Earthbound concrete towers let the transparent boxes perch delic…
Earthbound concrete towers let the transparent boxes perch delicately above the site.
Tim Griffith
The project creates and contains a rarefied atmosphere of calm a…
The project creates and contains a rarefied atmosphere of calm and well-being.
2007 CHDA West Tisbury, Mass., Art Studio Accessory Building /…
2007 CHDA West Tisbury, Mass., Art Studio Accessory Building / Merit Award Hutker Architects, Vineyard Haven, Mass. Hutker Architects and Paul Munafo Fine Woodworking converted this former horse barn into a 600-square-foot art studio.
2007 CHDA West Tisbury, Mass., Art Studio Accessory Building /…
2007 CHDA West Tisbury, Mass., Art Studio Accessory Building / Merit Award Hutker Architects, Vineyard Haven, Mass. The project maintains the original building’s character, while adding modern-day amenities such as insulation, electricity, and plumbing.
John Linden
2006 rada Canyon View Office/Guesthouse, Los Angeles Outbuildi…
2006 rada Canyon View Office/Guesthouse, Los Angeles Outbuilding / Merit Award Kanner Architects, Santa Monica, Calif. This angular, treehouselike office and guesthouse provides a sense of repose in the middle of Los Angeles.
Tim Bies
2009 rada The Rolling Huts, Mazama, Wash. Outbuilding / Grand …
2009 rada The Rolling Huts, Mazama, Wash. Outbuilding / Grand Award Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects (now Olson Kundig Architects ), Seattle Local restrictions prohibited additional permanent buildings on the property, so Tom Kundig, FAIA, placed these guesthouses on rusted steel wheels.
Tim Bies
2009 rada The Rolling Huts, Mazama, Wash. Outbuilding / Grand …
2009 rada The Rolling Huts, Mazama, Wash. Outbuilding / Grand Award Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects (now Olson Kundig Architects ), Seattle The six Rolling Huts measure about 200 square feet each, and each one faces a different mountain view.
Tim Bies
2009 rada The Rolling Huts, Mazama, Wash. Outbuilding / Grand …
2009 rada The Rolling Huts, Mazama, Wash. Outbuilding / Grand Award Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects (now Olson Kundig Architects ), Seattle Woodburning fireplaces warm the simple plywood interiors.
2010 CHDA Floating Guest House, Portland, Ore. Accessory Build…
2010 CHDA Floating Guest House, Portland, Ore. Accessory Building / Merit Award Studio Hamlet Architects, Bainbridge Island, Wash. Cedar siding and a corrugated metal roof give this floating guest house the look of a Scandinavian fishing cottage.
2010 CHDA Floating Guest House, Portland, Ore. Accessory Build…
2010 CHDA Floating Guest House, Portland, Ore. Accessory Building / Merit Award Studio Hamlet Architects, Bainbridge Island, Wash. The 433-square-foot building uses birch plywood built-ins to conserve space.
Paul Warchol
A 4-inch-thick wood entry door welcomes visitors to the pavilion…
A 4-inch-thick wood entry door welcomes visitors to the pavilion, used as a tea house, meditation room, and stage for family musical performances.
Paul Warchol
A folded steel origami stair is suspended in a poured concrete p…
A folded steel origami stair is suspended in a poured concrete plinth.
2011 CHDA Sweetwater Farm Winery, Glen Mills, Pa. Accessory Bu…
2011 CHDA Sweetwater Farm Winery, Glen Mills, Pa. Accessory Building / Grand Award Peter Zimmerman Architects, Berwyn, Pa. Peter Zimmerman Architects transformed its clients’ 1743 barn into a winemaking facility and reception/meeting venue. The architects kept as much of the original stone walls as they could, using painted board-and-batten siding for the new portions.
2011 CHDA Sweetwater Farm Winery, Glen Mills, Pa. Accessory Bu…
2011 CHDA Sweetwater Farm Winery, Glen Mills, Pa. Accessory Building / Grand Award Peter Zimmerman Architects, Berwyn, Pa. A reception hall with a new post-and-beam frame provides a space for hosting weddings, parties, and corporate events.
2011 CHDA Cape Russell Retreat, Sharps Chapel, Tenn. Accessory…
2011 CHDA Cape Russell Retreat, Sharps Chapel, Tenn. Accessory Building / Grand Award Sanders Pace Architecture, Knoxville, Tenn. A lakefront retreat uses simple 2-x-4s to create an intricate light pattern.
2011 CHDA Cape Russell Retreat, Sharps Chapel, Tenn. Accessory…
2011 CHDA Cape Russell Retreat, Sharps Chapel, Tenn. Accessory Building / Grand Award Sanders Pace Architecture, Knoxville, Tenn. The building is elevated a few feet to let rainwater flow underneath.
Many architects say outbuildings are their favorite project types to design, and it’s not hard to see why. Programs tend to be simpler than those for main houses, so more design time can be spent creating pure delight, rather than meeting complex programmatic needs.
Outbuildings often have a compelling purpose, such as serving as a space for creative pursuits or providing a place for houseguests to lay their heads. Their diminutive size and limited scope can give architects a greater measure of stylistic freedom. We’ve assembled a slideshow of some of our favorites for your viewing enjoyment.
