Back to Black: 14 Beautiful Houses Clad in Every Architect’s Favorite Shade

These projects inspire a sense of mystery, encouraging us to peak behind the midnight shades and experience the concealed spaces within.

Architizer Editors Architizer Editors

“In our culture, stereotypical portrayals of architects are rampant, with the caricatures showing them as overworked, underpaid artistic wannabes shrouded in black.”

Lidija Grozdanic’s perfect summary of the clichés embodied by our profession is accurate on at least one point — architects adore black. Not just for clothes, though: Obsidian hues are often harnessed in their architecture, too, in order to summon a deep contrast with the both natural surroundings and light-filled interiors. Pitch black cladding also serves to diminish the materiality of a building, instead allowing a structure’s form and profile to make the maximum impact.

Many of the houses below are designed as silhouettes that need no backlight, popping against blue skies in daytime and allowing warm glows to emanate by night. In more wintry conditions (see Avanto Architects’ Four-cornered Villa in Vaskivesi, Finland), they providing an even greater contrast with the natural landscape. Ultimately, these projects inspire a sense of mystery, encouraging us to peak behind the midnight shades and experience the concealed spaces within. This is the architecture of the anti-color — and we love it.

© Subarquitectura

© Subarquitectura

360 Houseby Subarquitectura, Galapagar, Spain

© Avanto Architects Ltd

© Avanto Architects Ltd

Four-cornered Villaby Avanto Architects Ltd, Vaskivesi, Finland

© Backyard Revolution PDF

© Backyard Revolution PDF

Villa Abborrkroken i Överbyby John Robert Nilsson Arkitektkontor, Stockholm Archipelago

© Carl Turner Architects

© Carl Turner Architects

Stealth Barnby Carl Turner Architects, UK

Agudela Houseby Rui Cerqueira Barros,Matosinhos, Portugal

© Burobill

© Burobill

Matroyshkaby Buro Bill, Antwerp, Belgium

© Vaslab Architecture

© Vaslab Architecture

Bunker HousebyVaSLab, Lopburi, Thailand

© X Architekten

© X Architekten

Little Black DressbyX Architekten, Gunskirchen, Austria

© Tham & Videgård Arkitekter

© Tham & Videgård Arkitekter

Archipelago HousebyTham & Videgård Arkitekter, Stockholm Archipelago

© Arkitema Architects

© Arkitema Architects

Casa Spodsbjerg by Arkitema Architects, Rudkøbing, Denmark

© Matthew Heywood Limited

© Matthew Heywood Limited

Trish House YaldingbyMatthew Heywood Limited, Sevenoaks, UK

© REMY arquitectos

© REMY arquitectos

The Black HousebyAndres Remy Arquitecto, Buenos Aires

Casa MartinbyALT arquitectura, Valdetorres de Jarama, Spain

© Jun Igarashi Architects

© Jun Igarashi Architects

House O, Jun Igarashi Architects, Hokkaido, Japan

© Rats-architects,Inc.

© Rats-architects,Inc.

#0045 Chro-e #01byRats-architects, Kumamoto, Japan

For more examples of just why black is beautiful — particularly in residential architecture — check out “18 Dark Residential Products Bringing Sexy Back“.

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