenever they visit the area. It takes a very modern approach to how a typical hotel would be laid out. I really enjoy all of the simple colors, there are lots of whites, blacks and greys throughout that keep everything relatively mild but very neat and aesthetically pleasing. The building also features several windows throughout, all sides of the building have windows so they do a good job of making you feel less like you’re trapped in a small room in a crowded town. I would most definitely stay there on a trip to London in the future to admire all of its cool modern features. 

This Center which helps mentally disturbed children in Japan, was created by Sou Fujimoto in 2006. Fujimoto created “block” like buildings for this center that gives a community like feel instead of a hospital feel. The method behind this was that the buildings should have a “loose” method. This causes there to not be a focal center point to the buildings, but rather have all the relative buildings connected as one. Each block has its own use to the complex, as all the blocks are used for different reasons.  

The Barns Somerset was designed by the architect Adriana Natcheva as a part of the Groves Natcheva Architects. This beautiful barn styled home does a great job of combining modern styling with a more open concept home. I particularly like the hallways connecting the three main parts of the home together, they are completely windowed in so you can see everything around you while still inside your home. I love this opportunity for natural light and it keeps you better connected with the outside world around you. The inside of the home is also full of windows and beautiful wood accents all over, giving you a real barn-like experience (in a good way) when you’re inside. I think this style of home would be enjoyed by some in the United States as well because there are large markets for cabin style homes and this one combines that will some of the best natural light opportunities in a house I’ve ever seen.

This building was designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects in 2016. The retreat was built with the focus on appreciation of the surrounding atmosphere. Due to this, the building is meant to blend in with the environment and compliment its beauty, instead of disruption the natural tranquility. Similar to other Nghia Architects projects, the structure is built primarily out of bamboo. With rounded roofs and seamless edges, the spa blurs the line between the indoors and outdoors, as the natural environment is left on display.

This building was designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects in 2017. The structure was designed as a remote island getaway resort. While the building was designed with peace and tranquility in mind, Nghia Architects used primarily bamboo in the building process. Just off the coast of Vietnam, this resort can only be reached by boat giving it a very exclusive feeling. Most importantly, the structure was built with very little environmental disturbances, this is why it seems to blend into the island, especially with it’s outdoor features.

This building created by Sou Fujimoto, is a apartment building in Tokyo, Japan. This building consists of four different apartment units on top of each other. It is somewhat of a metaphor for Tokyo as it shows how crowded the city is, but you are still able to have your own personal space. Fujimoto also wanted the renter to be able to see different views from each space, as it would give the family a new perspective on each view of the city. The building is also white which allows it to be noticed by anyone passing by, and gives it a unique look.