Brick & Wonder was launched by Lang Architecture to provide access to homes in the marketplace with design integrity that have the capacity to improve how we feel, think, interact and ultimately live our daily lives.
The cantilever is a highly aspirational technique in architecture, rendering a building as eternally in motion, forever reaching out beyond the bounds of its earthly foundations. Achieving height in our dwelling places has long been a lofty pursuit, and negotiating the often precarious topographical conditions of a mountainous site continues to intrigue the ambitions of many architects. This collection of overhanging homes features an international smattering of dwelling places which attempt to defy gravity and bring their inhabitants face to face with the surrounding landscape. Just don’t look down.
Brazilian Forest Home, São Francisco Xavier, Brazil
This pavilion-like home is located amidst 41.5 acres of permanently protected Brazilian forest. An important factor considered in design development was the region’s high humidity levels, which led to the idea of suspended volumes and a central structural grid. Visit Brick & Wonder for information about this forest home’s listing price.
Case Study House by David Thorne, San Marino, Calif., United States
This house was designed by David Thorne, the last living architect of the Case Study program that was a series of experiments in American residential architecture. Major architects of the day were commissioned to build efficient model homes for the United States residential housing boom of the mid-century. The Case Study House was on the market for $1,850,000 before it recently sold.
Eagle’s Perch by Indigo Architecture & Design, Orcas Island, Wash., United States
This home is known for its sweeping views across the San Juan Islands, which are framed by glass folding walls and integrate nature with interior living. Eagle’s perch recently sold.
The Integral House by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, Toronto, Canada
Designed by Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, the Integral House experiments with built space at every turn, from fireplaces and staircases to door handles. One special integrated element is a blue glass stair, which is a site-specific commissioned art work and the result of a collaboration between glass artist Mimi Gellman, Shim-Sutcliffe Architects and structural engineer David Bowick. The stair is composed of handblown laminated blue glass rectangles supported by cast bronze clips and stainless steel cables. This elegant home is listed at the whopping price of $19,500,000.
West Head House by Peter Stutchbury, New South Wales, Australia
This beautiful treetop home is designed by Australian architect Peter Stutchbury. Overlooking the South Pacific Ocean in New South Wales, the home opens up to the exterior merging warm timber with the surrounding greenery. Stutchbury said of his residence: “When living in this house one has a wonderful sense of the lightness of being … There is great joy in freedom and a deliberate pilgrimage toward the romantic.” Stutchbury’s coastal home was recently sold.
Mountain House, Asheville, N.C., United States
Located in the hills of Ashville, North Carolina, the Elk Mountain home is designed to engage with the outdoors, a major consideration for the nature-loving culture of the town. The home is positioned to take advantage of both mountain and downtown views. The warm timber home can be snapped up for $2,895,000.
Mid-Century Homeby Carl Strauss, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
This home was designed by architect Carl Strauss, who is known as “Cincinnati’s Modern Master.” Strauss had a penchant for conserving natural surroundings, particularly trees located on and around his construction sites. This home features an abundance of window walls which open to nature and an inner courtyard drawing a direct line to nature at every turn. This mid-century perch comes in on the market at $599,000.
Wedge House by Peter Stutchbury, Whale Beach, Australia
Also designed by award-winning architect Peter Stutchbury, the Wedge House is designed to respond intuitively to a spectacular site overlooking Whale Beach on the northern beaches of Sydney. Stutchbury describes: “The lighter open-plan northern wedge is designed to fly beyond its anchored partner diagonally outward across the site toward sky.” More information about the Whale Beach home can be found at Brick & Wonder.
Santa Rosa Home by Gary Tucker, Santa Rosa, Calif., United States
Nestled in a private corner of Northern California’s Sonoma Wine Country, this one-bedroom house was designed by architect Gary Tucker for his personal residence. Tucker utilized a subterranean concept to integrate the building with the steep wooded hillside. The hillside home can be yours for $1,000,000.
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