stuff we drool about

Opal Lake Cabin

Designed by Opal Architecture, this lakeside gem combines innovative wooden design with exceptional sustainability. Located in the picturesque rural Northwest Connecticut, this remarkable home showcases the perfect blend of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and wood fiber insulation, achieving an impressive level of energy efficiency. By utilizing wood as the primary building material, Opal Architecture emphasizes its sustainability and minimal environmental impact.

Designed to replace a seasonal cottage, this single-level cabin maximizes its volume by concentrating the kitchen, dining, and living spaces. Private areas, including the primary bedroom suite and a study/guest room, spread out to the west and east respectively. The stepped façade ensures every major space enjoys breathtaking lake views.

Despite its complex geometry, the Opal Lake Cabin successfully utilized prefabricated CLT panels for the structural walls, ceilings, and roof. These panels, left exposed on the interior, provide both structural support and a stunning finish. Encased in rigid wood fiber insulation and adorned with prefinished ash siding, the cabin achieves an energy-efficient Passive House standard. To further reduce reliance on the power grid, the cabin incorporates Teslas Solar Roof and Powerwall technology, enabling electricity generation and storage.




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BANDA AGENCY OFFICE - Image

BANDA AGENCY OFFICE

Our office crush this week is located in the historical district of Kyiv, Ukraine. This extravagant workplace is home to creative agency Banda, whom commissioned architects Balbek Bureau a comfortable working space suitable for an artistic soul. Designed to make its employees feel as if they could be anywhere but not at work, the funky office features an extraordinary meeting room in the form of a swimming pool, a vibrant bar area, a detached in-built barn-house, vi...
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BREATHTAKING HOLLYWOOD HILLS RESIDENCE FOR SALE - Image

BREATHTAKING HOLLYWOOD HILLS RESIDENCE FOR SALE

Located on the top of "Bird Streets", Los Angeles area, California, lies a fascinating residence in Hollywood Hills. It is a property with amazing features, it has four bedrooms and five bathrooms, a breathtaking infinity pool inside an inner courtyard, which offers unparalleled views of the city. It has modern technological characteristics such as i-pod dock in every room, external speakers and a home theater with 3DLP professional HD projector....
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NOLAN HOUSE - Image

NOLAN HOUSE

Located in Melbourne, Australia, the spectacular Nolan House is a project by Coy Yiontis Architects whom have created a beautiful light filled open space. The original heritage home is broken then reunified by the introduction of 3 courtyards of varying sizes allowing complete transparency across the site. The inside and outside of the house are merged through the use of sliding glazed panels and continuity of building materials, giving the impression of one large c...
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