Contemporary House Constantia Kloof in South Africa - Extavagáns építészet Dél Afrikából

Johannesburg-based design studio Nico van der Meulen Architects have completed the ‘House The’ project. Built in 2012, the contemporary home can be found in South Africa.
Following the trend of making alterations to and revamping existing houses, the owners of this contemporary South African home enlisted the expertise of Nico van der Meulen Architects for a modern upgrade.
According to the architects: “They liked the current trend in our work towards a mix of steel construction and concrete framing.


“The new design was achieved by removing most of the internal walls on the ground floor and adding a porte cochere and a new lanai with an infinity edge pool. The impressive porte cochere is suspended from a semi-circular beam supported by the bisecting wall and a huge column and transfer beam over the pool. The element of water was added into the design with a koi pond to the north side of the existing lounge, with glass stepping stones that lead to a new pivoted glass front door. A small waterfall at the front door adds the welcoming sound of water, while a huge sheet of water is visible through a cut-out in the massive rusted steel wall bisecting the contemporary South African house to create a private pool area.
“M Square Lifestyle Necessities decorated the interiors using a palette of monochromatic colours with the interior furnishings in similar and contrasting colours. Accents of green were used sparingly to add fresh splashes of colour. The modern lines of the furniture are a continuation of the interior structural lines. As the structural interior elements are simple with sharp lines, attention is brought to the furniture pieces and decorative items within the interior.  For this project, the interior designers professionally created these interior spaces with the use of its unique imported products, Molteni and C, Zeus and Ligne Pure. The designers cleverly balanced the stark simplicity of the structural elements with carefully selected and placed furniture pieces, colour schemes, soft furnishings and decorative details.
“The end result is a home with a liberated feel – as if the normal rules of a suburban home have been suspended, with light, nature and views from everywhere.”

The Beautiful contemporary Portuguese Property by Mario Martins Atelier - Minimalista Tengerparti villa Portugáliából

Portugal-based design studio Mario Martins Atelier has designed the Colunata House project. Completed in 2011, this contemporary seaside home is located in the town of Lagos, in the Barlavento region of the Algarve, Portugal.
The contemporary Portuguese house is all in white. It is a south facing property and as such benefits from intense sunlight, especially in the summer.  It is this light, with its strong, distinct shadows, that gives colour and meaning to the white that covers the contemporary Portuguese property. The strong presence of water and the landscaping surrounding the area accentuate the tranquility of the place. Images courtesy of by: FG+SG.

 From Mario Martins Atelier:
“Designing a house in Luz-Lagos, in the south of Portugal, in a truly interesting location facing the sea, was defined by a set of guidelines, namely:
The creation of a contemporary architectural element;
Respect for and connection with the surrounding area, natural and built upon;
The use of local materials and building techniques;
Deciding the solar orientation and having effective wind protection;
Making the most of the excellent location and its panoramic views;
Creating a gentle interior/exterior transition. So that the exterior is a pleasant space for living and leisure.
These guidelines result in a set of white volumes, free and organically grouped, culminating in a semi-circular opening, which embraces the pool and opens out to the privileged sea view. This results in the central terrace, the main space of the house, where the privacy is felt and where the horizon is predominant.
It is around this terrace that the functional organisation of the house is structured, on one floor. There are five bedrooms with bathrooms and a large living room which leads to the kitchen. The garage, technical and service areas ensure the smooth running of the house.
The house is all in white. It is a southern house, and as such the light is intense. It is this light, with its strong, distinct shadows, that gives colour and meaning to the white that covers the building. The strong presence of water and the landscaping surrounding the area accentuate the tranquility of the place.”

The Modern Simple Family house from Stacked Stone by Peter Legge Associates - Modern kőház Írországból

“Connemara” is a reconstruction of two degraded cottages in Connemara, Ireland by Peter Legge Associates. Transformed into a single family residence located in the rural countryside, constructed with stacked stones and low lying stone walls that run through the bucolic landscape as the main entrance, the view towards both the Irish Sea and the twelve pins is astonishing. With views of the coast, the kitchen and dining areas are bordered with glass bi-fold doors which are connected with the outside, small windows within the thick stone walls allow daylight to seep in from the east and west, while the bedrooms and bath on the upper levels are illuminated with skylights towards the sea.

The Luxory Boutique Villas in Koh Tao Island, Thailand

Casas Del Sol located on the tropical island of Koh Tao in Thailand offers luxury boutique villas with stunning panoramic ocean views. Spacious open plan living features contemporary tropical design with private swimming pool and deck terrace.