bibliothèque monique corriveau

Well, this is quite beautiful. The Bibliothèque Monique Corriveau is a converted church that was turned into a library in Quebec, Canada by Côté Leahy Cardas Architects in collaboration with Dan Hanganu Architects. See more here and here.


(Via The Design Ark)

luckey climbers

Committed to building structures that make life more fun, Luckey Climbers are the stuff that kid dreams are made of.

A Luckey Climber is a three dimensional sculpture designed for children. Climbers encourage physical activity and aid in developing critical gross motor skills. Climbers also offer the sort of imaginative play experience that is important for intellectual development. Made of bent plywood platforms that are suspended by steel pipes and cables, climbers are visually elegant works of art that are also part jungle gym and once alive with children they become what Thomas Luckey called "fountains of children."

 Do you want to climb on these as badly as I do? Read more about them on their website.


(Via swissmiss)

vineyard retreat

Pardon the radio silence, but Patrick and I were in Puerto Rico for a wedding - the first time away from Theo, I might add - and it's been a bit of a hectic few days since. It's not easy going from 80 degree sunny weather back to the cold of winter in New York either, let me tell you, which is why I needed to ease back into real life with another lovely vacation spot.

This beautiful Vineyard Retreat consists of a two-bedroom house and adjacent, open-floor plan, converted 1840s Methodist church. And the best part? It's available for vacation rentals through Welcome Beyond. Check it out right here.


(Via Desire to Inspire)

mews 04

How inviting is this space? Mews 04, a gorgeous residence by Andy Martin Architects, is as stunning inside as it is out.

As this residence is in London, the sun-drenched aspect of the interior may be a rarity, but its white walls and classical-meets-contemporary interiors strike the perfect balance between glamor and comfort. See more images at Andy Martin Architects.

(Via Desire to Inspire)

Alex Chinneck - miner on the moon

London-based artist and designer Alex Chinneck (previously) is at it again with his latest work of architectural chicanery, Miner on the Moon.


(Via The Design Ark)

downley house

BPR Architects' Downley House is a country home in the South Downs of England whose unique barrel-vaulted design makes for a building that's as stunning as it is remarkably energy efficient.

As the architects explain:

The client called for a tranquil yet playful place, full of natural texture, contrasts, and indigenous materials. BPR created an entrance sequence which commences in a circular stone entrance court, extends along a pergola into an inner court bounded by a ruined wall and through the house to a roof terrace where a stair bridges into the landscape.

The house is divided into a family wing and a guest wing linked by a barrel vaulted dining hall centred on the ruin entrance. The barrel vaulted hall opens at each end onto courtyards which receive sun in the morning and evening. The form of the dining hall is like a foudre wine barrel and reflects the clients love of wine. The circular glazed stair ascends to the roof terrace.

Downley House is constructed of timber elements prefabricated in Swizerland and erected over a two month period. The family and guest wings are constructed of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and the barrel vault is made of a CLT timber shell and glue lam ribs. The low-embodied energy of the construction, the efficient envelope, ground source heat pump and heat recovery system create a highly sustainable and energy efficient building.

(Photography by Nick Kane. Via Contemporist)

friars

*Sigh* Isn't it just dreamy?

This stunning Georgian-style home in Sydney goes by the name of "Friars" and is an absolute dream property. No, it's neither a church conversion nor does it feature a slide, but what it lacks in those areas it more than makes up for in charm, archways, Queen Anne windows, a wrap-around porch and balcony, sunrooms, a deck with rooftop gazebo, sauna and city views, and all-around amazingness. All this can be yours, while it lasts.


(Via Desire to Inspire)

cowshed house

Considering my love for interesting home conversions, Cowshed House, by Sydney-based Carter Williamson Architects, was a natural draw for me. Of course, that wall of books didn't hurt either. But I digress. 

A very unique property for a residential neighborhood, Cowshed House was built from the remains of, what else, an old cowshed. A lot of work had to be done to make it habitable while still preserving the unique building itself, but as you can see, the resulting home is quite lovely. As the architects explain:

The shed was simple, essentially a long brick wall that held the urban edge of corner and street and returned to house a few bedrooms in the place of the former stalls. It was the most basic of accommodation but was well situated, hugging the southern boundary with provision for a private, north facing courtyard.

Our clients share a vision for gregarious family life which is reflected in their new home. The spaces are truly ‘open plan’, each room connected to the others and to the sunny, green courtyard that acts as a natural extension of the living spaces.

Wherever possible the fabric of the original cowshed was preserved, but sadly much was structurally unsound. What was rebuilt carries the spirit of the cowshed, composed from a palette of simple, robust materials; concrete slabs polished as flooring, recycled bricks left as face for the internal walls and the timber structure exposed. Oiled timber doors and windows and corrugated cladding hint at the Australian pastural vernacular now all but forgotten in this rapidly gentrifying neighborhood.

(Photography by Brett Boardman. Via Desire to Inspire)

kono designs - urban farm

The Japanese recruitment firm Pasona has a very beautiful and quite unusual Tokyo headquarters. Urban Farm, by Kono Designs is a 9-story-high, 215,000 sq. ft. corporate office building with over 43,000 sq. ft. of green space, representing the largest and most direct farm-to-table building of its kind; 200 species of fruits, vegetables and rice are harvested, prepared and served in the building's cafeteria.

According to the designers:

Using both hydroponic and soil based farming, crops and office workers share a common space. For example, tomato vines are suspended above conference tables, lemon and passion fruit trees are used as partitions for meeting spaces, salad leaves are grown inside seminar rooms and bean sprouts are grown under benches. The main lobby also features a rice paddy and a broccoli field. These crops are equipped with HEFL, fluorescent and LED lamps and an automatic irrigation system. An intelligent climate control monitors humidity, temperature and breeze to balance human comfort during office hours and optimize crop growth during after hours. This maximizes crop yield and annual harvests. Seasonal flowers and orange trees are planted on the balconies between the double skinned facade, partially relying on natural exterior climate to showcase changing of leaves and colors to the exterior facade. All plants are maintained and harvested by Pasona employees with the help of an agricultural specialist.

Pasona Urban Farm is beyond aesthetic and visual improvement. It creates a unique workplace environment that promotes worker's productivity, mental health, and social interaction and engages the wider community of Tokyo by showcasing the benefits and technology of urban agriculture.

Don't you wish you worked here?

( Via Spoon & Tamago)

skyhouse

What's this? Do I spy...a slide? In someone's apartment? Why yes, yes it is. A tubular slide, constructed from mirror-polished stainless steel, by architect David Hotson.

I've seen quite a few interior slides at this point, but the one inside of Skyhouse has got to be one of the most spectacular. It's certainly the most shiny, and as it runs from the attic of the penthouse apartment to the entrance level four floors below, it's one of the largest as well. Of course, with a spectacular apartment like Skyhouse, which boasts unbelievable vistas and a climbing wall in the living room, a slide seems right at home.


(Via Hither and Thither)