9 Modern Architectural Masterpieces You Can Stay In
Courtesy Living ArchitectureBalancing Barn, Thorington, England
Designed by MVRDV
If your vision of a holiday rental in the English countryside involves padding about a Tudor cottage, there’s no shortage of options. But modern homes are rare finds—which is why writer/philosopher Alain de Botton started Living Architecture, a non-profit that enlists Europe’s top architects to design contemporary vacation homes. The organization has commissioned eight since 2007, including the Balancing Barn in Sussex and the Japanese-inspired Life House by British minimalist John Pawson, which opened last month in Wales. Next year, guests can also check into the hilltop Secular Retreat in Devon, a monastic rammed-concrete house by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. De Botton aims for these “small, iconic structures” to change our vision of domestic English architecture. “The British have learned to eat well in the last 20 years, largely because of a few exemplary chefs,” he says. “Our hope is that Britain will learn to build good houses over the next 20.” —Nick Czap
Courtesy boutiquehomes.comAavego, Nordjylland, Denmark
Designed by Soren Sarup
Located just a half-mile from the North Sea, this airy Nordic getaway interacts in perfect harmony with a dramatic landscape full of fjords, lakes, and dunes. The main house and the annex are kitted out with vintage and modern Danish furnishings, and connected by a spacious deck that’s perfect for outdoor dining.
Courtesy HomeAwayStill Bend, Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
When Life magazine commissioned Wright to design a “Dream House” for the American family, the result was this understated exemplar of organic architecture. It’s perched on the bend of a river, and as the sun rises over the marsh, light floods in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting its brick interior walls in warm amber light.
Photo by Allen FrancisMoore Condo #9, Sea Ranch, California
Designed by Charles Moore
These ten “shed-style” condominiums—which earned the American Institute of Architects's 25 Year Gold Medal Award in 1991—occupy a spectacular ten-mile stretch of Sonoma County coastline. Moore, who made his home in #9 until his death, referred to Sea Ranch as his “Mother Earth.”
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Courtesy boutiquehomes.comNeuendorf House, Mallorca, Spain
Designed by John Pawson & Claudio Silvestrin
The geometric forms and sharp vertical lines of this high-walled villa by the master minimalist Pawson (in collaboration with Silvestrin) makes for residential architecture that feels like an art installation. It features views of the the mountains and the Mediterranean, a sunken tennis court, and very long and narrow pool that culminates in a waterfall.
Photo by Antoine LorgnierKugel/Gips House, Wellfleet, Massachusetts
Designed by Charles Zehnder
Zehnder designed this very secluded, Outer Cape beauty in the stylistic image of his mentor, Frank Lloyd Wright. Centered around a large minimalist brick hearth, with cantilevered decks overlooking a freshwater kettle pond, the house hosts vacationers during the summer, and artists and scholars in the offseason.
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Courtesy AirbnbThe Winged House, Table Cape, Australia
Designed by Richard Goodwin
Winner of an Institute of Architects Award in 2009, this Tasmanian retreat sits poised on a slope, with waves breaking on rocks to the east and views of Rocky Cape National Park to the west. Goodwin, the internationally renowned architect and artist, designed Winged House to lift guests from worldly cares. Mission accomplished.
Courtesy HomeAwayHarg House, Pessac, France
Designed by Le Corbusier
Commissioned by an architecture-loving industrialist in the 1920s, Le Corbusier oversaw a pathbreaking community of fifty vibrantly painted homes with an eye towards bringing modernism to the masses. A perfect jumping off point for exploring Bordeaux, the four-floored Harg House offers easy access to a wide range of amenities, including restaurants, shopping, a golf course, tennis courts, a zoo, and an aquatic fitness center.
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Courtesy VRBOThe Lux, Palm Springs, California
Designed by Donald Wexler
This desert hideaway is a particularly stellar example of midcentury modern, steel-driven design by the pioneering Palm Springs architect Wexler. It’s ideal for lounging, with a giant saltwater pool in the front-yard, a sailcloth-covered patio, and bright airy rooms with wondrous desert views.