Pavilions flanking terraces, glass walls spilling into gardens, verandas nestled among treetops – homes in Europe and Asia are completely connected to nature.
Discover home designs that focus on the connection to nature
Villa by Twobo Arquitectura
Although located on the Costa Brava, north of Barcelona, this villa in Empordà, Spain, by Twobo Arquitectura, points to the case study houses of Los Angeles, as the builder couple spent time working in California and appreciated Richard Neutra's experimental vision of modern living. But the series of three pavilions and corresponding courtyards, each dedicated to socializing, sleeping or contemplation, also points to a nearby influence: Catalonia's ancient Empúries, whose ruins are now a collection of remains and voids. The furnishings are also typical of the country; Ceramic grids and tiles come from Ceràmica Ferrés, whose workshop is just a few kilometers away. Passive energy solutions – natural cross ventilation, insulating walls, gray water tanks, solar systems – are similarly well thought out.
Detached house by Paulíny Hovorka Architects
Thanks to an ingenious Y-shaped plan, this single-story family home in Banka, Slovakia, by Paulíny Hovorka Architects simultaneously separates public and private spaces while fully connecting to and sustaining the mature landscape; In fact, part of the job was to preserve every existing tree. This was achieved by having the three wings extend outwards at a 120 degree angle to accommodate all the plant life and divide the ½ acre property into smaller garden sections. Then, windows with ultra-slim frames that recess into pockets and large glazed walls that open to a covered terrace merge inside and out, as do the palette of natural materials consisting of exposed concrete, engineered oak and thermally modified pine.
House by Iroje Khm Architects
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Photography by Sergio Pirrone. -
Photography by Sergio Pirrone. -
Photography by Sergio Pirrone. -
Photography by Sergio Pirrone.
One might assume that the interiors of this four-bedroom house by Iroje Khm Architects are adorned with a traditional style numberor pavilionThe roof line should be dark – only two small windows underline the exposed concrete facade. But thanks to an almost entirely glazed opposite facade and a two-story interior Madang (courtyard)This home in Jeonju, South Korea is the epitome of light and brightness and offers unobstructed water views. The catwalk leads to the main entrance and common areas on the second floor, whose flowing living, dining and kitchen areas are furnished with chairs and tables by Eero Saarinen Tulip. Floating above like a cloud – the project is called I have-aKorean for Cloud on the lake– is the family room, housed in a vinyl-clad volume.
Cottage by Noke Architects
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Photography by Piotr Maciasze. -
Photography by Piotr Maciasze. -
Photography by Piotr Maciasze. -
Photography by Piotr Maciasze.
Farmhouse but modern. That could be the tagline for the rustic yet elegant two-bedroom cottage, located in the postcard-perfect Masurian region of Pasym in Poland and part of a 6½-hectare residential development also designed by Noke. Using prefabricated wood technology, traditional elements such as the stable, cowshed and barn have been reinterpreted as interconnected, cohesive volumes with a modern flair. Glazed corridors, large windows and verandas on the upper level immerse the house in the landscape, while the interiors, created in collaboration with Paulina Cziba, feature Polish linen curtains on rods forged by a local blacksmith, custom-made oak furniture and pieces by area designers such as Maja Ganszyniec, Malwina Konopacka and Ola Niepsuj, further tying the project to the site.
Home of Minarc
With its snow-white upper facade made of StoVentec cladding, this energy-efficient four-bedroom home looks like a Tetris-inspired igloo. But its tinted cement base is dark as lava. That's because Minarc's founders, native Icelanders who now live in Santa Monica, drew on their country's elemental palette when designing the exterior. The same goes for the interiors, where woods like oak and maple evoke the region's golden summer sun, and floor-to-ceiling glass panels offer picturesque views of the green surrounding landscape—especially visible when sitting in the custom-made Dropi chair on the second floor, upholstered in pine-green Sunbrella.