Understory House: Residence Located on the Slope of the Catskill Mountains

The Casa Yakisugi residence, also known as Estúdio Mazara, was conceived by the firm Mazara Estudio Arquitectura. This single-family residential project was planned to establish an intimate connection between the built environments and the surrounding tropical landscape.

The architectural composition of the house is characterized by extended horizontal volumes, pitched roofs with light structure, and a limited selection of materials. The material palette used includes natural stone, wood, and structural components in dark tones.

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The CASA JCM building, designed by Ralph Germann Architectes, originally functioned as a barn. In this barn, hay was stored on the upper floor, while the ground floor served as temporary housing for the farmer of the time.

The original construction features included a very steep roof pitch, which facilitated snow runoff, in addition to very wide eaves that protected the facade against adverse weather conditions.

During the renovation process, the initial triangular openings, which served to provide ventilation to the barn to keep the hay preserved, were preserved and subsequently glazed.

The residence Tollymore House, designed by McGonigle McGrath, is located on the steep northern bank of a mountain river, under the influence of the Mourne Mountains, in County Down.

The house's design was inspired by the glacial river pebbles along the river. This dwelling consists of six distinct sections, which were inserted into the steep slope and presented as a cluster of delicately touching volumes.

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Information about the project was provided by the design team.