Layers of landscaping, ramps and walls modulating the narrow yard from street to house entry. Photo by: Joe Iano

Nat Rea

Casey Dunn

Halkin/Mason Photography

Completed in 2009, the Urban Executives development presented a unique challenge to us at Fifth Element Homes: how to build five unique homes, for five unique families, while creating the cohesive feel of a neighbourhood.

Brown's Interior Design Boca Raton, FL

Sarah Willmer Architect Ken Gutmaker Photos

David Paler

Chad Mellon

Patrick Reynolds

For this house “contextual” means focusing the good view and taking the bad view out of focus. In order to accomplish this, the form of the house was inspired by horse blinders. Conceived as two tubes with directed views, one tube is for entertaining and the other one for sleeping. Directly across the street from the house is a lake, “the good view.” On all other sides of the house are neighbors of very close proximity which cause privacy issues and unpleasant views – “the bad view.” Thus the sides and rear are mostly solid in order to block out the less desirable views and the front is completely transparent in order to frame and capture the lake – “horse blinders.” There are several sustainable features in the house’s detailing. The entire structure is made of pre-fabricated recycled steel and concrete. Through the extensive use of high tech and super efficient glass, both as windows and clerestories, there is no need for artificial light during the day. The heating for the building is provided by a radiant system composed of several hundred feet of tubes filled with hot water embedded into the concrete floors. The façade is made up of composite board that is held away from the skin in order to create ventilated façade. This ventilation helps to control the temperature of the building envelope and a more stable temperature indoors. Photo Credit: Alistair Tutton

Photos by Gaszton

Kévin Louage - Image In

Photo Credits: Brian Vanden Brink Interior Design: Shor Home