What happens when one of the most sought-after architectural photographers in Texas decides to build their own home? A simple, honest home with an attention to detail that elevates that home to complete zen space. Known for photographing the best Texas homes, Casey Dunn had a clear image of what he wanted. When it was time to implement his idea, Casey reached out to his longtime friend Arthur Furman to bring that image to life. “Casey had an image in his mind of a house he had photographed early in his career in a wooded area of Maine. The house was a basic shape—as one would draw as a child—just a box with a gabled roof,” says Arthur.
Externally, the house presents itself as a raw concrete structure shaped like the simple house we have been drawing since school days. A visual poetry of contrast, the concrete exterior, burnished stucco, and the douglas fir front door – together create a nature-inspired warm color palette that is reflected in the interior of the house as well. Casey’s exposure to architectural design was instrumental in this design, but the main inspiration came from the Maine gable along with the architecture of Marfa (the West Texas town) where Casey began the journey of shooting interiors for his first photography book, Marfa Modern. The interiors of the house feature an open-floor living room with an east-facing window that allows the early morning dappled sunlight to play on the floor. The theme established in the exterior of using natural colors is continued within the house, reflecting the harmony Casey wanted to feel within this home.
“I have developed an appreciation of a lot of different styles of architecture over time,” he says. “This house project was a reflection of what we were inspired by and our values during this time of our lives. I was working on Marfa Modern during the design process, and while we didn’t aim to plop a Marfa house down in East Austin, we were certainly inspired by a style of architecture that is warm, minimal, and efficient, with natural, honest materials. We wanted it to be beautiful, but the style of the house was less important to us than having a project that was true to our values, that we could really live in, and that we could enjoy as it aged.” After looking at the images of this home, we can see it is a haven for all its inhabitants – allowing them to grow and prosper in that zen-filled space.
Designer: Arthur Furman and Annie-Laurie Grabiel for Photographer Casey Dunn
This sustainable, self-sufficient, prefab house can be flat-packed & it looks like a cruise ship!
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The luxurious home was named after its eye-catching tensile roofs inspired by the history of sailing on the island.
When you can’t go on a cruise, you bring the cruise home – literally! The Sail House is a spacious, self-sufficient, nautical-themed home with a unique form inspired by large white sails on ships. It is designed by Los Angeles-based architect David Hertz who is celebrated for sustainable architecture . Sail House was also selected as the 2021 Architizer A+Awards Jury Winner for Residential/Private House!
Sail House has a central structure called the main house with several guest houses bordering it and all nestled on the lush Bequia Island in the Caribbean – didn’t I say it literally brings a cruise home? Since the Caribbean is a notoriously difficult area to source building materials, the team made sure that the entire project – the main house and the guesthouses – were prefabricated offsite, flat-packed, and delivered in 15 shipping containers. This ensured minimal site impact to the sensitive ecosystem and was nearly zero waste which is important because otherwise, the construction waste would have had to be transported out of the island which would increase emissions.
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“The main inspiration for the Sail House was a wooden boat with its masts and sails, the expressed stainless steel rigging and hardware, which is referenced in the home,” said Hertz. The roof membranes also act as a rain collection system by funneling water into a concrete foundation for storage. This nifty system provides for 100% of water needs and the air pulled from the stored water is then used to cool the space when needed. Additionally, the cantilevered roofline provides more shade and ventilation to increase cooling naturally. The electricity needs are covered by solar panels.
Both the interior and exterior of Sail House include natural construction materials such as woven palm, coconut shell fragments, and surfaces crafted by Javanese and Balinese artisans. “Sustainability was one of the main goals of the Sail House project. The non-corrosive and termite-resistant aluminum structural system is wrapped in reclaimed ironwood planks recycled from an abandoned pier in Borneo, as are the plank floors, decks, and the vertical louvers that control low sun and prevailing breezes,” Hertz explained. It is truly one of the most beautiful, resilient, and functional homes I’ve seen that flawlessly balances luxury with sustainability!
Designer: David Hertz Architects
Drammen on Down the Road to Car Island
Drammen is a city and municipality in Norway ( look it up! ) which is along the 1,890 km (1,174 mi) long European Route E18. The city of Drammen has been, of recent years, a relatively popular place for the cars; its city center having been burdened by heavy traffic until the installation of the E18 bridge . Designer Fredrik Haukeland plans to capitalize on this situation with an intuitive I.D. project: “a leisure park for car fanatics.”
Behold: “Drive-In Industries.”
Ask Haukeland more about the car culture of the land in your comments if you’re interested. I myself haven’t been to Drammen myself in many years.* This mammoth project would be a wonderful addition though, I must say. Haukeland speaks of a car island that’s entered from the highway. On one end, an “el-car factory,” and on the other, a junk yard for parts. Also included is a customizing service with a test track.
A giant transporter (a conveyer belt?!) links each of these places so that the people and the parts they pick up can move back and forth. On this; the fully interactive car island. Not to be mistaken for Monster Island . Or Monsta Island , for that matter; while we’re at it.
*I have just been informed that I have NEVER actually been to Drammen in my life, and that I should stop lying about the places I have been in the world. List coming soon. lol.
Designer: Fredrik Haukeland
