Image via Complex Original
You may not be living in your dream crib, but the selections in this group of Fresh Builds: The 25 Coolest Houses of March 2013 will have you inspired to keep wishing for it. While some homes earn their place on this list for their amenities, others are notable for challenging conventional building methods and designs. Browse through these images of clever and beautiful architecture that we can thankfully enjoy as they are uploaded. As we noted last month, these are homes that have surfaced online and may not have necessarily been completed in February specifically.
RELATED: Fresh Builds: The 25 Coolest Houses of February 2013
RELATED: Fresh Builds: The 25 Coolest Houses of 2012
25. House in Nada
25. House in Nada
Location: Nada, Hyogo, Japan
Architect: Fujiwarramuro Architects
Although the house is organized in an extremely narrow space, craftful arrangement of rooms and a roof skylight that shines through all floors diminish any feeling of being closed in. The residence has two bedrooms on the upper floor and living areas on the main floor, all connected through a central stairwell.
24. G House
24. G House
Location: Normandy, France
Architect: Lode Architecture
The holiday home has a dark slate exterior in a barnhouse-suggestive shape with an outdoor deck area. Wooden accents brighten up the interior space, while bedrooms are also located on upper levels near the slanting roof of the house.
23. Skyward House
23. Skyward House
Location: Uenohara, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan
Architect: acaa
The house, designed as a female resident's last home, was built on a sloped hillside—the only one in the middle of a large grass field. Located next to a street with a decent amount of car traffic, the structure was elevated to obscure views from the public.
22. Timber-Framed Home
22. Timber-Framed Home
Location: Watchung Hills, NJ
Architect: Interior Design Arts
Maintaining a rustic aesthetic, the house features exposed timber beams, brick walls, and copper accents. With stainless steel appliances in the kitchen and a stone and brick fireplace, the interior incorporates both modern and traditional elements.
21. Spiral House in Espoo
21. Spiral House in Espoo
Location: Espoo, Finland
Architect: Olavi Kopose
The layout of the residence is a spiral, beginning from the ground up and creating rounded shapes on the interior and exterior of the home. The house was recently listed for sale.
20. House in Keyaki
20. House in Keyaki
Location: Saitama, Japan
Architect: SNARK and OUVI
Built on a small site, the house is shaped to leave ground space for parking while the garden is cut out from its roof. The exterior features bronze metal cladding, while the interior consists of an exposed timber frame and windows throughout white walls.
19. Casa 2G
19. Casa 2G
Location: Nuevo León, Mexico
Architect: Stación-ARquitectura
The concrete Casa 2G features minimal design and a private patio for each bedroom. A courtyard separates two structures, one containing private quarters and the other more social, living areas.
18. Big and Small House
18. Big and Small House
Location: Los Angeles
Architect: Anonymous Architects
Its name comes from its seemingly small outside appearance, compared with the big feeling of interior spaciousness. The main floor is an undivided open space containing the kitchen, living room, and dining area, while an upper floor contains the master bedroom, with skylights that allow for sun and starlight to shine through.
17. Pangyo House
17. Pangyo House
Location: Pangyo, South Korea
Architect: Office 53427
This brick building is covered on both sides with acrylic stone panels that form the smooth and curved textures of the house. The structure features a unique shape as it was designed to bend around a small garden, while its interior retains the common theme of its exterior look.
16. Casa Kolonihagen
16. Casa Kolonihagen
Location: Stavanger, Norway
Architect: Tommie Wilhelmsen
Designed as a summer home, the house does not include spacious living areas but embraces a balance between simplicity and luxury both indoors and outdoors. With an abundance of green space surrounding the residence, the interior design is simple and includes seating areas and a suspended bed.
15. House in Muko
15. House in Muko
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Architect: Fujiwaramuro Architects
Located on a fan-shaped site, the House in Muko is surrounded by louvers that allow for light to enter the residence without completely exposing interior views to the street. The design protects privacy while allowing for somewhat open living.
14. 1151 Crenshaw
14. 1151 Crenshaw
Location: Eugene, OR
Architect: Jordan Iverson Signature Homes
Mixing rustic and contemporary styles of architecture, the house's facade is composed of wood and steel. A warm atmosphere is created with cedar wood floors and furniture along with various glass-encased fires throughout the living room. The house also has three outdoor decks and a roof terrace.
13. V House
13. V House
Location: Alkmaar, The Netherlands
Architect: Baksvanwengerden Architecten
The house may have a strange shape with an elevated pitched roof, but on either side are two rooftop gardens. Anthracite ceramic tiles give the structure a modern look while including elements of a simple traditional house.
12. House in Sikamino
12. House in Sikamino
Location: Attica, Greece
Architect: Tense Architecture Network
The structure of the residence is based on its roof which slopes out of the ground and contains vegetation such as helichrysum, rosanthemum, lavender, gauras, and thyme. Living spaces are allocated in central areas underneath the ceiling, while bedrooms are accommodated on the edges of the tilting space.
11. YAK01 House
11. YAK01 House
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Architect: Ayutt and Associates Design
Working with a regulated plot of land, half of the interior spaces exist inside elevated areas throughout the house. Outdoor and indoor spaces are linked through large glass windows in more public areas, while private quarters are less open.
10. Agua House
10. Agua House
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Architect: Barrionuevo Sierchuk Arquitectas
Two stone walls pass through the Agua House and are visible from the interior. While sliding wooden doors become concealed into the walls to connect indoor and outdoor spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows on the second level provide full views of the Canal Arias River.
9. Fresno House
9. Fresno House
Location: Cariló, Argentina
Architect: Felix Raspall + Federico Papandrea
The summer house is located on a slope in a forest near the South Atlantic Ocean. On the ground floor, an outdoor terrace and pool area are accessible through floor-to-ceiling windows, while the house is situated perpendicular to the slope for privacy.
8. The New Old
8. The New Old
Location: Melbourne, Victoria
Architect: Jessica Liew
Built on the site of an old tennis court, the house uses all-natural materials including concrete, recycled bricks, and hardwood timbers. The construction is six-star energy rated for efficiency and includes a fishpond corridor accessible through antique Chinese screen doors.
7. Nikau House
7. Nikau House
Location: Parnell, Auckland
Architect: Strachan Group Architects
The facade of the Nikau House presents two materials, while timber slats allow for both openness and privacy. Timber and light colors are used throughout the home, consistently creating a warm feeling.
6. Balmain House
6. Balmain House
Location: Sydney, Australia
Architect: Fox Johnston
A small workers' cottage was remodeled as a modern home for a young family. A block-shaped volume was added to maximize space by creating an interaction between the outdoor garden and indoor living spaces.
5. Hewlett Street House
5. Hewlett Street House
Location: Bronte, Australia
Architect: MPR Design Group
Located near Bronte Beach, the house is designed to offer the best views of a dynamic landscape. The structural design shapes both the interior and exterior look of the home, as light enters through shapes created by elements of the facade.
4. Sea View House
4. Sea View House
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Architect: Parsonson Architects
With amazing views of the botanical gardens and the Wellington Harbor, the house features an iron roof framing and wooden accents to create a multitude of slants and angles. Wide views of the surrounding environment allow for the home's residents to get to know the outside setting.
3. Promenade Residence
3. Promenade Residence
Location: Queensland, Australia
Architect: BGD Architects
Located on the water, the residence offers great views of Australia's Surfers Paradise skyline. While a patterned screen filters out views and light, other areas of the home can be opened up to connect with the outdoors.
2. Casa Seta
2. Casa Seta
Location: Lima, Peru
Architect: Martín Dulanto Architect
The house was designed based on a large box-shaped structure to include terrace areas and other social spaces. The two-story home has five bedrooms, six bathrooms, a pool, a bar, and generous patio space.
1. Chinese Coin House
1. Chinese Coin House
Location: Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Architect: Juan Carlos Menacho Durán
Inspired by the design of the Chinese coin, this house features a round shape that represents the sky and a square symbolizing the earth. The house was carefully built to inspire harmony with its environment. All of its measurements follow the Golden Ratio, while its placement and layout were planned considering the earth's electromagnetic fields and energies.
