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    Eight compact studios embedded into residential gardens

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    From converted garages to compact new-builds, we have rounded up eight studios that provide retreat and solitude for their owners in their own back gardens.

    Featuring reclaimed materials, charred-timber facades and pared-back interiors, this list of garden spaces includes a converted workshop completed by designer Paul Westwood in the UK and a studio centred by a tree-shaped concrete structure in Belgium.
    Photo by Lorenzo ZandriShou Sugi Bangers, UK, by Unknown Works
    Charred timber wraps around this music studio completed by Unknown Works in the garden of a London home.
    Named Shou Sugi Bangers, the studio’s scalloped wooden cladding provides a series of nooks for external seating space, while the workspace is housed inside.

    Find out more about Shou Sugi Bangers ›
    Photo by James RetriefGardenhide Studio, UK, by Commonbond Architects
    Commonbond Architects designed and built its own studio at the end of a garden in London that aims to showcase the potential of hempcrete as a building material.
    The space was constructed from a cuboidal timber frame and reclaimed materials and is topped with a mono-pitched roof.
    Find out more about Gardenhide Studio ›
    Photo by Johnny UmansT(uin)Huis Atelier, Belgium, by Atelier Janda Vanderghote 
    Situated at the end of a garden in Ghent, Atelier Janda Vanderghote used simple materials such as concrete, brick and timber to create the T(uin)Huis Atelier.
    The studio features a rhythmic facade made up of copper-toned framing, while the interior is defined by an open-plan layout organised around a tree-shaped concrete structure.
    Find out more about T(uin)Huis Atelier ›
    Photo by Loes van DuijvendijkStudio Shed, The Netherlands, by LMNL Office
    Architecture studio LMNL Office completed the Studio Shed outbuilding as an addition to a home in Brabant, the Netherlands.
    Crafted from prefabricated timber panels, the garden studio features a rectangular, compact form that was clad with earth-coloured clay tiles to echo the tiles of the main house.
    Find out more about Studio Shed ›
    Photo courtesy of TEDSThe Garden Retreat, UK, by The Environmental Design Studio
    Reclaimed materials were used to create The Garden Retreat, which was added to a compact site in Cambridge by London practice The Environmental Design Studio.
    The studio’s facade is finished with stacked slate tiles bordered by concrete slabs. A waterfall feature and bird bath were also integrated into the facade to enhance biodiversity.
    Find out more about The Garden Retreat ›
    Photo by Daniel MulhearnBush Studio, Australia, by Dane Taylor Design
    Dane Taylor Design completed this multipurpose garden studio in New South Wales, which features a compact form clad with charred wood.
    Named Bush Studio, the space serves as a private retreat nestled into the surrounding landscape and is complete with clerestory windows and a mono-pitched roof.
    Find out more about Bush Studio ›
    Photo by Simon KennedyDark Matter, UK, by Hyperspace
    Converted from a suburban garage, this garden studio in Hertfordshire, England, features a charred-timber facade formed of 850 pieces of wood that doubles as an insect hotel.
    A pivoting door opens up to the studio interior which contains a spacious workspace animated by two perforated “light chimneys”.
    Find out more about Dark Matter ›
    Photo by Chris WhartonGarden Office, UK, by Paul Westwood
    Architect Paul Westwood used a pared-back material palette to complete the conversion of the dilapidated garage of his London home into a workshop and studio.
    The existing garage was stripped back to its structural shell and features a large skylight, underfloor heating and a natural material palette.
    Find out more about Garden Office ›

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      Eight compact garden studios with neat storage solutions

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      From cantilevered shelves to customisable pegboards, our latest lookbook rounds up eight examples of garden studios with storage designed to make the most of limited space.

      Garden studios are becoming increasingly popular in homes around the world, prompted largely by the evergrowing trend of remote work.
      Often slotted into small spaces, these structures typically have compact footprints and require efficient storage solutions to keep them clutter-free.
      The examples in this lookbook demonstrate some of the ways storage can be suitably integrated within a garden studio, helping save valuable space within their small footprints.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.

      Photo by Wai Ming NgCork Study, UK, by Surman Weston
      Birch shelves and twin desks cantilever from the walls of Cork Study, which Surman Weston created in the narrow garden of a home in north London.
      The set-up was designed to help maximise space within the compact studio, which measures just 13 square metres and was created as a workspace for a musician and a seamstress.
      The two desks, complete with their own cubby holes, are broken by a long vertical window in the rear wall, illuminating the workspaces with natural light.
      Find out more about Cork Study ›
      Photo by Nancy ZhouNightlight, New Zealand, by Fabric
      Green storage boxes on wheels slot neatly below the workbench of this outbuilding in New Zealand, which occupies the future garden of a home being developed on the site.
      There are also slender slats mounted to the wooden framework of the 10-square-metre structure, forming minimalist shelves from which tools can be hung.
      Find out more about Nightlight ›
      Photo by Ashlea WesselThe Garden Studio, Canada, by Six Four Five A
      The founder of architecture studio Six Four Five A built storage into the wooden shell of his tiny studio, which he created in the garden of his Toronto home.
      Exposed vertical studs double as supports for shelves and a large standing desk made from birch plywood along one side, preventing cluttering up the 9.3-square-metre space.
      Find out more about The Garden Studio ›
      Photo by Jonas AdolfsenWriter’s Cottage, Norway, by Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects
      This cabin-like studio sits at the end of a garden in Oslo, where it acts as a compact and secluded workspace for the owner who is a writer.
      Among its storage solutions is a plywood staircase that incorporates a shelving system beneath it, leading up to a mezzanine sleeping area that tucks beneath its pitched roof.
      Find out more about Writer’s Cottage ›
      Photo by Wai Ming NgWriter’s Shed, UK, by Surman Weston
      Another project by Surman Weston on the list is the Writer’s Shed, a shingle-clad garden studio designed as a writing retreat for an author.
      Inside, a cluster of shelves has been built around the chimney of the wood-burning stove, which is used to heat the compact structure. While providing valuable storage space, they are also intended as “a centrepiece for the client to store his library of books”, Surman Weston said.
      Find out more about Writer’s Shed ›
      Photo by Sarah BurtonTerrazzo Studio, UK, by Sonn
      In east London, architect Tim Robinson designed and built himself a little studio and workshop at the end of his garden.
      The narrow workshop contains a line of storage units raised above the floor, alongside a large pegboard for storing tools. Next door in the studio space, a rear wall of cabinets incorporates a concealed fold-down bed, enabling the space to become a guest bedroom.
      Find out more about Terrazzo Studio ›
      Photo courtesy of Boano PrišmontasMy Room in the Garden, UK, by Boano Prišmontas
      This modular pod is a prototype for a garden studio, developed by London studio Boano Prišmontas in response to an increase in people working from home prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
      Inside, the plywood structure can be fitted out with customisable elements including pegboards from which desks, shelves and storage can be hung.
      “My Room in the Garden was created with comfort and customisability in mind,” said the studio. “We wanted to allow people to be able to decide what their interior would look like or how much storage they would have, and we do that by creating a system of interchangeable elements.”
      Find out more about My Room in the Garden ›
      Photo by Shannon McGrathWriter’s Shed, Australia, by Matt Gibson
      This deceptively spacious garden studio that architect Matt Gibson created in Melbourne is hidden behind ivy-covered walls.
      An angular desk slots into one corner, with one side nestled below two generous high-level shelving units on the walls. Plywood was used across all of the surfaces, giving the interior a unified look that adds to the sense of spaciousness.
      Find out more about Writer’s Shed ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring Mexican holiday homes, full-length curtains and living spaces with swings.

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      Sam Crawford Architects tops Sydney home renovation with “garden oasis”

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      A private roof terrace enclosed by greenery features in Hidden Garden House, a Sydney home reconfigured by Australian studio Sam Crawford Architects.

      Situated within a conservation zone, the home has been updated by Sam Crawford Architects to brighten its dark interior and transform it into an urban “sanctuary”.
      An open-tread staircase has been added to the hallwayAlterations to the 198-square-metre home’s interior are first seen in its entrance, where a stair with open treads and a white-steel balustrade replaces a solid timber structure that previously restricted light from a skylight above.
      Down from the entry hall is a spacious ground-floor kitchen and dining area, which is illuminated by 4.5-metre-high glass openings that lead out to a landscaped patio. The patio is paved with limestone tiles that extend out from the interior.
      A curved concrete roof features in the kitchen”By extending the ground floor finishes through the full-width doors into the rear yard, the garden and high-level green trellises at the rear of the site form the fourth wall to the rear wing,” studio director Sam Crawford told Dezeen.

      “They create a sense of enclosure that draws the occupant’s eye up to the expanse of the sky rather than surrounding suburbia.”
      Angled timber screens and greenery ensure privacy for the bathroomA concrete ceiling in Hidden Garden House’s kitchen curves upwards to help draw in the winter sun and provide summer shading, while operable clerestory windows allow natural ventilation.
      Above, this curved ceiling forms a sloped roof terrace filled with plants, which is situated off the main bedroom on the upper floor.

      John Ellway updates Brisbane cottage with staggered extension and gardens

      An ensuite bathroom, also lined with limestone floor tiles, has expansive openings offering a scenic yet private bathing experience enabled by angled timber screens and the terrace’s greenery.
      “The rolling green roof serves as a visual barrier to the surrounding suburb, whilst allowing the occupants to occupy their private garden oasis,” added Crawford.
      White walls and wooden furniture feature throughout the interiorHidden Garden House’s consistent material palette of bright white walls and wooden furniture ties its living spaces together, while decorative square tiles line both the kitchen and bathrooms.
      Curved details, such as the patio’s shape and the kitchen island and splashback, also feature throughout.
      The home aims to be an urban “sanctuary”Other alterations that were made to improve Hidden Garden House’s layout include the relocation of entrances to the ground floor laundry room and bathroom.
      Elsewhere, Sam Crawford Architects has also created a restaurant topped with an oversized steel roof and a bridge modelled on the curving shape of eels.
      The photography is by Tom Ferguson.
      Project credits:
      Architect: Sam Crawford ArchitectsBuilder: TokiStructural engineer: Cantilever EngineersCivil & hydraulic engineer: PartridgeAcoustic engineer: Acoustic LogicHeritage consultant: Damian O’Toole Town PlanningQuantity Surveyor: QS PlusLandscape design: Gabrielle Pelletier, SCARoof garden supplier: Fytogreen Australia

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      Mattaforma considers “plants as clients” for Public Records outdoor space

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      Local design studio Mattaforma has created a plant nursery and community space for Public Records, a music venue and restaurant space in Brooklyn.

      The Nursery at Public Records sits in an outdoor space adjacent to the Gowanus institution’s other programming, a vegan cafe, club and listening lounge. It serves as a nursery for plants and as an outdoor music venue.
      Public Records expanded its programming to an adjacent empty lot, adding a DJ booth and plantsThe team at Public Records wanted to turn the adjacent, empty lot into a functioning space.
      To do so while limiting new construction, the team took advantage of several storage units already on the site, positioning them as both separators and inhabitable spaces for both humans and plants.
      Mattaforma created a system of wooden trusses to shelter the plants and equipment”The brief was an over winter nursery for their garden plant collection, as well as a community space that people could enjoy and learn about plants,” Mattaforma co-founder Lindsey Wilkstrom told Dezeen.

      “With this in mind, we focused first on designing a space that relied solely on passive heating in the winter, treating the plants as our clients first, then adapting a plant-oriented space towards humans as our secondary clients.”
      The trusses are lined with polycarbonate panelsTo house the plants, Mattaforma installed wooden pratt trusses lined with polycarbonate panels.
      The trusses were made on-site out of Microllam R laminated-veneer lumber (LVL), a manufactured wood that combines micro-layers of different kinds of woods like fir and larch.
      The space is meant to hold plants year-roundAccording to Wilkstrom, the material was chosen for its durability and also its manufacturer, Weyerhaeuser.
      “[It’s] the first American timber company to call for regenerative forest stewardship over 100 years ago and who still maintains today some of the highest ethical standards in their replanting initiatives, meeting SFI certification and transparency in their evolving ESG performance metrics,” said Wilkstrom of the company.
      Vents were included in the trusses to allow for passive cooling during the summer months. The trusses also extend out over the sound system and DJ booth to celebrate the DJ booth “like an altar”.

      RSDA repurposes shipping containers to form home on Indian farm

      Public Records also created the sound system for The Nursery, working with audio engineer Devon Ojas and manufacturer NNNN to develop a custom system that includes two blue-green and black speakers.
      In addition, the team brought in engineering firm Arup to advise on the acoustics of the space and New York-based Cactus Store to supply additional vegetation for the site.
      Besides the plants within the containers, trees and a grove of bamboo were installed around the concrete dance floor.
      Sustainable timber was used for the trusses”The Nursery is intended to be an ecological/urban intervention that serves to bring people and plants together, in reaction to the challenge of re-imagining an asphalt parking lot,” said Public Records, which was founded by Shane Davis and Francis Harris and has existed on the north end of Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal since 2017.
      The once-industrial areas of Brooklyn have seen a variety of art and culture institutions moving in past years. Recently, a derelict powerplant, once known for its graffiti culture, was renovated by Swiss architecture studio Herzog & de Meuron into an arts centre.
      Elsewhere in the borough, Ennead Architects and Rockwell Group converted a 19th-century train warehouse into a headquarters for a charitable organisation.
      The photography is by Adrianna Glaviano.

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      Ten tranquil garden studios designed for work and play

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      As the start of summer in the northern hemisphere promises warmer days and longer evenings, our latest lookbook features 10 garden studios that provide extra space for work or relaxation.

      For homes with large gardens, a small studio can be a practical way to create a separate hideaway for working from home – which has become commonplace in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic – or simply to retreat to for privacy.
      From a timber-clad prefabricated cabin in Spain to architects’ self-designed home offices in London and the US, we round up 10 garden studios as the summer season begins.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks including green living rooms, mezzanine-level bedrooms and winding staircases.
      Photo is by ImagenSubliminalTini, Spain, by Delavegacanolasso

      Architecture studio Delavegacanolasso created a modular, prefabricated cabin called Tini that can be inserted into a garden and used as a peaceful home office.
      Clad in poplar OSB panels, Tini’s interior provides space for minimal furniture, including geometric desks and glowing table lamps framed by floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows.
      Find out more about Tini ›
      Photo is by French+TyeGarden room, UK, by Alexander Owen Architecture
      Yellow Valchromat MDF and birch plywood line the walls of this London garden room by Alexander Owen Architecture, which is defined by internal timber cladding.
      The small building offers a place to entertain guests while it is also used as a minimal home office during the week, featuring a built-in desk designed with the same wood as its boxy cupboards and alcoves.
      Find out more about this garden room ›
      Photo is by Gillian HayeWriter’s Studio, UK, by WT Architecture
      Designed to create the “sense of being almost outdoors”, Scottish firm WT Architecture added a glass writer’s studio to the garden of a Victorian villa in Edinburgh.
      Inside, the space was curated to provide an uncluttered working environment defined by serene blue accents and a petite wood-burner that nod to the idea of a peaceful retreat.
      A minimal wooden desk cantilevers over the studio’s lower wall, which is located next to a raised plinth that creates additional seating.
      Find out more about this writer’s studio ›
      Photo is by Rafael SoldiShed-O-Vation, USA, by Best Practice Architecture
      Best Practice Architecture transformed a storage shed into a backyard studio at a house in Seattle after the pandemic prompted increased working from home.
      Called Shed-O-Vation, the project features its original wooden black siding that mirrors the black synthetic rubber used to cover the floors and a portion of the walls inside.
      There is space for both working and exercising, with both a built-in green desk and a designated area to hang bikes.
      Find out more about Shed-O-Vation ›
      Photo is by Trent BellLong Studio, USA, by 30X40 Design Workshop
      30X40 Design Workshop founder Eric Reinholdt placed a barn-style home office on the grounds of his residence on Mount Desert Island, off the coast of New England in America.
      The interiors of the Douglas fir-lined architects’ studio are designed to be flexible, with an Ergonofis sit-stand desk and space for tables that can be moved around according to the day’s work.
      A gabled roof frames the space, which includes cosy loft-like platforms that can be accessed by ladders.
      Find out more about Long Studio ›
      Photo is by Simon KennedyGreenhouse extension, UK, by McCloy + Muchemwa
      A formerly dilapidated garage in Norwich, England, was transformed into a timber-framed greenhouse extension by architecture studio McCloy + Muchemwa.
      Designed to accommodate DIY and other hobbies during national lockdowns, the “orangery” has polycarbonate cladding and houses various amenities including a workbench and storage for power tools.
      The eye-catching orange framework that lines the extension’s exterior is repeated in its interior details such as a bright orange clock and table legs.
      Find out more about this extension ›
      Photo is by Chris SnookThe Light Shed, UK, by Richard John Andrews
      London-based architect Richard John Andrews designed the Light Shed to house his own studio, with black corrugated fibreglass cladding and a gabled roof.
      Built in just 21 days, the volume’s interior opens out onto Andrews’ garden with sliding doors that reveal space for two to three people to work below a utilitarian shelving unit.
      “The studio aims to create a flexible approach to work and play, flipping its function to become an entertaining space for summer gatherings and more intimate functions,” explained the architect.
      Find out more about The Light Shed ›
      Photo is by Andreas BuchbergerThe Enchanted Shed, Austria, by Sue Architekten
      A trapdoor leads visitors to a writer’s studio and playroom in The Enchanted Shed, a black-timber converted 1930s outhouse designed for a property near Vienna.
      Arranged over two storeys, the upstairs gable is glazed to provide treetop views, which mirror the varnished grey fir ceilings and walls. Spotlights illuminate the shed’s interior throughout, creating a tranquil hideaway for working or relaxing.
      Find out more about The Enchanted Shed ›
      Photo is by Tim Van de VeldeGarden Room, Belgium, by Indra Janda
      Simply called the Garden Room, this small building was designed by architect Indra Janda for the garden of her parents’ house in northern Belgium.
      Scale-like shapes formed from translucent polycarbonate shingles clad the volume and create playful shadows that are reflected in its interior. The furniture in the space includes a deep-red butterfly chair and a wooden table.
      “The material is semi-transparent, which is nice in summer and winter, and gives a totally different feeling from day to night,” Janda said of the structure’s statement cladding.
      Find out more about Garden Room ›
      Photo is by Wai Ming NgCork Study, UK, by Surmon Weston
      Local architecture office Surmon Weston created a cork-clad shared workspace for a musician and a seamstress in the garden of their north London home.
      The cubic structure features birch plywood furniture that cantilevers off the walls and forms twin desks for the couple, which are framed by playfully colour-coded chairs.
      A skylight throws natural light on the interior, diminishing the boundary between inside and outside space.
      Find out more about Cork Study ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing basement conversions, open-plan studies and residential interiors illuminated by skylights.

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      Ten homes with water features to help keep cool on a hot day

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      In our latest lookbook we’ve collected 10 homes with water features to aid relaxation in warm weather, from an indoor reflective pool to a house perched on a pond.

      Nothing is more effective than a water feature for imbuing an outdoor space with a sense of calm and tranquility.
      The examples listed below demonstrate a range of different ways to introduce soothing aquatic visuals and sounds to a residential project without the need for a swimming pool.
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homes with outdoor terraces, fire pits and courtyards.
      Photo is by Gerhard HeuschBeverly Hills villa, USA, by Heusch

      Los Angeles architecture studio Heusch renovated this mid-century Beverly Hills villa, which had been left to fall into disrepair.
      As part of the work, the architecture studio uncovered this original water feature at the entrance to the home made up of two shallow pools mirroring one another through a glazed wall, one inside and one out.
      Find out more about Beverly Hills villa ›
      Photo is by João MorgadoCork Trees House, Portugal, by Trama Arquitetos
      Small reflective pools divide the two main volumes of this house perched on a hillside near Braga, helping to manage the site’s ambient temperature during the scorching summer months.
      “Visually it is something that stands out because it is reflecting the rooms all the time and because that brings the idea of life, nature and green spaces literally through the house,” said Bruno Leitão, co-founder of Trama Aquitetos.
      Find out more about Cork Trees House ›
      Photo is by Benjamin BenschneiderMercer Island Modern, USA, by Garret Cord Werner
      At the entrance to Mercer Island Modern, a residence in Seattle designed by Garret Cord Werner, is a reflective pond dominated by a rock sculpture connected to a lap pool and an infinity jacuzzi by two boarded bridges.
      “The experience of walking up to and…over water, both inside and outside of the home, creates a dramatic and tranquil feeling that one rarely experiences inside a residential building,” said the studio.
      Find out more about Mercer Island Modern ›
      Photo is by Laure Joliet/Douglas Friedman/Marion BrennerKua Bay Residence, USA, by Walker Warner Architects
      This house, designed by Walker Warner Architects, sits on a Hawaiian mountainside among dramatic volcanic rock formations.
      Shallow pools run alongside elevated courtyards at the side of the building, forming a grotto-like terrace with the water intended to mimic molten lava.
      Find out more about Kua Bay Residence ›
      Photo is by Nelson KonCasa em Cotia, Brazil, by Una Arquitetos
      A snaking pond winds its way around this concrete modernist house in São Paulo, designed by Una Arquitetos.
      It undulates underneath a ramped walkway that connects separate volumes of the house, which have been placed on different levels in response to the sloped nature of the site.
      Find out more about Casa em Cotia ›
      Photo is by César BéjarGuadalajara house, Mexico, by Delfino Lozano
      Architect Delfino Lozano modernised this family home on a tight site in Guadalajara by rearranging the living spaces so they look onto a pair of brick-paved courtyards in order to bring light and air into the surrounding rooms.
      The house’s original fountain was retained in the smaller of the two patios, protruding from a rough, plastered boundary wall and providing a gentle background burble for the neighbouring bedroom.
      Find out more about this house in Guadalajara ›
      Photo is by Hiroyuki OkiAM House, Vietnam, by AmDesign Office, Time Architects and Creative Architects
      AM House, designed by three young architects and located in a rural area of Vietnam’s Long An Province, opens out onto a large koi pond around two sides of the building.
      A decking area accessed by a line of stepping stones is marooned on the pond, which is intended to help the large house merge with its lush surroundings.
      Find out more about AM House ›
      Photo is by Kevin ScottThe Perch, USA, by Chadbourne + Doss
      Intended to instil an “idealised atmosphere of the Pacific Northwest” according to local architecture studio Chadbourne + Doss, this courtyard lies at the centre of a house in Seattle.
      The main focus of the clearing is a mossy island bearing ferns, boulders and a tree, surrounded by a water feature that also has a walnut swing suspended above it.
      Find out more about The Perch ›
      Photo is by Matthew MillmanHawaiian villa, USA, by De Reus Architects
      Visitors to this villa on Hawaii’s Big Island, designed by US practice De Reus Architects, are greeted by a large water feature set within a paved entry court.
      Igneous rock boulders emerge from the zigzag-edged feature, while a fountain spouts from one of the house’s walls.
      Find out more about this Hawaiian villa ›
      Photo is by Nasser Malek HernándezCasa Sierra Fría, Mexico, by JJRR/Arquitectura
      One of the steel columns supporting the thin concrete canopy at the front of this home in Mexico City drops down into a black-bottomed shallow pool next to the entrance door.
      Mexican studio JJRR/Arquitectura also installed a dramatic sculpture on a plinth rising up from the water, its delicate appearance contrasting with the monolithic volcanic stone wall adjacent.
      Find out more about Casa Sierra Fría ›
      This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homes with outdoor terraces, fire pits and courtyards.

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      Ten homes with welcoming terraces to spend a summer night on

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      For our latest lookbook, we’ve rounded up 10 homes from the Dezeen archive with inviting, inventive or unusual terraces each offering a pleasant place to while away a warm evening.

      Terraces can be an effective, low-maintenance way to provide an outdoor spot for relaxing or entertaining without requiring an abundance of space. Typically they take the form of a raised, flat outdoor area adjoining a building.
      The examples collected below range from the fairly familiar to the distinctly unconventional, including roof terraces, back garden terraces and enclosed terraces.
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homes centred around interior courtyards, interiors with conversation pits and buildings that make use of Mediterranean-style tiling.
      Photo is by Alex Shoots BuildingsTerrace with a House by the Lake, Poland, by UGO

      Sliding doors open onto a 120-metre-long wooden terrace enclosed by this U-shaped holiday home, designed by Polish architecture studio UGO to create the feeling of being immersed in the rural surroundings.
      “Its slightly raised platform was intended to allow the household members to commune with nature, without interfering with it,” UGO said of the terrace, which is lined with Siberian larch.
      Find out more about Terrace with a House by the Lake ›
      Photo is by Markus LinderothVilla MSV, Sweden, by Johan Sundberg Arkitektur
      This T-shaped house in southern Sweden, designed by Lund-based studio Johan Sundberg Arkitektur, has not one but three terraces around its living spaces so its users can follow the sun throughout the day.
      They are shaded by canopies made from zinc and larch with varying sizes and forms to respond to the direction of the sun, some with timber slats to filter light and others blocking it out completely.
      Find out more about Villa MSV ›
      Photo is by Marie-Caroline LucatMaison 0.82, France, by Pascual Architect
      A huge, round hole punctures the concrete roof above this terrace at a villa in southern France by Pascual Architect, causing a shaft of light to move across the space during the day.
      Wooden benches and a dining table occupy the patio, which wraps around the southern side of the house and is accessed by floor-to-ceiling glass doors.
      Find out more about Maison 0.82 ›
      Photo is by Ståle EriksenNorth London House, UK, by Cathie Curran and O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects
      As part of their overhaul of this house in north London, Cathie Curran and O’Sullivan Skoufoglou Architects added a roof terrace connected to the kitchen and dining room on the first floor.
      In order to retain privacy from the windows of neighbouring houses, the 18-square-metre terrace is lined on three sides with a series of solid-ash posts supporting opaque glazing.
      Find out more about North London House ›
      Photo is by Filippo PoliFuzzy House, Thailand, by SO
      Architecture practice SO topped this bunker-like concrete house in the Thai city of Chiang Mai with a stepped terrace where residents can sit and look out over the square below.
      Inside, the shape of the rooftop terrace forms a stepped ceiling peppered with skylights above the living area and bedroom.
      Find out more about Fuzzy House ›
      Photo is by Yasuhiro TakagiWeather House, Japan, by Not Architects
      External staircases wrap around two sides of this three-storey corner house in Tokyo designed by Not Architects Studio, creating multiple terraces linked to the home’s open-plan living areas by sliding doors.
      These outdoor living spaces are screened with chain-link wire mesh, up which plants will eventually climb to form a layer of vegetation offering privacy from the outside world.
      Find out more about Weather House ›
      Photo is by French + TyeAmott Road house, UK, by Alexander Owen Architecture
      Alexander Owen Architecture added a colourful terrace to the back garden of this house in London, attached to the kitchen by arched double doors.
      It was informed by the owners’ love of modernism and pop art including Jasper Johns, Peter Blake and Terry Frost, with geometric shapes and bold pigments.
      Find out more about this Amott Road house ›
      Photo is by Ivar KaalVilla Aa, Norway, by CF Møller Architects
      Villa Aa, designed by Danish studio CF Møller Architects, is a 375-square-metre home half-buried in a shallow hill on a Norwegian farm overlooking a nearby fjord.
      A pair of stepped terraces with almost double the footprint of the villa’s entire interior sit alongside the house. One is occupied by planted beds and seating and the other, lower terrace comprises a rainwater pool and a swimming pool.
      Find out more about Villa Aa ›
      Photo is by ONI StudioPortable Cabin, Poland, by Wiercinski Studio
      This 25-square-metre roof terrace emerges out of a portable house made from two shipping containers stacked on top of another two containers used for garden storage.
      Polish practice Wiercinski Studio decked the terrace, which has views over a nearby river, and wrapped it in a curved metal balustrade.
      Find out more about Portable Cabin ›
      Photo is by Adriâ Goulá.Curved House, Menorca, by Nomo Studio
      Architects Nomo Studio suspended this terrace in the top of a cube-shaped Menorcan villa which is arranged over six stepped levels on a small footprint.
      Two sides of the terracotta-tiled patio are fully glazed, allowing sunlight to flood down into the home’s interior while keeping the outdoor space sheltered enough to use for stargazing or open-air film screenings.
      Find out more about Curved House ›
      This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing homes centred around interior courtyards, interiors with conversation pits and buildings that make use of Mediterranean-style tiling.

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