http://www.theartoffice.com

The elevated views really take advantage of the expansive surroundings. It seems like the main level is an elongated balcony and rests on the elements below. Extra points for the reflection pool.

http://www.jcba.com.au

From Jaime Rendon Architects comes this modern masterpiece. Surrounded by lush nature located at the Medellin’s suburbs, this glass/stone/concrete really surprises on the warm interior and the uncomplicated layout.

http://www.jaimerendonarquitectos.com

A design for a brand new Cultural Centre and Opera House are being commissioned by Zaha Hadid Architects and Patrick Schumacher. The landmark will be erected in the new Seven Pearls district of Dubai and will accommodate an opera house, playhouse, arts gallery, performing arts school and a themed hotel. The opera house will be able to seat 2,500, the playhouse will seat 800, and the arts gallery’s exhibition space will be comparable to the size of the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. This exquisite and gentle, winding design evokes the thought of mountains or sand dunes, that will both be a part of the landscape yet a distinct element in the skyline.

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ChiaroScuro - Sunset Hill, Seattle, WA By Studio Ectypos

chi • a • ro • scu • ro , n., pl. -ros
2. Painting. the use of deep variations in and subtle gradations of light and shade, esp. to enhance the delineation of character and for general dramatic effect. from Webster’s College Dictionary

A live-work residence designed for an interior designer and a modern abstract painter. The pictorial name of the project was dictated by the orientation of the house and the way it modulates, softens and fragments the intense western light. The view toward Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula is free from structural impediments with dramatic openings while the east side is more solid and private. A system of exposed concrete mass walls and steel frames constitute the bones of the project. The massing is composed of volumes stepping down from north to south in terraces. Trellises and green roofs cradle the upper floor and master suite in a private and dramatic setting. From the structural skeleton to the smallest detail everything is a clear continuity between idea and material.