Once a legitimate blog. Now just a collection of memes 'n menz.
Reminds me very much of an underground desert house I designed in the summer of ’77, still deep in the thrall of the first STARS WARS movie. Those plans are long gone, possibly thrown out when my folks sold their house in ’81. I mean I knew exactly where they—and multitudes of my other works—were when I moved out a year earlier, but afterward…no clue.
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Or are there large sliding glass doors? If you look carefully there is what looks like a track in the ceiling that spans those openings to the outside, but there’s a weird electrical cable hanging off one end. Or is this just more AI slop? I honestly can’t tell…
CASA PAULISTANA
Project: João Panaggio
Location: Casacor 2025
In his debut at CASACOR São Paulo, the carioca architect João Panaggio (@joaopanaggio) presents Casa Paulistana, a 170m² space that translates a new look at contemporary living. This is Panaggio’s third participation in the show, and his debut on São Paulo soil has already arrived strongly: it is one of the only two constructions from scratch in this edition – and the largest among them.
Well that explains it. It’s more of an art piece for a show and not a real residence.
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I’m just not sure where it could go. I’d get rid of the wall at the back of the living room to connect directly to the kitchen. Ideally if you’re a fan of the “open concept,” get rid the basement/basement stairs and both walls between the living and dining rooms (you’d need a massive beam to hold up the 2nd floor there since one of those is probably structural) and install an open-riser, see-through, self-supporting steel staircase.
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This one I envisioned located on the northeast side of Tucson, east side of the Catalina Highway on the way to Mt. Lemmon. Back in the early 80s when I designed this, it was pretty much pristine desert out that way, and the view of the Catalina and Rincon Mountains was breathtaking. There were a few homes scattered among the sahuaro and mesquite, but by and large it was undeveloped—although there were unpaved streets and it was zoned for residential development.
When I moved back to Tucson in ’95, I was shocked at the changes that had occurred in the area over the previous decade. It now seemed to be homes as far as the eye could see, and I realized that while this house might still eventually be built—somewhere out that way—it certainly wouldn’t have the gently sloping lot with the view of the mountains I had envisioned.
Sadly, I don’t have printouts of the elevations available to share, so you’ll just have to settle for the floor plan.
There’s a gated front courtyard that leads you to the breezeway between the garage and the main house. When you enter through the gate, you’d get a view through the breezeway to the lower patios, pool, and studio. You enter the house under the breezeway. If you continue straight ahead, you’ll go down a few steps to an intermediate level where you have access to the separate studio/guest house with its own bath and kitchenette.
Continuing down another small flight of stairs brings you to the swimming pool, something I wouldn’t be without in Tucson.
The main house is very simple: two bedrooms, one bath. When I showed it to him years ago, Ben’s first comment was, “The kitchen’s too small.” Yeah, well, I designed this when I hadn’t envisioned a wonderful man coming into my life who loved to cook!
Now, of course, we need three bedrooms (master plus two offices) and two bathrooms, because living with only one bathroom is a pain when there is more than one person in the house, regardless.
I found this in the same folder. At some point (still before I met Ben) I expanded the plan to accommodate a second bedroom and bath in addition to the den/office space:
And then there’s this variation on a theme…
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This dates from 1977, what I affectionately call my Star Wars summer.
Yes, those are three-foot thick concrete walls. Guaranteed to keep out the desert heat. I remember showing the plans to a contractor who the firm I was working for kept on staff, and he was enthralled by the design. “You bring me the money, I will build this!”
The basic idea for this house stayed with me for years, finally morphing about fifteen years later into this variation:
No longer partially sunk into the ground, the three-foot thick concrete walls and very basic layout (with a few changes) remained. This is another house I spent so much time with inside my head it might as well have been built for how real it felt to me.
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…when I still knew how to do hand-drawn architecture—and assumed I would be living by myself the rest of my life.
It’s not a house for a family, or even a couple. It’s a single man’s home. No computer/office nook (because in 1981 no one had personal computers). It’s just a very basic, very organic living space with all natural materials: plaster walls, Saltillo tile floors, and wood deck ceilings with exposed (albeit false) vigas. It’s what always appealed to me about Santa Fe architecture. I get kind of wistful looking at these plans. I put a lot of work into them and they’re among the few surviving pencil/ink on vellum drawings in my portfolio.
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This was a house I literally dreamt of somewhere around the year 2000. In the dream, it was located on Twin Peaks, overlooking downtown San Francisco, and it so impressed me that when I woke up I immediately sketched out what I remembered.
When I got around to actually drafting up the plans however, I ran into issues. I had to fudge a lot because, well…it was a dream and things didn’t exactly fit together in the real world in the same way as they did in the dream.
Lower Level
This is the level below where you actually enter the house. I called it a “retreat” because it was a combination bedroom/library/office space not meant to be a part of the public area. The bed could be placed either facing the windows overlooking The City, or on the opposite side of the low cabinet, facing perhaps a wall mounted television in the cabinets directly opposite.
Ground Level
The main entrance is at ground level. This floor contains the living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry, powder room, and garage. Where the dream directly bumps up against reality is the garage. I know you could comfortably fit two vehicles in that funky arrangement, but it’s still troublesome from a design standpoint, y’know?
Upper Level
The second level contains a second full bath, a sitting area, and a guest room. The guest room cannot be closed off from the rest of the space because we don’t want people staying too long now, do we?
Street Elevation
Hillside Elevation
Right Side Elevation
Left Side Elevation
I think if I were to go back and change anything, I would have the stairways opening directly off the entrance instead of having to walk through the living room to reach them. Sadly, I no longer have an AutoCAD license and at this point I have no idea where these original files might be even if I did and had the inclination. (I know they’re archived somewhere, just not sure of where.)
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Interesting rendering walkthrough…
I would make a few minor changes to the floor plan, however.
I’d put a pocket door between the kitchen and the utility/laundry room so you don’t have to drag your laundry outside in order to get it in the washer. I’d keep the door from the patio kitchen area in place because the connected half bath is useful adjacent to the pool area.
I’d also flip the orientation of the master bath so that the fixtures can share a common plumbing wall and cut the overall cost.
If the overall length of the house is fixed, I’d add a couple additional feet in the little office area at the front of the house by pushing the living room and atrium to the right and reducing the kitchen/dining area (which seems a little excessive). Finally I’d remove the attached dining counter in favor of a traditional table and chairs which could be oriented 90 degrees to how it is currently.
Also, I don’t know if it was a rendering glitch or an intentional design choice in the master bedroom, but how does a flat screen television get incorporated into the wardrobe doors (unless they’re not intended to be full height across the wardrobe’s entire length)?
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(Yes, Victor, I know the garage is in front and you hate it. But this is suburban America, and unless you (a) get rid of cars entirely or (b) redesign the infrastructure of every suburban city from the ground up to allow for garage entrances in the back, this is pretty much the way it is.)
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I could easily live there.
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From the architect’s posted description:
Located on a prime corner lot in the Marea neighborhood, the Tidepool House seamlessly integrates Caribbean character with a design that embodies the Texas coastal lifestyle. This charming courtyard house curates a unique seaside vernacular that reflects the vibrant spirit of its surroundings while offering a serene retreat for its inhabitants.
Fronting the palm tree-lined boulevard of Estes Pointe Drive, the Tidepool House boasts a crafted gable that nods to the Cape Dutch style, establishing a welcoming presence for passersby.
The front porch serves as a gracious threshold, bridging the lively public realm of the neighborhood with the intimate comfort of home. As one rounds the corner, the west façade presents a symmetrical composition defined by two hipped roofs that bookend the property. These elements are elegantly connected by a spacious vaulted area crowned with a delightful cupola. The exterior design exudes classical rationality while incorporating distinctive elements of Gulf Coast architecture, ensuring the house resonates with its coastal context.
At the heart of the Tidepool House lies the expansive living, dining, and kitchen area, united under a vaulted ceiling that amplifies the sense of openness. Natural light floods this central space through sliding doors that open onto the courtyard, as well as from the cupola above the dining area, creating a luminous atmosphere ideal for gathering. In the private wings of the house, the three bedrooms provide thoughtfully framed views, transforming the home into a tropical sanctuary for all guests.
The central courtyard serves as the soul of the Tidepool House, nurturing vitality and reflection, much like a tide pool teeming with marine life.
This tranquil outdoor space invites moments of peace and connection with nature, allowing residents to step away from the bustle of daily life and immerse themselves in the wild beauty of Redfish Bay. Overall, this residence not only captures the essence of the Texas coast but also offers a peaceful haven, inviting all who enter to experience the joy of coastal living in a uniquely designed environment.
I would want that fence bordering the street to be a standard 6′ (1.8M) height all around for privacy and pool safety—especially if said pool is anything more than the reflecting variety (and even then, curious toddlers can drown in a bucket of water so better safe than sorry). I’d also push that covered porch out another couple feet to actually make it usable.
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This Puglian Villa was completely renovated in 2021, stripped back to its essentials and recrafting the low-slung pared-back spaces in natural materials. After a period as a holiday retreat, Villa Castelluccio is back on the market offering up peace and solitude amid five acres of olive groves outside Ceglie Messapica in Puglia.
The three-bedroom bungalow still exhibits the pared-back warmth with soft tones, thick walls, local handiwork and thoughtful proportions where steady streams of light enter the home through a series of openings. At the center is a living room that leads directly into an open kitchen, where concrete countertops and sinks made by local artisans are paired with brass fittings and simple joinery. The kitchen and connected dining room form the house’s gathering point. There are two very large bedrooms in the main building , each with an en suite bathroom, while the third bedroom studio sits a few meters away with its own shower room and secluded terrace.
More terraces extend from the house under timber pergolas, creating outdoor rooms for cooking, dining and lingering during the hotter months. A partially enclosed pool area sits deeper in the olive grove, edged by drought-tolerant gardens.
The villa is within easy reach of Ostuni, Martina Franca and both coasts, and can be yours for a hair more than $1.7M USD.
(click to embiggen)
[Source]
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The Barbican in London.
Something broke in the last 40 years and I fear it won’t come back until this latest phase we find ourselves in runs its course.
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In their earliest years together, Marston and Van Pelt would become renowned for their Arts and Crafts style homes, such as the 1913 Residence of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Newby, Esq. The home was constructed by John H. Simpson as the first house for the Arroyo Park Corporation’s Arroyo Park tract. By 1915 Henry Newby, a prominent Pasadenan who would serve as president of the First National Bank of Pasadena for 15 years, would purchase the home as his family’s private residence.
The home is a prime example of the English-influenced Arts and Crafts style, with a parred down stucco exterior, carved wooden details, a prominent chimney, and a steeply pitched roof. I’m a particular fan of the home’s gracious porches on either side of the ground floor, which allow increased access to the out of doors.
The home’s ground floor plan is arranged around a central stair and entry hall, with the living room and library to the left and dining room, breakfast room, and service spaces to the right. I appreciate how the living room’s fireplace is located within a generously sized inglenook and how the dining room’s fireplace is delightfully off center, forwarding the home’s charming Arts and Crafts air.The upstairs includes four bedrooms, a boudoir and two bathrooms in addition to the staff quarters.
Located at 1015 Prospect Boulevard, the home is extant and has been well maintained.
Project: Residence of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Newby, Esq., 1913
Architect: Marston and Van Pelt
Location: Pasadena, California
Source: The American Architect, Google Maps
[source]
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