The Danish word Hygge refers to a quality of coziness and comfort that comes from embracing life’s quieter pleasures either with oneself or loved ones. Hygge, typically used to regard architecture and interior design, might be so popular because it gently pulls us away from the smartphone if only for an evening to remind us of what’s truly important. Building on their own interpretation of cozy, Grandio, an architecture firm based in Córdoba, Argentina, recently launched a prefabricated concrete home called Hüga inspired by hygge living.
Hüga was conceptualized, designed, and built over a span of 24 months, during which Grandio’s team of designers were able to produce a 45 m2 residence with space for a bedroom, living room, bathroom, kitchen, and dining area. In order to ensure that Hüga could be transported anywhere and installed on-site, the team at Grandio developed a system of lightweight polymer molds to build the home’s “structural shell” so that it can ultimately be reinforced with concrete and maintain its form. Weighing about 55-Tn, Hüga requires a team and machinery for transportation but can be placed according to the prospective resident’s preference.
Inside the house, Grandio outfitted the interiors with materials and means for energy that provides, “the greatest comfort, habitability, and the lowest energy consumption.” Residents of Hüga only have to connect electricity, water power, and sewer systems, but speaking to the means for power, the team at Grandio was certain to pre-certify the home to meet Leeds standards and promote sustainable building tools and materials, as well as energy practices and performance. Residents are free to decorate the inside of Hüga however they choose and rest assured that their new home embraces both smart performance and green energy for convenient, supportive living. The final result is a home that is both bulletproof and weatherproof, with its minimal exteriors hiding a spacious and well-lit interior space.
Hygge has resonated with many of us in the past few years for the reason that it encourages us to veer away from our “plugged-in” norm. Most of us are constantly interacting with so much work-related stuff we forget that there’s a world beyond the calendar. In constructing Hüga, Grandio aimed to shift the public’s gaze from grandiose and ostentatious design as a means to demonstrate wealth to a more modest lifestyle that prioritizes the naturally attainable pleasures of quiet living.
Designer: Grandio
A giant blue slide sits in the middle of this modern family home!
Who said slides were only for kids? Reflect Architecture answered the calls of all us adults who still love the thrill of going down a slide and no longer have to be embarrassed about it. The team renovated a house for a young family living in Toronto, Canada, by brightening its otherwise minimal interiors with a pale blue slide that runs in the center of the structure. It is a skill to have a slide in a family home without taking away from the grown-up aesthetic. This is the only way I would like to leave the home for work or come down for breakfast!
The renovated house is named Walker and the updated layout aimed to create lighter, open spaces that better serve the family’s lifestyle while pro more bonding and playtime. At the heart of the house is the children’s twisting blue slide which connects the basement level to the ground floor. It was included to liven-up the lower-level, bring in natural light to the space, and make it “not basement like”. The parents are entrepreneurs in the health and wellness space so it was important to have a feature in the house that encouraged better mental and physical health, therefore elements were picked to integrate play in their lives. “When I got the initial design brief, they noted wanting to keep the second floor as a separate unit to rent out and hence we combined the basement level with the lower level to create a single-dwelling for the family,” said the team.
The now brightened-up basement is where three children’s bedrooms are located with three bathrooms and a guest bedroom. The ground floor is where the couple gets their space with the master bedroom and ensuite. Common areas like the study kitchen, dining, and entertainment zone are also on the ground floor. The two floors are also connected via a folding wooden staircase next to the slide. This staircase is lined with a perforated-metal balustrade and lit by night lights integrated into the ceiling so nobody has to crawl up a slide – something we have all learned is basically a kid’s version of mission impossible. Windows were expanded and sliding doors were added to open up the house some more. The street-facing side of the lower level features metal panels, wooden louvers, and dark wood cladding that has been treated using the Japanese technique of ‘shou sugi ban’. Walker’s interiors showcase a simple and minimal material palette of light wooden textures, marble countertops, white walls with pops of color in cabinets, and of course the slide. The client wanted a “calming canvas to live their life on” and Reflect Architecture delivered!
Designer: Reflect Architecture
*Ding *Dong, Secret Agent at the door
Good afternoon Mr. Bond. Welcome to my lair. I can imagine the gleam in young Jérôme Olivet’s eyes, as a child watching all those super click 007 villains and their even slicker evil lairs. Note: Evil geniuses have “lairs”, simple criminals have “hideouts.” It must have taken a mad genius to come up with this architectural design dubbed “JET HOUSE” by Jérôme Olivet. This three story grounded space craft comes complete with an elevator, two jet-car garage and will be the definition of architectural elegance in the year 2250 or an alternate dimension. In case it is not obvious, this is a home design.
Designer: Jerome Olivet
