Local studio Gabriel Rivera Arquitectos has designed a concrete house with a large overhang and spaces designed to adapt to the varying needs of its residents near Quito, Ecuador.

Known as the Binocular House, the 564-square metre (6,070-square foot) house is located on a residential development called Puembo. It is oriented with a western view of the city of Quito and a rear facade that welcomes the morning sun.

Gabriel Rivera Arquitectos designed the home during the COVID-19 pandemic and reevaluated the houses to serve as a residence, office, school, and green space all at the same time – fostering family unity with a flexible design.

“From these needs, the architectural concept of the project was born: a solid home with a large interior connection space that relates to nature,” the team told Dezeen.

The reinforced concrete house “gives the sensation of floating” with the glazed ground floor set back behind narrow, recycled metal columns and a large overhanging second floor.

On the ground floor, screened windows close the home off from the street, while opening up to the back garden. Residents enter at the rounded southwest corner into a double-height living and dining space.

“The double height above the living and dining areas creates a connection between the upper and lower levels, achieving a fluid space that invites users to come downstairs,” the team said.

An adjacent multipurpose space can be opened to the dining area on one side, and aluminium and glass doors stack up, opening the other side of the social areas to the large covered back porch.

A guest ensuite is tucked away off the kitchen, and the northern end of the house holds the garage and service areas.

A central floating staircase — with a dark wood zigzag-shaped stringer suspended on thin black metal cables – is integrated into the kitchen and leads to the upper level with three bedrooms, a terrace and a multipurpose area that can change based on the needs of the residents.

“The master bedroom, located to the west with a view of Quito, provides security for the home, while the secondary bedrooms are sheltered and overlook the rear garden.”

The contemporary interiors are unified by grey porcelain tile floors, white-painted walls, black metal details, dark-coloured wood, and light grey furniture.

The arrangement promotes natural ventilation and lessens the need for air conditioning.

“Binocular House enhances the quality of life of its users, as it is functional in its architectural design and promotes well-being by maximizing natural light while controlling direct sunlight on its facades, reducing the need for artificial lighting,” the team said.

Recently, Gabriel Rivera Arquitectos designed a brick house and riding school in the Andes Mountains and a house in Nayón that protected the site’s existing trees, allowing them to grow through and around the residence.

The photography is by JAG Studio.

Project credits:

Gabriel Rivera Arquitectos team: Gabriel Rivera, Diego Rivera, Belén Andrade, Danilo Yambay, Pedro Granizo, Margarita Quishpe

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Lamps are something I don’t really think about when it comes to how they look or how they are designed. Sure there are some chandeliers and light fixtures that capture my attention every once in a while, but I’m not really particular about them when it comes to my house or even what they use at places like my workplace, malls I hang out in, my favorite coffee shops, etc. A well-designed one that also captures the functionality expected of it will surely capture my attention.

Designer: Matthias Pinkert

The Kala Lamp seems to be one of those uniquely designed pendant lamps. For one thing, it seems to be floating on air with its two thin, simple wires holding up the entire contraption. This discrete suspension also houses the lamp’s power supply so it looks a bit like magic. But what makes it even more magical (from the point of view of our naked eyes) is that you are able to control the amount of light and where it points to with the four rings.

When you slide the four rings over the base, you are able to create an individualized design of light space. Instead of having the whole pendant lamp lighted, you can choose certain areas and also control how much light it gives off. You can have fun moving the rings around, adding a certain element of interactivity when trying to find the right combination for your space. It can also be pivoted 45 degrees forwards and backwards so you can use either direct or indirect light.

For sure the designer has thought about the fragility or sturdiness of such a fixture. I may have some fears about it falling from the roof since the wires are very thin or whoever is trying to play around the rings might snap the wires off. But it’s an interesting kind of pendant lamp, one that is well-designed and also adds to the personalization and functionality of this piece of lighting.

The post Pendant lamp lets you control amount and direction of light with a few twists first appeared on Yanko Design.

A discussion with GM Claudio Meli on being a “tailor of hospitality”

Situated on Piazza Santa Maria Novella, with a front terrace that offers a charming vantage of historic Florence, THE PLACE FIRENZE is comprised of 20 distinct guest rooms—many with views—across four floors, as well as enchantingly designed shared spaces and food and beverage outlets. It’s a rare Florentine-owned boutique property that continues to evolve. Few can offer as much insight as Claudio Meli, the property’s general manager, who was born and raised in Florence. We spoke with Meli about the property’s partnership constant state of advancement, enveloping service, partnership with Ginori, and it’s unique relationship with The Place of Wonders, its partner foundation that aims to maintain artisan skills in Florence.

Despite how majestic THE PLACE feels, there’s a gentle human touch to everything. Can you explain this?

That’s why THE PLACE is not really a hotel. The moment that we become a hotel, I won’t be here. Right now, you ring a bell, somebody opens the door and welcomes you home. I always say that we welcome you rather than check you in. A check in is something you do at the airport, with your luggage. When you invite friends to your home, you welcome them. You don’t check-in your friends. I love to meet my guests, to sit with them. I love to talk about my love of Florence, because I’m the only GM of a 5-star hotel in Florence that’s really Florentine.

There is Florentine design everywhere. So many things are from Florence—whether it is Santa Maria Novella to Ginori 1735. Ginori is everywhere, it’s even the soap holder in the bathroom.

We have been Florentine since our first day. I opened this place in 2003. At the time, it was call the J.K. Place Firenze. Since months in, the Babini family arrived as owners. We maintained the original name for years. During Covid, we transformed it into our own brand, THE PLACE. We dropped the initials, because they were not ours, but we kept THE PLACE.

Why “The Place?” What does it mean?

Because we created “this place.” From the very first day, there was an integration into Florence, this specific sense of place. When I travel, there’s nothing more important to me. You can get luxury brands in outlets or airports, but if you come to Florence, you get tailoring. It makes a difference because it is something done just for you. It’s a unique piece. That’s what we are trying to do at THE PLACE. That’s why they call us tailors of hospitality, which I really love. We try to be sartorial in the approach that we have to hospitality—and that’s why many of the things that you see are made by the artisans of Florence. Ginori for sure, but then all the glass, and so much more.

We’ve noticed that every glass is actually different for things like cocktails, or every cocktail has its own type of glassware, really.

Yes, and also, every cocktail has its own specific style of coaster or napkin.

Where are the napkins from?

The napkin are coming from Julia B, which is this beautiful shop that only works with artisans, too, and it’s here on Via dei Fossi. We’ve had the Ginori partnership for ten years, maybe more. Ginori, for me, is like mythology, it’s incredible. I’m Florentine! During fashion week, they proposed that they present one of their collections at THE PLACE. They asked me, “may we give you one of our collection to use for breakfasts, or to serve coffee at THE PLACE, during fashion week?” I liked the idea but I told them that I cannot accept.

They asked me why. I explained that I would love to accept but in a different way. I said, “why don’t we come to you and we mix different collections? THE PLACE is a home. At home, it’s a mix. They said yes. It was the first time they did that. Now they publish a catalog, which is called Mix Match. It’s so fun.

Are there other partnerships like this?

That’s why it came to mind, this idea for the Babini family to create their foundation for artisans, which is called The Place of Wonders. We have so many different artisans. We have a very cool one that just joined—a young guy in the north of Florence that does bespoke sneakers, these made-to-measure bespoke sneakers. You can decide which leather you prefer, which kind of details. You can also bring your own textiles, your leathers. He will make something just for you.

COOL HUNTING has written about The Place of Wonders. The venue seems deeply connected to the spirit of Florence.

It’s born from the passion we have for this city, for Florence, and for our artisans. Other hotels, of course, are doing projects with artisans but our goal is beyond that. It’s to help artisans to survive. When you visit The Place of Wonders, your donation goes to a foundation that’s immediately invested in scholarships with the School of Jewelry, which is in Oltrarno, which is also one of our wonders because it’s so beautiful to visit the school, where these students are for three years. We have incredible students.

We stayed in room 24, a two-floor penthouse, which felt like the epitome of all the values of THE PLACE. Are other rooms as special and nuanced as that?

Nothing is really standard here, all the rooms are different. That one is unique because we have only one penthouse, and you can see the Duomo. You have the private terrace, which is pretty special. I hope to have the possibility to enjoy also the terrace. But then we have the master rooms that are facing the Piazza Santa Maria Novella. These are bigger rooms in terms of square meters, with three big windows overlooking Santa Maria Novella. For example, master room number one, which is on the first floor, is the only one with a balcony. It’s beautiful. It’s nice because of the Piano Nobile, the first floor, so it has higher ceilings.

Then we have, for example, a loft, a panoramic loft, which is two floors and two bathrooms. In that room, you can stay with up to four people. It’s connected to a junior suite, which is also a duplex. If you close the door, we call it the grand suite and you can stay with up to seven people. It has a fantastic view of Santa Maria Novella. We have another room, which is, in my opinion, the sexiest. It’s number 18, and it has this shower that I call the king-size shower because it’s huge.

All of your food and beverage outlets have such presence. They’re open to the public and one can book if they wanted to have a beautiful cocktail on the terrace?

Absolutely. We do have this incredible terrace, which is 100 square meters. It is the widest patio for a 5-star hotel in a monumental area in Florence. There is no other. We have just 20 rooms, but we have that huge space. That allow us to work a lot with people who are not staying here, but are welcome to come. We also host a lot of events. We can privatize so many of our spaces. Usually, the only space that is only for our guest is the 4th floor terrace because we wanted to reserve something for guests alone.

Is your restaurant popular with locals as well as tourists?

Yes. It’s very popular, the restaurant, which is called The Kitchen & The Bar. It offers nonstop dining, because we open at 7:30AM until, let’s say, midnight. We’re very popular for cocktails, too. We have this Negroni experience, which is pretty amazing. You can try seven different kind of Negronis from the usual Negroni, the classic, to the smoking Negroni, which we call The Gentleman.

And the rooms were recently redone, some in 2023 and 2024?

All the rooms are now complete. The hotel is finished. The only part that we will probably redo is the terrace on the 4th floor, but everything is brand new. We started the renovation in 2021, and the last rooms, they were done this year. We reopened in March 2024. In 2025, we will close for two months because we will renovate other areas. We always invest a lot into the property and the Babini family, they always invest because even if everything is working, we want to improve.

Australian studio Adam Kane Architects has designed an all-grey house in the southeastern state of Victoria, blanketing its surfaces in fog-like polished plaster.

Named after its neutral colour palette, Grey House is a holiday home for studio founder Adam Kane‘s own family, located in a valley an hour from Melbourne in the regional town of Daylesford.

When viewed from the front, the large three-bedroom home resembles a modern art gallery, with its monolithic facade and clean lines a stark contrast to the green banks it is nestled in and the forest backdrop behind.

According to Kane, working on his own house was a chance to push the boundaries and experiment with materials at which a client might baulk.

“The home excels in its purpose of a purist aesthetic without compromise on functionality,” said Kane.

“Everything is concealed and has a place,” he continued. “Removing clutter and an abundance of colours, textures, and materials in combination with a soft polished plaster finish throughout brings an incredible sense of calm”.

The all-grey look was achieved by covering the house’s walls, doors and wet areas, as well as much of the full-height concealed joinery, in polished plaster.

“There’s a softness to this product that could not be achieved with paint – it evolves throughout the day, with the texture intensity changing, as does its mottled sheen,” said Kane.

To add further texture to the monochrome interiors, a second finish of stainless steel was added to some surfaces.

In places, the steel was hand-scoured to create a cloud-like aesthetic and allow any future scratches to be quickly buffed out.

The neutral aesthetic is carried over into furnishings, with large smoke-coloured sofas, and coal-coloured tables and chairs. Even the bath and sinks are grey.

Grey House contains three bedrooms and a separate freestanding guesthouse. Its communal spaces are all designed to have their own “feel and purpose”, while bedrooms are concealed for privacy and to ensure a cleaner aesthetic.

As the space the family spends most of its time in, the kitchen is one of the house’s focal points with a strong visual connection to its adjoining garden providing an “everchanging backdrop”.

Located in the foothills of Victoria’s Great Dividing Range, the area’s climate is often wet, providing a lush green garden for the house’s surroundings. However, the existing site only had three pine trees, leading the studio to plant out banks on three sides of the house to create “evergreen” views from all of its rooms.

A small creek running through the site was diverted and around three metres of earth was moved to the front of the house site to create level ground, increasing the house’s visual impact from the street.

Kane described the overall effect of Grey House as a “timeless haven” that offers a retreat from the chaos of the world.

“This choice of grey paired with stainless steel accents was deliberate, symbolising neutrality, balance, and introspection,” he said. “It serves as a canvas upon which the mind can wander freely, devoid of distractions.”

Other monochrome projects on Dezeen include a blue Brooklyn townhouse by LOT Office and the calming Mureli House in Ukraine by Makhno Studio.

The photography is by Timothy Kaye.

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New Delhi-based studio Architecture Discipline has created a sea-facing, mass-timber home covered in charred-wood cladding in Goa, India.

The linear home was constructed using 11 glued laminated timber (glulam) portal frames, which according to the practice is “a first in India”.

Glued laminated timber, more commonly known as glulam, is a form of high-strength mass-timber with a low carbon footprint.

“The decision to use mass-timber stemmed from a desire to push the boundaries of sustainable construction in India,” Architecture Discipline principal architect Akshat Bhatt told Dezeen.

The linear block stands at the highest point of a steep site near the edge of the Chapora River in Vagator, Goa.

The team intended to construct the house in a minimally invasive manner and perched it on a foundation of stilts and concrete retaining walls. Raising the floor plate above the ground also gave protection from moisture and capillary action.

Above this, the glulam portal frames, which were prefabricated in Delhi and assembled on-site in Goa, form the house’s structure.

“The prefabrication process allowed for incredible precision, and assembling the structure on-site was faster than traditional methods,” Bhatt commented.

“The finished structure feels progressive yet rooted, reflecting the ability of mass-timber to achieve both sustainability and aesthetics.”

The living area is arranged in an open plan on the lower level, culminating in two guest suites at the rear.

It is lined with glazing on three sides, allowing natural light to flood the space. The glazing, along with an open deck extending from the front of the living room, provides unobstructed views of the lush surroundings.

As a result of the client’s minimal lifestyle, the team selected simple furniture pieces upholstered in leather, including an Eames chair .

A mezzanine level overlooks the living space, connected by a metal staircase. The team designed a gallery space here to display the client’s art collection, leading into the master bedroom.

The practice chose a pared-back palette for the interiors, intending to express the raw form of the timber frames. The walls are painted white, coupled with black granite flooring.

The stilted volume on the ground level houses a glass-lined space use by the client as a wood workshop.

The exterior surface is covered with charred timber cladding created using an age-old Japanese preservation technique called Yakisugi. The material was chosen for its durability and moisture resistance, ideal for Goa’s tropical climate.

Bhatt believes that mass-timber will become a key material in redefining how homes are built in India.

“Mass-timber has the potential to revolutionise residential design in India by offering a sustainable alternative to conventional materials,” he said.

“As awareness grows around the environmental impact of construction, mass-timber’s carbon-sequestering properties and renewable nature make it an ideal solution,” he continued.

“It is time for a revolution. Bold design must be realised with sustainable technology and small-scale experiments like this can be a catalyst for change.”

Other glulam buildings recently featured on Dezeen include a demountable timber sports hall at the University of Zurich by Itten+Brechbühl and a wood-clad visitor centre on the Beskydy Mountains ridge in the Czech Republic by Henkai Architekti.

The photography is by Studio Charuau and Ranjan Sharma.

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