The U-House, designed by architect Natalie Dionne, is located in Montreal, Canada.

The U-House was designed by architect Natalie Dionne to house both the family residence and her office space. Along with her partner, who works in cinema, she drew plans and began construction in 2003. Originally, the couple bought a small industrial building and a rare vacant lot adjacent to it. The U plan was achieved by adding two additions to the original building, one at each end of the vacant lot.

Visit Natalie Dionne’s website – here.

Read more about the house after the photos…

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Belgian industrial designer Jean Francois D’or has created the Disk Pendant Lamp for Belgian lighting manufacturer tossB.

From tossB:

A large saucer of golden light, gently diffusing throughout your room, like the shimmering sound of a gong. As a hanging lamp above a table, the “disk” creates a warm and intimate atmosphere, almost as if you were sitting in a secluded alcove. By adjusting the height of the “disk” above the floor, you can vary the overall strength of the lighting. Brilliant rays of bright light will flood over all your interior surfaces.

Visit the website of Jean Francois D’or – here.  Visit the tossB website – here.

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As ridiculous as this is, we’ve had so many people email this to us that we’re finally giving in and posting it, so everyone else who hasn’t seen it yet can also dwell in the absurdity.

Apparently, Japanese people have very few children these days, and pets have become the new children, especially cats. House builders have become aware of this trend, and at least one major builder, Asahi Kasei, are jumping on this trend by providing houses designed specifically for pets.

Visit the Asahi-Kasei website – here.

Via mycatgoma.com

SHED have sent us photos of a recently completed house they’ve designed in Seattle, Washington.

From SHED:

Overlooking downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay, this home designed by SHED is at the same time modern, efficient, and livable. A blend of inspiring spaces and unique modern finishes with strategically placed glass walls that bring the outdoors in while maintaining a sense of privacy and seclusion. Unobstructed views of downtown and Elliott Bay make a great backdrop for the rooftop deck. The house is Built Green certified with the environment and a sense of community in mind.

Visit the SHED website – here.

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Designer Seth Rolland has sent us his Abanico and Stonehenge Bookends.

From Seth Rolland:

For many years now I have been experimenting with the dramatic, fluid and graceful forms that can be created by cutting one piece of wood most, but not all the way through and then expanding it.  This method has led to clean, honest forms where the structure is the ornamentation.  As you can see from the photo above, it is still one piece of wood.  Open it like an accordion and simply connect it to make a useful, strong, sculptural bookend.

Visit Seth Rolland’s website – here.

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The Docks of Paris is a long, thin building built in concrete at the turn of the last century, that was a depot for goods brought up the Seine by barge. In 2004, the city of Paris launched a competition to create a new cultural building on the site. Whether or not to keep the existing concrete structure was a choice left to the participants. Jakob+MacFarlane opted to retain the existing structure and use it to form and influence the new project.

Visit the website of Jakob+MacFarlane – here.

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Designer Stephan Veit has created the Figura side tables for German manufacturer Draenert.

From Draenert:

With this side table, Stephan Veit has redefined the term aesthetics. His play with round shapes is very professional – the designer has converted the ideal proportion harmonic. Formally reduced to the essential, the glass plate appears almost extravagant and it gives the table a surprising finish. This table has a handy presentation and an extra-ordinary haptic so that one has pleasure in changing its location.

Visit Stephan Veit’s website – here.  Visit the Draenert website – here.

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Johannsen + Associates have designed this recently completed home, located in the Northbridge neighbourhood of Sydney, Australia.

From the architects:

To maximise the aspect of expansive views from the Spit Bridge to North Sydney, this  five bedroom residence is conceived as two pavilion-style wings joined at the entry stairwell.

With a protected central courtyard, shady terraces and a sunny pool loggia, the outdoor spaces open to different parts of the site and garden. Passive heating and cooling and natural ventilation help minimise use of A/C, and solar pool heating and 24,000L rainwater tanks have been integrated into this spacious family home.

The entertaining level is one large fluid space that takes in a panoramic vista over Middle Harbour. Finely detailed joinery elements define and give character to the living, dining and kitchen areas. Timber veneer panels, travertine and opaque glass combine to provide a light, warm finishes palette, which flows through out the house. A steel, timber and glass staircase intersects the entry foyer which is the hinge of the split level wings.

Visit the website of Johannsen + Associates – here.

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Swedish designer Malin Lundmark created the Woodbag and Magbag for Maze International.

Visit Malin Lundmark’s website – here.  Visit the Maze International website – here.

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SAKO Architects provided the interior design for this store located at the center of Harajuku, a part of Tokyo, where the visitors are able to experience Hangame, an online games portal for mobile phones, developed by NHN Japan Corporation.

From the architects:

The concept of the store is ‘the future park’ and we attempted to combine virtual element with real space opens to anyone.  It is not only the space where ‘organic principle’ and ‘inorganic principle’ stay together, but it represents the modern society consists of real and virtual environments.

The ‘organic principle’ consists of curved lines that create a space characteristic of a cave which is the various space that people can discover their own place to stay depending on each purpose and feeling while the different scenes unfold continually.  We attempted to create a space that people feel like snuggling up to the organic form that curves based on human body dimensions.  Visitors do not hesitate to enter the store because of the sense of closeness.  On the other hand, ‘Inorganic principle’ consists of white wall surface fixtures, neon tubes of ceiling illumination and mortar floor creates virtual character.  We used the lines which let neon tubes and the prevention of crack seam of mortar offset the forms of the wall surface fixtures. They stimulate curiosity of the visitors by synergy with the forms of the fixtures and lead them to the inner part of the narrow space.

Visit the website of SAKO Architects – here.

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This house in Woodland, Utah was designed by Gigaplex Architects.

From the architects:

A cozy home to accommodate a single man and weekend guests, including grandchildren, next to Provo River. Two linked corrugated metal grain silos arranged to allow the largest (27’ diameter) to have the most proximate visual and aural access to the Provo River, and the southern exposure to ensure passive solar heat gain during the winter.  An electric mesh is embedded into the slabs of the lower floor as a first auxiliary heat source, and a propane-burning stove (manageable by internet) will provide the back-up.  The metal grating and guard rail of the second level deck will provide shading into this great-room space during the summer months. Includes a “Bed in a Box” concept, each one complete with stereo sound and flat screen monitor.

Visit the website of Gigaplex Architects – here.

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Missouri, USA based designer Cole Scego has created a new lounge called the “Bird’s Nest”

Visit Cole Scego’s website – here.

German designer Tim Kerp has sent us photos of his new seating called Sonntag.

From Tim Kerp:

There are many ways how people can find together to chat and sometimes those ways are influenceable. The seating furniture Sonntag brings people back together and creates an atmosphere of togetherness and community.

By having the choice of many seating positions, Sonntag offers a flexible usability and allows to react spontaneously in a conversation. The concept of Sonntag improves our communication and encourages people to get together.

All ribs are shaped precisely out of wood with a CNC milling maschine, so they can easily be put together. Screws are only used in supporting parts to guarantee the best stability of the furniture.

Clearly visible are the various seating positions, generated by using three levels. The optimal use is between three and two persons for each module, so a certain privacy is perpetuated. If more pieces of Sonntag are placed next to each other, conversations within the room are as well possible.

Visit Tim Kerp’s website – here.

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From Tyler Engle Architects:

A storefront from the early 1900′s, which had served as a drug store, soda fountain, and most recently a developers office, has been converted into a live / work space for a couple with and extensive art collection. Creating the modern equivalent of a traditional courtyard house, the new design centers around a large skylight over the living and dining areas.  A wood-clad service core contains the kitchen and powder room that is reminiscent of a shipping crate as it separates the courtyard from the entry.  On the opposite side of the courtyard, the master suite has a clerestory of unobstructed glass that brings daylight into the rooms from the central sky lit courtyard.   A flexible and multi-functional space was created within this compact 1600 square feet using pivot and pocket doors, steel plate “blinders” that hide the kitchen function, and concealed media equipment that pivots out for use.  Closet walls behind compositions of paneled wood, benches with flip-up tops, and linear wall-to-wall cabinets provide convenient storage. In a world where we are trying to reduce and reuse, this new interior provides comfortable rooms that easily expand or contract for the owner’s needs while providing them with a short commute.

Visit the website of Tyler Engle Architects – here.

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Rodrigo Vairinhos from Neo Design has sent us photos of three of his new pieces. The new work, as well as his past work, will be on display at the 2009 IMM Cologne trade show.

Visit Neo Design’s website – here.

The Neon Table:

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