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What began as a small repair job turned into a complete architectural reinvention. Designed by boutique Northern California firm Medium Plenty, this three-story family home reflects a deep collaboration between the architects and a creative couple with two young kids. Originally initiated to address structural water damage, the project evolved into a fully custom rebuild with one goal: create a “forever home” that balances soulful materials, family life, and refined design.
In the green hills of Ibiúna, a quiet rural town about 90 minutes from São Paulo, architect Rodrigo Ohtake has built a family retreat unlike any other. Designed for weekends away with his wife Ana Carolina and their three children, the home is both a restful hideaway and a bold experiment in modular, eco-conscious design. The result? A prefabricated house that feels anything but prefabricated, joyful, fluid, and in sync with nature.
Blatto Boat is a newly constructed Floating On Water Residence (FOWR) located on the north end of Seattle’s Lake Union. Designed by Seattle studio GO'C, the houseboat is built within the exact footprint of an existing 12-by-40-foot vessel, making efficient use of every available inch.
Just off the coast of Seattle, a young family found their rhythm on Orcas Island, a lush, bluffside site in Deer Harbor where the forest meets the horizon. With the help of Syndicate Smith, a Washington-based architecture firm known for its sensitive, site-specific work, they built a grounded retreat that’s both elemental and modern. Designed to be built efficiently by the homeowner himself, a general contractor, this house reflects a deep connection to nature, family, and the quiet rituals of island life.
In Montreal’s lush Outremont district, a 1950s home by architects Morin & Cinq-Mars has undergone a transformative expansion. Atelier Chardonnat and Salem Architecture led the renovation, preserving its Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired heritage while introducing Japanese and Scandinavian influences. The result is a warm, modern sanctuary on Mount Royal, where every detail connects to nature and calm.
More in architecture
As of 2023, the US has around 142.3 million housing units: roughly one home for every 2.4 people in the country.
Cutting up, piecing together, remixing, and collaging have been essential and time-tested elements of the creative process, including architecture. British graphic designer and animator Adam Hale, however, takes the medium to another level with a steady stream of often humorous — and always fascinating — animated collages on his popular Instagram account The Daily Splice. In today's Archinect Meets, we chat with him about his introduction to making collages, his connection to the built environment, and his preferred digital tools.
Finding your way around a Network Rail station is becoming another step easier. The publication of the most recent version of Network Rail’s Wayfinding design manual represents the latest step in the company’s quest to design the best possible signage system for stations. Given the ongoing moves towards re-integrating large parts of the railway network […]
A talk with Thomas Bates, the renderings guru at VMDO Architects.
Archinect City Guide dives into Portland, Oregon, today, featuring some of the favorite spots for dining, gallery-hopping, and discovery shared by Observation Studio founding principal Chris Brown. (Avid Archinect readers will remember him from our Studio Snapshot of Linden, Brown Architecture, which rebranded as Observation Studio in 2024.) In true Pacific Northwest spirit, Brown has several authentic and rooted spots in and around Portland to recommend for architects and designers visiting the city. Is he keeping it weird? Let's find out. Are you a Portland local with your own go-to spots? Or have a city you think we should cover next? Share your thoughts, suggestions, and favorite places in the comments.
