Image: Scout by Strutt Studio
Archi
Inspo.
Architecture Arkular Loves
As architects and design lovers, we respect the uniqueness of different architecture from around the world and enjoy sharing architectural and design work to inspire and educate. Take a look below at some incredible designs that have inspired us recently.
New Zealand – Scout by Strutt Studios
Not just your ordinary shed home, Scout by @strutt.studios re-imagines traditional alpine architecture with a modern edge.
Perched above Lake Wānaka with uninterrupted views of the Southern Alps, this 175m² retreat is designed to slow you down, switch you off, and connect you to nature through thoughtful, site-responsive design.
Highlights include a sunken living room with a frameless picture window, a tiled dining banquette that opens up the views, and an outdoor bathtub perfectly positioned to take in the alpine landscape
View full design details here.
Image: Scout by Strutt Studio
Image: Scout by Strutt Studio
Image: Scout by Strutt Studio
Image: Camp Baird by Malcolm Davis Studio
USA – Camp Baird
Off-grid architecture we love! A weekend retreat in the Californian wine country, Camp Baird by Malcolm Davis Studio is designed to feel like a camp rather than a conventional home.
This L-shaped compound that consists of two detached volumes. One serves as a “car barn” and equipment shed, while the other contains the living and sleeping quarters.
A patio stretches along the southern elevation and overlooks a swimming pool. The cooking and dining areas were placed within a screened-in portion of the porch. Photovoltaic panels on an exposed slope generate power for the home, while the pool is heated by solar thermal panels.
View design here.
Image: Camp Baird by Malcolm Davis Studio
Image: Camp Baird by Malcolm Davis Studio
Image: Camp Baird by Malcolm Davis Studio
Finland – Project-Ö
A minimalist off-grid coastal cabin in the Finnish Archipelago. Project-Ö is totally self-sufficient, using solar power for energy and filtered sea water for drinking.
The buildings pays tribute to the traditional Finnish archipelago aesthetics, including a cabled roof, long eaves, extended gutters and vertical cladding.
The vision was to have all things necessary with as little space as possible. All individual spaces have been designed to be as compact as they can without compromising the functionality and comfort.
The interior’s minimalist aesthetic is achieved through the use of wooden boards and black feature for contemporary comfort.
View design here.
Madriguera Eco Reserve, Mexico – S-AR Studio
Merging architecture with nature. Madriguera Eco Reserve Stays by S-AR Studio explores how built structures can frame and enhance the experience of the surrounding landscape.
Located within a forested area that opens onto a small valley in Sierra de Arteaga, Mexico the design features two separate cabins, Cabaña Conejos and Cabaña Liebre, each designed with distinct spatial programs but unified by a consistent material palette including wood, concrete, steel, and glass.
Learn more about this design here.
Kent House – Brent Buck Architects
Multi-generational architecture we love: With framed views, generous glazing and considered openings, Kent House by Brent Buck Architects fully embraces the landscape and those within.
The exterior showcases dark, cedar-clad walls that support pitched metal roofs, with clean lines and simple geometries ensuring the home remains legible amid the surrounding foliage.
Inspired by the picturesque surroundings, the entry sequence is unhurried, with a discreet garage on the lower level enabling unobstructed views across the driveway to the low-lying home.
View this stunning design here.
Holiday Home – Orange Architects
A compact retreat on the Dutch island of Texel, Holiday Home by Orange Architects features open and airy interiors that can instantly be adjusted for privacy.
The building was prefabricated by a specialist contractor on the mainland, then quickly dismantled and transported to the island for fast assembly. This approach allowed for the installation of interior fittings in an already watertight structure.
The building is clad externally in black-stained timber and features an irregular roof form that rises on one side to accommodate a loft-level sleeping area.
View more images of this design here.
Cabin Son, Norway – Jon Danielsen Aarhus
Scandi architecture we love. Cabin Son, a 70 m² holiday home on the water’s edge of Norway’s south coast is compact yet offers separation, openness, and a strong connection to the landscape.
The spruce-clad, L-shaped home follows the site’s natural ledges, with its footprint and orientation shaped by the landscape across three levels, creating a design sensitive to its setting.
This year-round weekend and holiday home for a small family features social areas, including dining and living spaces, that open to a south-west facing terrace overlooking the water, while bedrooms and the bathroom are located in private areas.
View more about this design here.
Southern Peaks, South Africa – Huizen Living
Global prefab perfection! An ultra-luxurious, self-sustaining mountain cabin from Huizen Living, Southern Peaks in South Africa is all about planet first, people second.
The use of prefabricated construction ensured the cabin could be placed within the remote South African location without heavy machinery, and prioritised sustainability by using locally sourced, eco-friendly and recycled materials.
With a complete kitchen, wood-fired hot tub, outdoor bath, shower, and fireplace, this secluded retreat offers the perfect setting to relax and reconnect with nature.
View more about this cabin here.
Casa Ferran, Chile by Erre Arquitectos
A U-shaped Chilean beach house overlooking the ocean on the edge of a cliff that drops steeply down to meet the sea.
Three main factors were considered by the architect when laying out the plan: creating an exterior zone that is protected from the prevailing southwestern wind, maintaining privacy on the north and south sides, and taking full advantage of the sea views.
On the interior, a soft white palette and warm wood flooring amplify the scale of the rooms and allow the surrounding sea view to be the focal point of each space. The home’s arrangement brings sunlight into each room, maximising passive heating from the coastal climate in both the summer and winter.
View this stunning U-shaped home here.
Cardrona Hut, New Zealand
The Cardrona Hut by RTA Studio is a small holiday home for a family of 5, nestled among the mountains of the Southern Alps. It is a modest space to bring friends and family together.
Drawing influence from the essence of local vernacular architecture, such as: the tramping hut, miner’s cottages or rural barns, where a utilitarian necessity drives the form and amenity.
Materials are chosen from a similarly appropriate pallet: timber cladding, corrugated iron and local stone. Large sliding screens and operable shutters over the windows allow the house to be completely closed off and secured as well as moderating ventilation and sunlight.
View more about this project here.
California – Envelope Architecture & Design
Sunday design escape. The Forest House by Envelope A+D @envelopead is the ideal retreat from the distractions and noise of city life.
Rather than a singular building, the house comprises a cluster of tent cabins. Three sleeping quarters and a living-dining area rise into the forest canopy on stilts and are linked by wooden paths and open gathering places.
The tented roofs and vanishing walls create an immersive experience within the natural setting, while large clear and mirrored-bronze glass windows frame views of the landscape and neighboring rooms.
Wood walls and floors lend warmth and support the comforts of modern living deep within the forest.
View more about the design here.
New Zealand Shed House Inspiration
A contemporary take on the rural shed by @patchworkarchitecture Kahutara House sits peacefully within its natural surroundings.
A thoughtfully composed floor plan divides the house in two, creating outdoor spaces on both sides of the house to enjoy shelter from wind, rain and sun while retaining a connection to the main living spaces. The house also captures a sense of ease and calm, elevating it well beyond a simple shed.
The wide, gabled roof is clipped at each end, extending at each side to sit out over the outdoor areas. Gutters and downpipes have been concealed to allow for a seamless transition to the exterior cladding.
Learn more about this project here.
USA – Walk Street House
Capturing the best of coastal living on a tiny lot, the Walk-Street House by @ras_a.studio is an airy stack of wood-slatted boxes that complements the areas mid century bungalows, while also reflecting the more recent taller developments.
Thanks to the constant ocean breeze and operable doors and windows, the home utilises passive cooling, eliminating the need for air-conditioning.
For warmth, in-floor hydronic radiant heating is installed throughout. A solar water collector on the south roof provides the domestic hot water and supplements the boiler for the in-floor radiant system.
View full project details here.
New Zealand – Modern Barn Form
The Modern Barn Form by @redarchitecture_ is a striking example of contemporary residential design, located in Waikato, New Zealand.
The design houses a private residence and garage within two crisp barn-like forms clad in vertical run steel and recycled bricks taken from the devastation caused by the Christchurch earthquakes.
Characterised by its clean lines and minimalist approach, the home is typical of modern design while still paying homage to the rustic charm of traditional barns.
