Located in the Portugal Northwest border, the Vila Nova de Cerveira house by Demm Architecture was constructed for weekend use for its owners. Built as one long rectangle, its simplicity, enhanced by extensive use of concrete and glass, has good indoor-outdoor flow. The main living area leads out to an infinity pool, and the gardens, which are simply landscaped enables a simple concrete staircase to standout as a feature design feature.

 

A six-bedroom penthouse at London's latest development One Hyde Park has just sold for a record breaking £140 million (the equivalent of $306 million NZD), making it the most expensive piece of real estate in the world in terms of current listings and sales. What does £140 million buy you? 24 hour room service, spas, squash courts, private wine tasting facilities, protection from security guards (who are SAS trained) and the UK elite special forces unit. And your neighbours will all be able to afford the minimum £20 million dollar starting point for apartments nearby.

At this point the identity of the buyer is under wraps, but there is speculation that it could belong to an oil sheikh. The spacious apartment spans two floors, boasts bullet-proof windows, a panic room and is of course, situated at one of the most prestigious addresses in London - One Hyde Park.

  

Selected by the American Institute of Architects as San Francisco's top 25 buildings. We concur.

 

Over the years we've seen many a creative masterpiece that's been born from ideas doodled upon a classic cocktail napkin, and after stumbling across a similar idea from the US; we at Design Folio have decided to launch a competition based around the genius of these embryonic sketched ideas. Our inaugural Cocktail Napkin Sketch Contest is open to all those with a design leaning. Send us the machinations of your creative doodles and our extremely qualified team of judges will choose a winner. Up for grabs is a case of the superb award winning Man O' War Merlot Cabernet 2008 to help toast your success, along with the enviable chance to become an artistic hero amongst your design piers. We'll be sure to publish the best, the most interesting, the most creative, and the ugly, right here on the website.

Email us your scanned images along with a brief synopsis to us here by Tuesday 31st August.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Photography by Mario Gagliardi

The Brion-Vega cemetery was designed by renowned 20th Century architect Carlo Scarpa. Scarpa developed the geometrical concrete composition over a 10 year period, finally completing the cemetery in 1978. Located in San Vito d'Altivole, Italy, it was built as an extension to the family's existing cemetery and is the resting place of the Brion family members and the architect himself - Carlo Scarpa.

Scarpa described once described the cemetery - "I would like to explain the Tomba Brion...I consider this work, if you permit me, to be rather good and which will get better over time. I have tried to put some poetic imagination into it, though not in order to create poetic architecture but to make a certain kind of architecture that could emanate a sense of formal poetry....The place for the dead is a garden....I wanted to show some ways in which you could approach death in a social and civic way; and further what meaning there was in death, in the ephemerality of life—other than these shoe-boxes."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Situated in the Swiss village of Vals, and built in the mountain, this house is difficult to spot from afar, which makes for a perfect gateway. The unusual architecture plan comes from SeARCH and Christian Muller Architects, and includes all the facilities a common house has, such as a guest room, an entertainment area, and includes special features such as  underground pathways. The entrance is a wide oval opening that you are lead to by a traditional stone pathway.

  

Above: Architect John Irving, John Irving's sketch and architectural model.

When we met with architect John Irving it became evident within five minutes that he's an avid collector of many things. Evidence of such collections spring up from all parts of his office. His bookshelves are lined with old books - anything from modular homes of the 1950s to 1960s to old Playboy magazines. Model planes are hung from the ceiling; vintage postcards are found in stacks; he even has (we can only assume) stolen Lufthansa spoons to accompany his fascination with flight. He likes graffiti and cites an artist's patience in achieving the perfect piece as something he has a lot of admiration for. His office, located in Vulcan Lane, Auckland, overlooks much of the inner city and it's here that we sit down to find out what ten things he's currently influenced by.

1. My clients

It's the most fun and important part of being an architect - working out what my clients really want. The bulk of my clients are owner occupiers, which means, my work has a massive impact on their lives. It's very important to drink wine with them and share laughter. The shot below was a great meeting on an incredible yacht in Monaco.

 

 

Above: house by John Irving

2. My office

It's a big inspiration being up here. I love stepping out onto Vulcan Lane, it's the little piece of Europe that I need (I was in Europe for nine years) and pieces of my travels are everywhere. It's a inspiring place for me and I've had some great parties up here. If you love where you work, then you work well. I also keep many of my collections here (old magazines, postcards, books etc).

 

Above: John Irving's office, a 1969 issue of Playboy magazine, vintage postcards, the view from his office balcony.

3. Flight

I'm currently into propellers. They're the beauty of pure engineering and I think those old wooden laminated aircraft propellers are astoundingly beautiful. I have a lot of plane stuff in my office. I love my Concorde model and I also have a massive 70s Air New Zealand D10 above my desk - the Cadillac of the skies.

 

Above: 1970s Air New Zealand D10 model, a plane puzzle, Lufthansa spoons, a collection of fans.

4. My daughter

Isla is currently heavily into symmetry. She's my harshest critic and is generally supportive of my 'sculptures' although she is fiercely critical of their lack of colours and leaves. I always seek her opinion - the last one was summarised as 'where's the swimming pool?' - she had a point.

 

Above: John's daughter Isla.

 5. Courtyards

I am obsessed with courtyards - all houses should have at least one.

  

Above: courtyard by Marcel Breuer.

6. Timelessness

I feel very strongly about this. I strive for my work to be modern but of no particular date - architecture isn't fashion. It's not about the right now because it's a lot more permanent than say, last season's scarf. I'm not a fan of grabbing the latest architecture mag with the latest thing. The good architects don't get caught up with the latest thing. If a building dates - it's wrong. I am indifferent to the latest materials. There is stone, steel, concrete, wood, glass...I think a great example of an architect who has achieved this in his work is Marcel Breuer.

  

Above: house by Marcel Breuer

7. My partner in crime

She keeps me on my toes, also an architect she has been working for my long term hero Jean Nouvel in Paris, she's an inspiration and gives me the best presents. She did the stencil work below in inner city Auckland. We both share a love of street art. No price-tags.

  

Above: Stencil Art in Auckland and Serpentine pavilion by Jean Nouvel

8. Restrictions

I am learning to embrace those blessings in disguise. There are always things that restrict what you are doing whether it's a restricted site, dealing with Kafkaesque council planning or a tight budget. You are always trying to reconcile the restrictions. Surprisingly often, they help you to do better work.

9. Simplicity

A simple strong idea, if you can't explain the design in 30 seconds with a quick sketch then you've blown it.

  

Above: John Irving sketch

10. Surfing

 It's important to get into healthy things, it's good for the mind. Surfing is my latest and greatest inspiration. It's difficult physically and mentally demanding. Anyone who surfs has my utmost respect. At best you become at one with our planet, at worst it's a sheer terror. It forces you to confront your fears and puts you in the most beautiful spots you could ever imagine. Staying fit is vital for a designer. I've been getting into running and I have signed up to do the Auckland marathon this year. I have my best ideas when I am out running or sitting on a surfboard.

 

 

 

 

   

Created as a working studio for artist and sculptor Alexandros Liapis in Boeotia, Greece by A31 Architects. The building consists of a shell comprised of fair-faced reinforced concrete, completed in three separate phases. Firstly, the cantilever with the balcony in the South, where the entrance is situated, secondly, the artist’s workspace and finally the attic in the North which serves as a storage space. A straight staircase connects the two levels, while the cantilevered concrete steps can serve as exhibition stands for the artist’s work. The wall openings, which relate to the Sun’s trajectory, the interior lighting and the ventilation, stem from transverse horizontal sections in the building shell. The sliced concrete blocks that are removed now function as benches for people and pedestals for sculptures.

 

 
  

 

  

The Tangga House Singapore by Guz Architects makes outdoor living central to the home by creating a large home with a tiered courtyard as its centerpiece.  The courtyard features an L-shaped pool, a second level garden, a deck lounge and a quiet yard.  Opposite the pool is the similarly L-shaped structure itself.  Combine the two, and exterior wall of the courtyard, and a square structure results with an equal balance of indoor and outdoor living. 

 

Richard Neutra, who was considered one of modernism's most important architects, is best known for his work throughout California. However, this latest exhibition in Basel, celebrates all of his European buildings which also tout the stylistic elements he's renown for: glass corners, reflection pools, large windows and exposed beams. He described a properly designed building as 'not a static body, but a reflection of the natural processes surrounding it and, as such, refreshment for our soul, time and again.'

Featuring over one hundred original drawings of plans, documents, furniture design studies, photographs and architectural models, it should give an excellent understanding of Neutra's work across the board.

Exhibition: August 20 to October 2010 at the Swiss Architecture Museum in Basel.