Perched high above lush California valley, these nature inspired tea houses designed by Swatt Miers Architects are a sweet retreat from the busy city. These natural house designs make you feel like you’re a million miles away, yet always within easy reach of urban comforts and convenience.
The architecture firm was charged with transforming this trio of tea houses into observation decks to take in the breathtaking views, but the homes themselves command your attention with their sweet simplicity. Though compact in terms of square footage, glass walls extend the homes as far as the eye can see, stretching off into the distant horizon dotted with Silicon Valley’s twinkling lights. Described by the designers as a “transparent steel and glass pavilion, hovering like a lantern over the natural landscape,” these structures boast cantilevered living areas that seem to launch you right into the landscape. When lit up by night, they become a beacon among the trees.
These forest homes feature a small footprint and are designed and built in such a way as to minimize their impact on the environment where massive native oak trees tower overhead.
And their homage to Mother Earth goes beyond environmental consciousness, with an overall organic yet modern aesthetic that blends beautifully with these surroundings. The indoors are finished with wood floors and ceilings, exposed concrete, and cool, clean, contemporary glazing from floor to ceiling.
These beautifully bare interiors feature few details that let the inhabitants focus on the view.
Swatt Miers Architects
via Freshome
