La Extraviada, Mexico
Created by Mexico City based architect Ivan Esqueda Martínez as his private family retreat, La Extraviada is an idyllic getaway on Oaxaca's Mermejita Beach. Set among rich foliage on a hillside overlooking the green scenery and Pacific Ocean, the house features interiors by the architect's wife, Gala Sánchez Renero, and is now available to rent. Engulfed in nature, the house is broken down into three distinct volumes, in order for it to adapt easily to the sloped site. The volumes ‘resemble stones', explains Esqueda Martínez. Large, timber framed windows, terraces at almost every level and natural materials – such as macuil wood for the joinery, guapinol wood for the structural frame, and stone from nearby quarries for the patios and stairs – ensure this retreat is intrinsically connected to its surroundings.
Clifftops, UK
This boutique series of five villas is situated on the Isle of Portland, in Dorset’s Jurassic Heritage coastline. Drawing on its famous UK site, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, the design, created by London-based architecture studio Morrow + Lorraine, uses ‘large, rough-cleaved blocks of local Portland stone'. The plot, nestled into a cliffside that overlooks the English Channel, inspired the design team to create a calming, minimalist interior that focuses on the landscape and views. The stone-heavy exterior is complemented by copper panel cladding and window frames. Inside, oak joinery and wall paneling balance the hardness of the stone, while adding warmth and texture, to create a chic, yet cocooning interior.
Costa Elena Bay Villas, Costa Rica
Set on the idyllic coast of Costa Rica, this small group of private, luxury villas has been created as a collaboration between Canadian studio DesignAgency and PDG and El Salvador based architect Eva Hinds. Surrounded by natural scenery and a stone's throw from the Guanacaste Conservation Area, the properties, available to rent and buy, are drawing on their tropical environment. Orientated towards striking views of Nicaragua, the Pacific Ocean and Isla Bolanos, each villa features large openings and ample external space to easily merge indoors and outdoors lifestyles. Decked terraces, swimming pools and outdoors dining options are also included in the design. At the same time, concrete floors, warm teak wood, and neutral furnishings ensure a sharp, contemporary environment.
-
Rediscover a classic midcentury hotel in SydneyFender Katsalidis leads a major renovation of the landmark Sofitel Sydney Wentworth hotel, pairing 1960s modernism with an elevated, Australian-minded reset
-
Haute Couture Week A/W 2025: what to expectFive moments to look out for at Haute Couture Week A/W 2025 in Paris (starting Monday 7 July), from Glenn Martens’ debut for Maison Margiela to Demna’s Balenciaga swansong. Plus, ‘new beginnings’ from JW Anderson
-
Inside Frank Lloyd Wright’s Laurent House – a project built with accessibility at its heartThe dwelling, which you can visit in Illinois, is a classic example of Wright’s Usonian architecture, and was also built for a client with a disability long before accessibility was widely considered
-
Remembering Alexandros Tombazis (1939-2024), and the Metabolist architecture of this 1970s eco-pioneerBack in September 2010 (W*138), we explored the legacy and history of Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis, who this month celebrates his 80th birthday.
-
Sun-drenched Los Angeles houses: modernism to minimalismFrom modernist residences to riveting renovations and new-build contemporary homes, we tour some of the finest Los Angeles houses under the Californian sun
-
Extraordinary escapes: where would you like to be?Peruse and lose yourself in these extraordinary escapes; there's nothing better to get the creative juices flowing than a healthy dose of daydreaming
-
Year in review: top 10 houses of 2022, selected by Wallpaper* architecture editor Ellie StathakiWallpaper’s Ellie Stathaki reveals her top 10 houses of 2022 – from modernist reinventions to urban extensions and idyllic retreats
-
Roz Barr’s terrace house extension is a minimalist reimaginingTerrace house extension by Roz Barr Architects transforms Victorian London home through pared-down elegance
-
Tree View House blends warm modernism and natureNorth London's Tree View House by Neil Dusheiko Architects draws on Delhi and California living
-
Maison de Verre: a dramatic glass house in France by Studio Odile DecqMaison de Verre in Carantec is a glass box with a difference, housing a calming interior with a science fiction edge
-
Modernist Coromandel farmhouse refreshed by Frankie Pappas, Mayat Hart and Thomashoff+PartnerAn iconic Coromandel farmhouse is being reimagined by the South African architectural collaborative of Frankie Pappas, Mayat Hart and Thomashoff+Partner
