Architectures for sale, by contemporary masters

Situated in a rural landscape in the heart of Burgundy, the estate has been entirely renovated with a meticulous approach aimed at preserving the typological and figurative features of rural architecture without renouncing a contemporary language. The three historic buildings have been converted into an inn, a dwelling and a guest house; three new buildings on stilts, intended for accommodation and arranged to provide panoramic views over the valley, complete the intervention.

This house near Bordeaux is an epitome of the design language of the famous duo of architects, under the banner of experimentation, sustainability and the principle that economy of resources is not necessarily an obstacle to quality living. The 170 sqm house on two levels, set in a 150 sqm garden, houses a large open space for convivial and public functions on the ground floor and three bedrooms and bathrooms on the upper floor. An apparently impenetrable shell from the outside, with a modular façade made of fibre cement panels that open up over the entire width of the building, encloses a softer wooden envelope that anticipates the interiors with their warm, soft tones. The greenhouse, characterised by a light and transparent box of openable polycarbonate panels, connects the domestic space with the garden and favours energy saving.

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Located within the Bom Sucesso resort on the shores of the Obidos lagoon, in a 1,200 sqm private green area, this 220 sqm single-level villa has the typical characteristics of the Portuguese master's expressive language: functional layout, immaculate and essential geometries and compact volumes animated by recesses and projections that generate vibrant chiaroscuro effects under the brilliant Portuguese sun. A green roof provides efficient and economical insulation as well as good landscape integration.

This luminous, 144 sqm loft located in a lively area near the Canal Saint-Martin, between the Quai de Jemmapes and the Goncourt metro station, has an appearance somewhere between the material and the minimal, and is the result of the renovation of a former warehouse. In the large, flexible rooms, the palette of raw, warm materials - from the original stone of the kitchen floors, patio and structural pillars to the solid wood of the floor - contrasts with the essential character of the glass of the doors and pillars and the metal of the sliding doors, fixtures and structural elements.

With its simple and functional layout, sober horizontal volumes in stone and exposed concrete, large windows, light-filled rooms and interrupted continuity between interior and exterior, this house resembles a work of Californian modernism "landed" on British shores. Two linear blocks rotated at 90° to each other functionally divide the house into four zones: the fully glazed living area, the children's rooms, the swimming pool, the master suite and the study room.

When two undisputed "giants" of world culture collaborate to design the home of one of them, the result is "explosive": this is the case with the residence of architect and artist John Baldessari, a master of American conceptual art, who involved his colleague and friend Frank Gehry in the conception not only of a home but of a "treasure chest" for works of art. The irregularly shaped building is distributed around a heptagonal courtyard and houses a large open-plan living room, an exhibition gallery, three bedrooms and five bathrooms.  

In a green oasis of 2.5 hectares on the edge of the forest of Fontainebleau, the programme provides the construction of 7 eco-sustainable residences, ranging in size from 136 to 190 sqm, with a private plot of about 1,100 sqm. Utmost attention is paid to reducing environmental impact, thanks to the high-performance insulating envelope in wood fibre and hemp, to a heating system with a pellet boiler, to a rainwater recovery system. All the houses are made of wood, from the structures to the windows and doors, for the best integration with the landscape.

Located in the historic centre of Lisbon, the 130 sqm flat is located on the top floor of a building in a “Pombalino” style, the architectural style derived from the city's reconstruction after the earthquake in 1755 and characterised by a sober language and standardized processes. The studio that designed the renovation adopted a respectful approach to the site's history and sought to restore its architectural identity by reusing and enhancing the original elements: the original wooden structure was exposed and restored; the zenithal openings were enlarged to optimise the brightness of the rooms. Original azulejos and doors have been recovered and integrated with contemporary furnishing elements with an elegant and minimalist character.

In the area of the historic Battersea Power Station on the banks of the Thames, one of the most impressive urban regeneration processes currently underway in Londr1a, two internationally renowned firms (Gehry and Partners and Foster + Partners) are sharing the design. Frank O. Gehry has designed his firm's first residential development in the UK: two sculptural buildings with articulated fronts punctuated by large windows housing over 300 dwellings of various sizes, each with an open floor plan for maximum flexibility and strategic views of the city. In addition to the residences, the complex also includes commercial spaces and a garden for residents (Prospect Park).

As part of the regeneration of Battersea Power Station, Koa is a complex of 204 flats (studios and one-bedroom flats), restaurants, bars, offices and shops at Electric Boulevard, the new distribution axis of the suburb where the main activities and functions will converge to strengthen 'neighbourhood life'.