Spring

I took this shot at about 4:45 AM in August, 2008 - just off the coast of Santorini......it was a spectacular sunrise followed by a magical day of wandering the streets of Santorini, an exotic and tranquil lunch on the rooftop of a taverna off the beaten track of the hustle/bustle of scrambling tourists......it is truly, a most magical place.

Santorini : : definitely a place of the gods. . . . unique is a word that does not come close to being honestly descriptive. . . . . . and yet, it is exactly that - unique.

Perhaps this was the reciprocal view at a later time that day. . . . . 

VORA VILLAS SOPHISTICATED
LUXURY IN SANTORINIOverlooking the volcano with stunning views of the island’s celebrated sunsets, Vora is a handcrafted new property of private villas carved into caves, cliffs and suspended high above the sea. Here, in one of the most beautiful spots on Earth sublimely private villas accommodations inspired by the volcanic environment and boasting minimalistic Cycladic design with custom-made furniture and a soothing palette of beiges and grays augmented by dark brown wood. A private infinitive spa tub with each villa completes a picture that seems as impossible to create as it is perfect to experience.

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About Vora Villas:  A sharp-edged channel of grey volcanic rock paves the way down from the entrance and reception point at the top of the site, twisting you and ricocheting you from angled wall to angled wall, slicing a soft white mass into 3 separate and unique villas. 
The villas are neat, compact and dynamic, taking on a sculpted form when juxtaposed against the straight edge of the volcanic rock path and retaining walls.
The driving forces behind Vora concept were the volcanic rock and the traditional local
vernacular.

Known for inspired designs that produce unique and fully immersive experiences, the Athens-based K-Studio took a stunning but seemingly inhospitable vertical landscape and carved luxurious one-and two-story dwellings into its steep cliff face. 
White cement and a dappling of dark stone lead you to heaven. Hard angles, strategic stairwells, and private terraces with equally sequestered spa tub set the scene, while the showstopper is the deep blue colors of the glorious Aegean Sea.
Vora Villas follows the local architecture with charming details such as arches while including all the luxuries of a contemporary lifestyle. A mix of custom-made furniture by local craftspeople and K-Studio as well as local materials such as black volcanic rocks and Vasaltis marble, give the spaces its unique character. The luxurious bathrooms feature blue Gascoigne double sinks with Pierre Boon faucets and generous walk-in showers. No detail here has been overlooked, including Tempur superior mattresses for a great night’s rest. For further information, the web-site is here:  https://voravillas.com/architecture-design.

 I guarantee it - there is not one of you that has not, at some time, immersed themselves in the fantasy of a treehouse. It's akin to having that lazy old rope swing under an 80 year old oak tree. Don't tell me it isn't so.
I know I have....the delicious fantasy of a secluded refuge - private to all except the invitées......a place to go, curl up - read a stack of comics - munch happily on peanut butter and jam sandwiches. And the only thing that got you down was an irrpressible need to pee, or, you were summoned for lunch....or dinner.

It was a fuzzy, coccoon - yours to maintain dominion over - yours to defend against the oncoming horde of attacking marauders..... yours, to be - lost in!

The following 'treehouse', is one for us, as grown-ups.....and I'll bet here is not one amongst you that isn't thiking, right now, 'Hmmmm....wonder how much it might cost to do something like this....'

​I dunno - but it again falls under the overhang of, 'If/when I win the lottery.....'
Enjoy it. 

Yeah - okay...I agree - it doesn't quite qualify as a treehouse from this persepective,  b u t 

Doesn't this resonate some of those same feeling?

This wonderful exposé originally appeared in dwell.com / written by Lucy Wang 

These are some of her observations and comments: 
                 Armed with an intimate knowledge of their one-acre property atop a bluff in Washington's Puget Sound, a pair of artists tapped Seattle–based DeForest Architects for a custom residence that's far more than just a place to call home.
          Set on a one-acre wooded bluff overlooking Puget Sound, the Tree House is clad in low-maintenance materials including Cor-Ten steel, stained cedar shiplap, and painted HardiePlank.
               An oversized entrance door leads to an angled hallway that obscures views to create an element of surprise. The Vollen bench in Custom Red Lacquer is from Chadhaus.
           "The clients asked us to design a home for their family of four that was by turns tranquil and surprising, [and] so connected to the trees and the hillside that it would feel like a virtual walk in the woods," explain the architects. They worked closely with the clients to tease out a contemporary design aimed at deepening the family’s relationship with the landscape.
             Enclosed in glass and elevated in the tree canopy, the living room is furnished with midcentury modern classics including a Case Kelston sofa from DWR and a Knoll Womb chair and ottoman. The custom red wool rug is from Driscoll Robbins.  
      
                 Conceived as a "vehicle for experiencing the site in different ways," the 3,886-square-foot house winds along the steeply sloped terrain and culminates in a dramatic cantilever on the west side. The resulting spaces range from intimate bedrooms nestled into the hillside to a dramatic glass-enclosed great room cantilevered into the canopy for a treehouse-like feel.
                 The open kitchen features Pental Quartz countertops, walnut plywood cabinetry by Kerf Design, and a ceramic tile backsplash from Ann Sacks Savoy Collection. The Muuto Nerd counter stools are from DWR.
                The two-story home's entrance faces east, and the primary living areas lie on the main floor. The master bedroom and two additional bedrooms are located on the upper floor. The layout follows an open-plan concept to achieve the client’s desire for "good flow" and to preserve sight lines with the outdoors.
              The outdoor patio features St. Kitts lounge chairs from Frontgate and a black and white bone inlay coffee table.   The full article can be seen here:​

Design - interesting and unusual design leads us many places. Oklahoma, for example. Who'd a thunk it?
OKLAHOMA? Design? In the same breath? Peraps all the HGTV shows have propelled a movement towards sensitivity and understanding that we had not given them credit for?

I feel it is our responsibility to seek out good, unusual, unique - sometimes quirky - instances of design.
And this listing caught our eye......I think the conventional architectural term for this styl eof house is saltbox....forgive me if I'm wrong. But this style signature can be found in Toronto, Regina, Chicago and - Oklahoma. But what's particularly cool about this listing/property is tha there are actually TWO dwellings on the site. The main house, if you will - and the 'coachhouse'......and know what? At he listed price, this IS a deal! Anyways, take a look - it is,   c h a r m i n g .......

And the Coachhouse: : 

Comments:  It's a clean, focused view and interpretation of simple, evocative interior design. There is nothing 'too much' - there is constancy and continuity - from house to house......actually quite rare unless in the hands of a professional. Bravo, Oklahoma!

The listing details are to be found here. 
Listing price : : $349,000.00 (2 houses)

We, LIKE this!

Fine spirits deserve to reside in a space crafted as thoughtfully as they are. This handmade Club bar cabinet from Armani/Casa is the perfect gift for the cocktail lover; and with a limited edition of only 50 pieces, it may be just as rare as the distillations chosen to dwell within it.
Perched atop a stand of Canaletto walnut, the cabinet is fronted with doors that are hand lacquered in a swirl of blue, gold, and gray, meant to invoke Hokusai’s iconic woodblock print The Great Wave and designed to hold glasses in their interior pockets. Inside, a shelf with a fold-out tempered-glass top provides a surface for libations to be prepared and presented. Three bronze drawers house an ice bucket, mixology utensils, and bottles of your treasured spirits. The cabinet may be placed against a wall or, as it is accessible from both sides, hold its own at the center of a room.

More information can be found at their web-site: www.buffetsandcabinets.com

Flat Eleven Is a 50 sqm Flat in the Heart of Florence

We love to fantasize.......is that not what propels us as creative professionals to spawn ideas, concepts....outrageous thinking? I believe it is . . . . . we are, inescapably bound to new and innovative ideas, interpretations - creations. So, here, now - we travel to Florence - that most soulful of all Italian cities....and we find there, this:

And your question may well be, 'What's the big deal with this?
Perhaps not such a big deal - perhaps a clever concept for a small idea/space, to create the magic that allows one to think, it's a big deal - or a bigger deal than one might expect. I have oft-times told both students and clients, 'It is not how much space you have - it's how much space you feel, you have.'
Such is the case here : : 

          Studio Pierattelli Architetture reimagined an apartment in the heart of Florence, Italy, as a contemporary 50-square-meter flat full of comfort and functionality. Despite its compact size, Flat Eleven feels open and lacks for nothing as the reconfiguration splits the interior into two levels making it feel more spacious.
             Pierattelli Architetture custom made the furnishings so they would be size appropriate and not take up unnecessary space. A lacquered wooden bench covered in denim cushions extends down and forms a planter box for added greenery.
              A rounded arch helps define the living room and kitchen spaces while acting as a focal point in both. French herringbone parquet floors unify the entire interior and brighten up the space with its light color.
Originally showcased in DesignMilk: ​https://design-milk.com/flat-eleven-is-a-50-sqm-flat-in-the-heart-of-florence/

In my travels - both virtual and real - I frequently discover  astonishing treasures, from the work of artists, be it raku pottery, fabulous photography, graphic design, ,interiors, architecture. The riches of our world in terms of creative achievements, brilliant work can be overwhelming.......kids and candy stores. In the last few issues it seems I have featured at least one outstanding architectural achievenment somewhere in latin america. To my eye there seems to be a continuity of conversation in terms of the visual language chosen by those architects. At the risk of offendoing perhaps someone, I find a more refreshing tone of honesty in the manner in which they have chosen to articulate their forms, and most particularly in the materials selected to encase and emphasize their bold, yet quietly tranquil formshape, architecture. 
Thus, I present to you this recent discovery - it lives (take a look - I sense it actually breates, lives....) in San Sebastian Teitipac, Mexico. Conceived by the firm of LAMZ Architecture it is a stunning ...... what's the best word for it?  D e s t i n a t i o n ?  Yes, destination - a place that one finds themselves simply wanting to go to, to be there and then, to return there.

Vanessa Bertran - our irrepressible firecracker designer/editor, herself from Venezuela - has provided the spanish translation which is viewable on our page, espagnol.

Take a look - and tell me if you agree with me.....enjoy! 

The Guanecaste Highlands of western Costa Rica look, and feel much like this. The rattlesnake dry heat, the constant taste of the sun-baked dust on your tongue - the blindingly azulean heat that leaves both breathless and exhilarated at the same time - this is a place like that!  

There is a spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright at work in this place, this space.......the rhythm of the stone set against the lustre of the leathery woods.....

Originally published in ArchDaily[.com], The text description provided by the architects. Located on a hill, the project is displaced through two volumes, impacting the smallest possible surface and almost without altering the terrain, the existing vegetation of oaks and copal trees is respected. The compositional scheme of the volumes responds to different levels, burying itself to the south and flying towards the north, so the project gets a direct dialogue with nature.

So? Who does not agree with my opinion? Aw......it's okay. I still think is vibrant, refreshing -soul restorative.....it's a therapy living in Mexican desert foothils.
Photography by: Lorena Darquea
​Lead architect:  Luis Alberto Martinez Zuniga

For some many months, as I am a casual Facebook alumnus, I would come across either wonderful watercolours or stunningly gorgeous interiors by Marina Starunova. She resides in Kiev, Ukraine - and creates beautiful, whimsical paintings, OR mesmerizing interior designs.
She is elusive - and difficult to find much information on.....but for some months Ihave wanted to feature her wok - and so here it is...... I apologise that I cannot provide tangible contact information. But, BRAVO Marina! Une artiste, vraiment!

She can be found on LinkedIn (​https://ua.linkedin.com/in/marina-starunova-90326964) or on Behance.....what a talent!

I am, upset • • • Why? Because I have run out of room - and I have so much more I want to bring to you......it will have to wait until next month. My apologies

All photographs : : ©michael:moore 2007

Publisher's Note:  Due to unexpected interruptions in travel itineraries in the last week, Part II of the Rita Edwards project, along with the Moise Safdie mega-project in China will appear in our next issue.  Thank you for your understanding.