House building Earthy style and setting, Earth-friendly by design: Contemporary wood home has it all

This contemporary wood home designed by Studio One Architecture is right at home in this natural forested setting here in Atlanta, Georgia. This family home combines natural materials with a modern design, namely its unusual "staggered" dual-volume layout that results in high ceilings, lots of glassed-in rooms and outdoor living areas for relaxing and entertaining alfresco. The architect took a cue from this lovely wooded location when choosing materials like natural wood, stone and glass which clad the home's exterior. Solid white volumes break up the earthy facade. This unconventional two-volume home features a dual-plane roof separated by a clerestory window. Wood makes its way indoors, appearing throughout the house in exposed Douglas fir rafters, cabinetry and flooring, combined with southern yellow pine decking, trim, doors and windows. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow ever-present views of nature while connecting interiors to the outdoor living spaces. And there are lots of nooks and decks and patios to take in nature's splendor. The home's open concept interiors boast an enhanced sense of space, complemented by the high ceilings and glass walls that extend sightlines out over the horizon. Even the bathroom makes the most of these spectacular surroundings, featuring huge windows surrounding a spa-style step-up soaker tub platform. Doing its part to ensure this beautiful location stays clean and green, this house includes some simple eco-friendly features, like an underground rainwater collection system, and natural daylight through the expansive glass walls. Deep overhangs supply cool shade during the summer months and allow the sun to penetrate interiors during the winter, offering passive lighting and warmth. But there are also some more complex sustainable systems in place, such as geothermal heating and cooling, argon gas-insulated glazing, recycled content, high-efficiency appliances, pre-wiring for future rooftop photo-voltaic panels, and a garage to charge up your electric car.

House building Nature Inspired Tea Houses Cantilevered Over the Valley
Perched high above lush California valley, these nature inspired tea houses designed by Swatt Miers Architects are a sweet retreat from the busy city. These natural house designs make you feel like you're a million miles away, yet always within easy reach of urban comforts and convenience. The architecture firm was charged with transforming this trio of tea houses into observation decks to take in the breathtaking views, but the homes themselves command your attention with their sweet simplicity. Though compact in terms of square footage, glass walls extend the homes as far as the eye can see, stretching off into the distant horizon dotted with Silicon Valley's twinkling lights. Described by the designers as a "transparent steel and glass pavilion, hovering like a lantern over the natural landscape," these structures boast cantilevered living areas that seem to launch you right into the landscape. When lit up by night, they become a beacon among the trees. These forest homes feature a small footprint and are designed and built in such a way as to minimize their impact on the environment where massive native oak trees tower overhead. And their homage to Mother Earth goes beyond environmental consciousness, with an overall organic yet modern aesthetic that blends beautifully with these surroundings. The indoors are finished with wood floors and ceilings, exposed concrete, and cool, clean, contemporary glazing from floor to ceiling. These beautifully bare interiors feature few details that let the inhabitants focus on the view.

House building -Vocabulary pageTerms:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Retreat (n)-a place affording peace, quiet, privacy, or security (adapost, refugiu); Deck (n)- an outdoor floor attached to a building made of only wood or woodlike material (punte) ; Ceiling (n)- an overhead interior surface that covers the upper limit of a room (tavan); Glassed -in room - room enclosed by glass or panels of glass (camera din sticla); Facade (n)- any side of a building facing a public way or space and finished accordingly (fatada);

Clerestory (n)- an upper portion of a wall containing windows for supplying natural light to a building (laminator,lucarna) 7. Nook (n) - a small corner, alcove, or recess, especially one in a large room (colt); 8. Patio (n) - an area, usually paved, adjoining a house and used as an area for outdoor lounging, dining (terasa); 9. overhang (n) - a projecting part, such as an architectural structure or a rock formation (iesitura); Eco-friendly features: 1. underground rainwater collection system - sistem subteran de colectare a apei de ploaie; 2. natural daylight through the expansive glass walls - lumin natural prin pereii de sticl expansiva; Sustainable systems: 1. geothermal heating - nclzire geotermal; 2. geothermal cooling - racire geotermal; 3. argon gas-insulated glazing - geamuri cu izolaie n gaz cu argon; 4. recycled content - continut reciclat; 5. high - efficiency appliances - aparate de eficien mare; 6. pre - wiring for future rooftop photo-voltaic panels - cabluri prealabile pentru viitoarele panouri foto-voltaice de pe acoperi 7. garage for charging car - garaj pentru a incarca masina. 8. Specialized verbs: 9. 1.to combine natural materials with a modern design - a combina materiale naturale intru-un design modern; 10. 2. to take a cue - a lua ca exemplu (sugestie, idee, sablon); 11. 3.to clothe a homes exterior - a imbraca/decora exteriorul unei case; 12. 4.to blend beautifully surroundings with smth - a combina/lega/impleti imprejurimile intr-un mod frumos cu ceva.

- Summary This contemporary wood home is right at home in this natural forested setting here in Georgia. This family home combines natural materials with a modern design, namely its unusual "staggered" dual-volume layout that results in high ceilings, lots of glassed-in rooms and outdoor living areas for relaxing and entertaining alfresco.The architect took a cue from this lovely wooded location when choosing materials like natural wood, stone and glass which clad the home's exterior. Solid white volumes break up the earthy facade. This unconventional two-volume home features a dual-plane roof separated by a clerestory window.Wood makes its way indoors, appearing throughout the house in exposed fir rafters, cabinetry and flooring, combined with southern yellow pine decking, trim, doors and windows.Floor-to-ceiling windows allow ever-present views of nature while connecting interiors to the outdoor living spaces. And there are lots of nooks and decks and patios to take in nature's splendor..Doing its part to ensure this beautiful location stays clean and green, this house includes some simple eco-friendly features, like an underground rainwater collection system, and natural daylight through the expansive glass walls. Deep overhangs supply cool shade during the summer months and allow the sun to penetrate interiors during the winter, offering passive lighting and warmth. But there are also some more complex sustainable systems in place, such as geothermal heating and cooling, argon gas-insulated glazing, recycled content, high-efficiency appliances, pre-wiring for future rooftop photo-voltaic panels, and a garage to charge up your electric car. Perched high above lush California valley, these nature inspired tea houses are a sweet retreat from the busy city. These natural house designs make you feel like you're a million miles away, yet always within easy reach of urban comforts and convenience. The architecture firm was charged with transforming this trio of tea houses into observation decks to take in the breathtaking views, but the homes themselves command your attention with their sweet simplicity. Though compact in terms of square footage, glass walls extend the homes as far as the eye can see, stretching off into the distant horizon dotted with Silicon Valley's twinkling lights. Described by the designers as a "transparent steel and glass pavilion, hovering like a lantern over the natural landscape," these structures boast cantilevered living areas that seem to launch you right into the landscape. When lit up by night, they become a beacon among the trees. These forest homes feature a small footprint and are designed and built in such a way as to minimize their impact on the environment where massive native oak trees tower overhead. And their homage to Mother Earth goes beyond environmental consciousness, with an overall organic yet modern aesthetic that blends beautifully with these surroundings. The indoors are finished with wood floors and ceilings, exposed concrete, and cool, clean, contemporary glazing from floor to ceiling.