Architecture for Humanity : Donate For Reconstructing Chile

Not too long ago, we had a post here on Freshome about the earthquake in Chile with a few tips on how to design safe homes, that would resist minor seismic activities. In this post we would like emphasize some efforts that are being made in order to help the people of this community. Architecture for Humanity is a non-profit organization which plans on helping Chile reconstructing its buildings, after the devastating earthquake The organization was founded in 1999 and is currently collaborating with more than 40000 designers and architects who are “willing to lend time and expertise to help those who would not otherwise be able to afford their services”.

This is the call for action message we found on their site:. “By making a donation today you are supporting a grassroots network of architects, designers and building professionals to lend their talents and expertise in communities where there services are most needed and can least be afforded. You know design matters. Help us use the power of design to build a more sustainable future in communities around the world.“

We salute the initiative of Architecture for Humanity and we are giving you a chance to help out as well, by donating in order to help rebuild the constructions in Chile.

Kowalewski Residence, A Rigid Place to Live In Or A Cool Modern House?

Located in Atlantic Beach, New York, this impressive display of architecture comes from Belmont Freeman Architects and is a symbol of modern design. In a community of 1920’s and 30’s homes, this project comes to break the pattern and impose contemporaneity. We are not fond of this idea, however the building team considers that the the Kowalewski residence remains “respectful of the scale and architectural traditions of the community”. Overall, we think the house has some pretty cool architecture features, such as the irregular shape or the vertical window section which brakes monotony and seems to split the building in two unequal parts. The round window is also of great aesthetic effect. Still, in our opinion, homes should lose the rigid feel and stick to a design that inspires a homey atmosphere. What do you think about this idea?-via Arch Daily

Innovative Architecture: Barn Turned Into A Work Studio

Do you enjoy unusual transformations? Nicolas Tye Architects came up with one that teaches us something about innovative architecture. Long Barn Studio is the name of the building below and it was raised on the ruins of an old barn measuring a total surface of 2,200 square feet. The place has an interesting architecture and it manages to blend in its environment. You would probably expect an office building to have a certain height and a futuristic look, but the architects over at Nicolas Tye thought of messing with this pattern. However, if the exterior is somewhat peaceful and not very flashy, all the high-tech and modern stuff is located inside, in the actual work studio. And what a great place take inspiration from!-via Arch Daily

Casa No Gere, Amazing Sustainable Home In The Middle Of Nature

Even though it is considered dangerous, there are many people who dream of a house in the middle of nature. Casa No Gere comes from architects Graça Correia and Roberto Ragazzi and is located in an unconventional environment. Deep in Portugal’s national park is where the owners wished to live and their request was honored by the architects by coming up with plans for this stunning building. And things were not easy. The construction team had to cope with a lot of strict rules coming from the park’s authorities. In the end, the shape and location of the residence were adapted to respect all terms and in the pictures below you have the results: a bar-like structure with a unique exterior and modern indoor arrangements. Not a single tree was cut during the construction and the materials used were eco-friendly.-via Home-Designing

Interior Design With Personality: The Ross Street House in Wisconsin

From Richard Wittschiebe Hand, this imposing home belongs to Carol Richard, an architect who has always dreamed of designing her own place. We don’t know if this looks like a dream come true to you but for Carol it was the result of all her architectural wishes mixed together. Even though it looks like a fortress on the outside, perhaps causing some of you to say this is not the warmest place in the world, when you step inside, the atmosphere changes completely. Light and color fill the rooms, creating a fresh and comfortable feel. The pale blue and the pink chairs stand out in contrast to the white walls and wooden floors. There is a stairway matching he floors which connects the levels and fits perfect with with rest of the decor. We are sure you will find a lot of pleasing decorative instruments in the pictures below and we are looking forward to your comments on them.- via Contemporist

The Edge House in Norway by Jarmund/Vigsnæs AS Architects MNAL

You’ve seen a lot of residences here on Freshome lately built on terrains that are not leveled. This brings a particular challenge for architects, but also amazing end results. The Edge House by Jarmund / Vigsnæs AS Architects is located in Kolbotn, a suburb south of Oslo out in the cold Norway. Its unusual architecture caught our eye as it is not very common for a house to have such un-smooth edges and seem as it it is about to fall off a small cliff. Even though on the outside it looks unusual and interestingly shaky, the building couldn’t be steadier. The residence belongs to a young couple that wanted a cool design with a limited budget, a place that “looked like you could shoot a James Bond movie in it”. We think the architects caught the essence of their wish. It is now up to you to give us your opinion.- via Arch Tracker