Concrete Wall Designs & Ideas
Exterior Worlds Landscaping & DesignA local Houston art collector hired us to create a low maintenance, sophisticated, contemporary landscape design. She wanted her property to compliment her eclectic taste in architecture, outdoor sculpture, and modern art. Her house was built with a minimalist approach to decoration, emphasizing right angles and windows instead of architectural keynotes. The west wing of the house was only one story, while the east wing was two-story. The windows in both wings were larger than usual, so that visitors could see her art collection from the home’s exterior. Near one of the large rear windows, there was an abstract metal sculpture designed in the form of a spiral.
When she initially contacted us, the surrounding property had only a few trees and indigenous grass as vegetation. This was actually a good beginning point with us, because it allowed us to develop a contemporary landscape design that featured a very linear, crisp look supportive of the home and its contents. We began by planting a garden around the large contemporary sculpture near the window. Landscape designers planted horsetail reed under windows, along the sides of the home, and around the corners. This vegetation is very resilient and hardy, and requires little trimming, weeding, or mulching. This helped unite the diverse elements of sculpture, contemporary architecture, and landscape design into a more fluid harmony that preserved the proportions of each unique element, but eliminated any tendency for the elements to clash with one another.
We then added two stonework designs to the landscape surrounding the contemporary art collection and home. The first was a linear walkway we build from concrete pads purchased through a retail vendor as a cost-saving benefit to our client. We created this walkway to follow the perimeter of the home so that visitors could walk around the entire property and admire the outdoor sculptures and the collections of modern art visible through the windows. This was especially enjoyable at night, when the entire home was brightly lit from within.
To add a touch of tranquility and quite repose to the stark right angles of the home and surrounding contemporary landscape, we designed a special seating area toward the northwest corner of the property. We wanted to create a sense of contemplation in this area, so we departed from the linear and angular designs of the surrounding landscape and established a theme of circular geometry. We laid down gravel as ground cover, then placed large, circular pads arranged like giant stepping stones that led up to a stone patio filled with chairs. The shape of the granite pads and the contours of the graveled area further complimented the spirals and turns in the outdoor metal sculpture, and balanced the entire contemporary landscape design with proportional geometric forms of lines, angles, and curves.
This particular contemporary landscape design also has a sense of movement attached to it. All stonework leads to a destination of some sort. The linear pathway provides a guided tour around the home, garden, and modern art collection. The granite pathway stones create movement toward separate space where the entire experience of art, vegetation, and architecture can be viewed and experienced as a unity.
Contemporary landscaping designs like create form out of feeling by using basic geometric forms and variations of forms. Sometimes very stark forms are used to create a sense of absolutism or contrast. At other times, forms are blended, or even distorted to suggest a sense of complex emotion, or a sense of multi-dimensional reality. The exact nature of the design is always highly subjective, and developed on a case-by-case basis with the client.
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UserA sculptural statement in its own right, this concrete-and-glass “Gallery House” was designed to showcase the owners’ art collection as well as the natural landscape. The architecture is truly one with its site: To the east, a sheltering wall echoes the curve of a crowded cul-de-sac, while to the west, the design follows the sweeping contours of the cliff—ensuring privacy while maximizing views. The architectural details demanded flawless construction: Windows and doors stretch floor-to-ceiling, and minimalist reveals define the walls, which “float” between perfect shadow lines in the long T-shape foyer. Ideal for entertaining, the layout fosters seamless indoor-outdoor living. Amenities include four pocketing glass walls, a lanai with heated floor, and a partially cantilevered multi-level terrace. The front courtyard sequesters a frameless glass entry. From here, sight lines stretch through the house to an infinity pool that hovers between sky and sea.
MarvinArchitect: Blaine Bonadies, Bonadies Architect
Photography By: Jean Allsopp Photography
“Just as described, there is an edgy, irreverent vibe here, but the result has an appropriate stature and seriousness. Love the overscale windows. And the outdoor spaces are so great.”
Situated atop an old Civil War battle site, this new residence was conceived for a couple with southern values and a rock-and-roll attitude. The project consists of a house, a pool with a pool house and a renovated music studio. A marriage of modern and traditional design, this project used a combination of California redwood siding, stone and a slate roof with flat-seam lead overhangs. Intimate and well planned, there is no space wasted in this home. The execution of the detail work, such as handmade railings, metal awnings and custom windows jambs, made this project mesmerizing.
Cues from the client and how they use their space helped inspire and develop the initial floor plan, making it live at a human scale but with dramatic elements. Their varying taste then inspired the theme of traditional with an edge. The lines and rhythm of the house were simplified, and then complemented with some key details that made the house a juxtaposition of styles.
The wood Ultimate Casement windows were all standard sizes. However, there was a desire to make the windows have a “deep pocket” look to create a break in the facade and add a dramatic shadow line. Marvin was able to customize the jambs by extruding them to the exterior. They added a very thin exterior profile, which negated the need for exterior casing. The same detail was in the stone veneers and walls, as well as the horizontal siding walls, with no need for any modification. This resulted in a very sleek look.
MARVIN PRODUCTS USED:
Marvin Ultimate Casement Window
Keith Willig Landscape Architecture, Inc.At this Palo Alto home, a concrete wall provides privacy for front yard seating. Existing boxwoods and dogwood tree at right were kept per client's wishes. (Photography by Paul Dyer)
Auhaus ArchitectureBluff House rear deck. Insitu concrete wall. Copper cladding. Hardwood timber deck.
Photography: Trevor Mein
Jordan Iverson Signature HomesOutdoor patio with gas fireplace that lives right off the kitchen. Perfect for hosting or being outside privately, as it's secluded from neighbors. Wood floors, cement walls with a cover.
Juxtapose Design BuildCast in place concrete walls and custom waterjet metal with integrated lighting complement the architectural materiality, while providing physical and visual separation between this private modern home and the wooded public passage of the Burke Gilman Trail. Cantilevered steps float above a cascade of soft grasses and rushes. Looking out over Lake Washington from the hot tub, a combination of wood and concrete walls softened by plants contain the experience of outdoor relaxation at its finest. A crushed granite path gently curves along handcrafted stone walls containing a burst of lush planting to connect wood decking at the house with a fire pit area close to the water.
Photography: Louie Jeon Photography
Maraya Interior DesignModern Home Interiors and Exteriors, featuring clean lines, textures, colors and simple design with floor to ceiling windows. Hardwood, slate, and porcelain floors, all natural materials that give a sense of warmth throughout the spaces. Some homes have steel exposed beams and monolith concrete and galvanized steel walls to give a sense of weight and coolness in these very hot, sunny Southern California locations. Kitchens feature built in appliances, and glass backsplashes. Living rooms have contemporary style fireplaces and custom upholstery for the most comfort.
Bedroom headboards are upholstered, with most master bedrooms having modern wall fireplaces surounded by large porcelain tiles.
Project Locations: Ojai, Santa Barbara, Westlake, California. Projects designed by Maraya Interior Design. From their beautiful resort town of Ojai, they serve clients in Montecito, Hope Ranch, Malibu, Westlake and Calabasas, across the tri-county areas of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles, south to Hidden Hills- north through Solvang and more.
Modern Ojai home designed by Maraya and Tim Droney
Patrick Price Photography.
松原建築計画／matsubara architect design office郊外に立つ平屋のコートハウス。木製デッキのある中庭を中心に、家族の気配を感じながら楽しく暮らすすまい。趣味室のロフトや中庭を望む家族共有のワークスペースなど家族の居場所が散りばめてあります。プライベートな中庭に面した窓はカーテンのいらない開口となっています。
Concrete Wall Designs & Ideas
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