Archinect - News

Coastal Nova Scotia home ‘emerges from rocky terrain,’ designed by Omar Gandhi Architects

2024-02-23T12:26:00-05:00

Omar Gandhi Architects has completed a house on Canada’s Atlantic coastline that “emerges from rocky terrain.” Named Rockbound, and located in Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia, the home was commissioned as a place of refuge for a busy client.

Image credit: Ema Peter Photography

Situated atop a rocky shoreline, the building was shaped to capture views of the ocean while sheltering the interior from winds and storms. A steel and wood frame was shaped to resist hurricane-force winds, while a material palette with naturally weathering characteristics is intended to “age gracefully” and “tell the story of its place in the landscape.”

Image credit: Ema Peter Photography

“The structure emerges from the rocky terrain, mirroring the coastline's contours, and its primary living spaces run parallel to the water, offering breathtaking panoramic views along the coast and across the bay to the iconic Peggy's Cove Lighthouse,” th...

A historic home in Cape Cod is teetering on the brink after this weekend’s bomb cyclone

2022-02-02T10:39:00-05:00

The blizzard over the weekend dumped more than two feet of snow in many areas, while also inflicting major damage to communities along the Massachusetts coastline. In Truro, a house was left suspended on stilts over a beach after violent waves from the blizzard’s storm surge essentially washed away its remaining foundation.

The home was once owned and operated by the U.S. Coast Guard and was subject to a hastened attempt late last week by the homeowner to stabilize its pilings and prevent a total loss after a January 17th storm eroded nearly 20 feet of beach from the front of the property. A 2016 profile of the beach community published by The Seattle Times revealed a rare “managed retreat” organized amongst the locals. The town said the owners have made plans to move back their property in a press statement released just prior to the storm.

The $1.5 million property was almost entirely fronted by a large dune only only a few short months ago which has now almost completely eroded, leaving a dramatic impression on anyone with an eye on the disappearing backside of the Cape’s 70-mile shoreline. Globally, similar beaches are expected to lose about 22,430 miles of sand to erosion over the next 30 years, a figure that will nearly triple by the end of the century.

Drone footage of house nearly falling int...

Large cedar trees surround Christopher Wright Architecture's coastal home in Washington

2020-05-20T13:13:00-04:00

Seattle-based Christopher Wright Architecture designed this home for owners who wanted to live in an intimate space with a strong connection to trees, bay views, and the land. Combining Swiss-style architecture with modern influences, the aesthetic nature of the dwelling highlights craftsmanship, structure, and connectivity to the surrounding landscape.

Photos by Anna Spencer.

"We wanted to create a home that seems to belong where it is–as if it could have always been there–but does not necessarily blend or disappear. Here, I like the strength of the simple forms set against the natural landscape," said Christopher Wright, founder of Christopher Wright Architecture in a statement.

Photos by Anna Spencer.

Surrounded by cedar trees, the buildable area of the site was minimal and the team ensured the trees were kept intact. As such, the home was built close to the trees, requiring a modified approach to the traditional foundation so that the roots of the cedars would not be disturbed.

Ph...

A residential complex on the coast of Mexico renovated by MAIN OFFICE

2018-09-20T16:33:00-04:00

Mexico and Sweden-based architectural practice MAIN OFFICE has recently completed CASA LT, an expansion and restoration of a residential complex located on the coast of Mexico.

Situated in the well known surfers’ town of Sayulita, the new residential design provides a clear waterfront view of the Pacific Ocean from all spaces both inside and out.

The new complex consists of three small houses situated on the top of the hill. The original house was built in the 50's in poor condition due to lack of maintenance.

MAIN OFFICE restored the original house and added a new main building along with a guest house facing the be...