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The most expensive residence for sale in San Francisco still goes to the home of Doug Engmann, former chairman of the Pacific Stock Exchange. His abode at 2724 Pacific in Pacific Heights is still sitting pretty at $30M. There are quite a few new additions to the most expensive housing stock, so we thought it best to show you what's available in pretty map form. Unlike past maps, this time around all the properties are in either Pacific Heights or Presidio Heights. Let's get this party started!
We're back to finish up where we left off with Dwell magazine's picks for most innovative homes from their archives. Up first: a selection from the "Best Homes in America" special issue, a Canadian house with a decimal in its name, the 23.2 House in Wood Rock, British Columbia. Designed by Vancouver-based Omer Arbel, the angular structure was built using reclaimed wood for parts of the interior with the overall shape of the building impacted by one overarching maxim. At the designer's insistence, none of the reclaimed planks could be altered in any way. This determined some of the house's more absurd angles, but it's hard to argue with the results, like the roof that hovers over a seamless expanse of sliding glass.
Photos: Dave Lauridsen/Dwell? In this pick, the Orchard House in Sebastopol, Calif., the architects left the raw wood off the ceiling and instead it found its way into the furnishings. Most notably, a gigantic slab of unsealed salvaged cypress that rests on sawhorses and serves as a primitive kitchen island. Designed by the architecture firm Anderson Anderson, the place was built for a East Coast couple relocating to Sonoma and was so designed to emulate, in part, the NYC loft they were leaving behind.
Photos: Dean Kaufman/Dwell? The Dutch popped up in our last Dwell round-up and now they're back again to represent for the Low Countries. In a distinctly European twist, the Villa van Vijven was built as a collective home for five families. While each family lives in a distinct apartments, they all share communal spaces like the lawn and "the public square," a cobblestone plaza beneath the main structure. The design was helmed by Next Architects and has a distinctive, and very Dutch, orange exterior.
Photos: Lloyd Russell/Dwell? The sweltering high deserts of Southern California's interior would seem like the last place to plop an untested new design, but it's precisely the challenges of building here that drove the construction of Rimrock Ranch, a vacation getaway for surfwear entrepreneur Jim Austin. Using a solid concrete slab foundation and a steel canopy to shade the house itself, Austin and architect Lloyd Russell managed to keep the temperature inside comfortable without resorting to the government-mandated air conditioning system.
Photos: Gregg Segal/Dwell? Followers of this year's Innovation Week should find this house pretty familiar, as it appeared in as an AirBnb vacation rental on Tuesday. It's nice to put more of a backstory to the glassy modern cottage, which rents for $350 per night. Known as the iT House, it was built by Linda Taalman and Alan Koch, of Taalman Koch Architects, as their own personal escape in the high desert in Pioneertown, Calif. The house was constructed from prefabricated components and the final cost of constructing this slick getaway was just $265K.
· Five Inventive Residences from the Pages of Dwell: Part One [Curbed National]
· A Fresh Angle [Dwell]
· Fertile Grounds [Dwell]
· Creative Commons [Dwell]
· Operation Desert Shed [Dwell]
· iT House, Joshua Tree [Dwell]
· Five Eco-Friendly Houses to Try Green Living Before You Buy [Curbed National]
We're back to finish up where we left off with Dwell's picks for most innovative homes from their archives. (For a look at more Dwell favorites, pick up the "Best Homes in America" special issue.) Up first is a Canadian house with a decimal in its name, the 23.2 House in Wood Rock, British Columbia. Designed by Vancouver-based Omer Arbel, the angular structure was built using reclaimed wood for parts of the interior with the overall shape of the building impacted by one overarching maxim. At the designer's insistence, none of the reclaimed planks could be altered in any way. This determined some of the house's more absurd angles, but it's hard to argue with the results, like the roof that hovers over a seamless expanse of sliding glass.
Photos: Dave Lauridsen/Dwell? In this pick, the Orchard House in Sebastopol, Calif., the architects left the raw wood off the ceiling and instead it found its way into the furnishings. Most notably, a gigantic slab of unsealed salvaged cypress that rests on sawhorses and serves as a primitive kitchen island. Designed by the architecture firm Anderson Anderson, the place was built for a East Coast couple relocating to Sonoma and was so designed to emulate, in part, the NYC loft they were leaving behind.
? The Dutch popped up in our last Dwell round-up and now they're back again to represent for the Low Countries. In a distinctly European twist, the Villa van Vijven was built as a collective home for five families. While each family lives in a distinct apartments, they all share communal spaces like the lawn and "the public square," a cobblestone plaza beneath the main structure. The design was helmed by Next Architects and has a distinctive, and very Dutch, orange exterior.
? The sweltering high deserts of Southern California's interior would seem like the last place to plop an untested new design, but it's precisely the challenges of building here that drove the construction of Rimrock Ranch, a vacation getaway for surfwear entrepreneur Jim Austin. Using a solid concrete slab foundation and a steel canopy to shade the house itself, Austin and architect Lloyd Russell managed to keep the temperature inside comfortable without resorting to the government-mandated air conditioning system.
? Followers of this year's Innovation Week should find this house pretty familiar, as it appeared in as an AirBnb vacation rental on Tuesday. It's nice to put more of a backstory to the glassy modern cottage, which rents for $350 per night. Known as the iT House, it was built by Linda Taalman and Alan Koch, of Taalman Koch Architects, as their own personal escape in the high desert in Pioneertown, Calif. The house was constructed from prefabricated components and the final cost of constructing this slick getaway was just $265K.
· Five Inventive Residences from the Pages of Dwell: Part One [Curbed National]
· A Fresh Angle [Dwell]
· Fertile Grounds [Dwell]
· Creative Commons [Dwell]
· Operation Desert Shed [Dwell]
· iT House, Joshua Tree [Dwell]
· Five Eco-Friendly Houses to Try Green Living Before You Buy [Curbed National]
The top of Forbes list of America's most stressful cities is unsurprisingly populated by crowded megacities like Los Angeles—for its horrible traffic—and New York—with the highest cost of living. We have to admit that San Diego, with its warm climate, was one of the last places we'd expect to end up at number five. But despite the nickname "America's Finest City," San Diego's high unemployment rate, elevated cost of living, ozone levels, and sky-high real estate prices make it seem a lot less enjoyable than it looks. Now, the price tag on this seaside mansion, $13.5M, is almost enough to induce a coronary all by itself, but the beachfront location and spectacular ocean views make it all worthwhile, provided the next owner gets a proper interior designer to redecorate.
? The high price of comfort is just as apparent in our nation's capital. This DC flat, measuring 6,650 square feet, features casement windows, calming views of the Potomac, two balconies, and seven bedrooms. The modern interiors and four garage spaces, listed for $7.8M, will help the next buyer deal with the country's worst traffic congestion.
? Coming in at number three, Chicago shares the title of worst traffic with DC and adds high unemployment and the fourth highest population density in the US. This Lincoln Park townhouse has soothing interiors and, despite outward appearances, was built in 2006, meaning the old house headaches shouldn't be a problem, so long as the $4.75M price tag isn't either.
? NYC is proud of a relatively low unemployment rate, but the housing stock is so expensive that the out-of-work folks couldn't afford to stay. This $14M SoHo penhouse doesn't make the city seem cheap, but the cool white interiors, rooftop garden, and zen rock garden offer up a soothing alternative to the typical city life.
? Traffic. Smog. 12% unemployment. Even 266 days of sun per year can't help Los Angeles escape the top spot as America's most stressful city. This sleek modern house in Bel Air, on the other hand, could help at least one family escape some of the urban anxiety, one very rich family. The brand new $35M mansion features an 181-foot lap pool, six bedrooms, ten baths, and 15,000-square-feet of sleek modernity.
· America's Most Stressful Cities [Forbes]
· 3675 Ocean Front Walk [Trulia]
· 3303 Water Street Northwest #7A [Trulia]
· 542 West Dickens Avenue [Trulia]
· 94 Thompson Street [Streeteasy]
· 755 Sarbonne Road [Trulia]
The Croatian coast has emerged from years of political turmoil and too-close-for-comfort warfare to become one of the most desirable resort areas in Europe. With prices far below the stratospheric heights of the Italian Riviera or Amalfi Coast and similarly gorgeous vistas, there's plenty of potential here. The architect Steven Harris and interior designer Lucien Rees Roberts demonstrated the potential of the region's real estate last year, when they renovated this 15th-century limestone structure into a stylish summer getaway. Situated on a high bluff on the island of Lopud, the house has a clean white, grey, and black interior and incorporates the original stone walls, which combine to form one seriously desirable escape. Sadly, not all Croatian pads have received such a high-brow renovation, but let's take a look at some with potential.
? For something close to the Harris-Rees Roberts starting point, this 15th-century stone manse is also set on Lopud, with plenty of outdoor space, views of the water, and a traditional red tile roof. The listing for the 2,100-square-foot unpolished gem doesn't list a price, but is sure to remind potential buyers that the Sunday Times called Lopud "one of the top ten secret Mediterranean islands."
? Located near Dubrovnik in southern Croatia, this waterfront "Captain's House" was built back in 1872, but might require even more work than the 15th-century version. The 12-bedroom pile doesn't reveal its interior in the listing—which is almost always a bad sign—but the ivied patio offers a little encouragement. The coveted waterfront and quay must be responsible for the $1.22M asking price.
? Zaton might sound more like a distant star system than a seaside resort town, but this quaint village serves up some pricey properties. This $2.38M villa has been renovated, but the next buyer might want to correct some of the less-than-stylish snafus. That price includes plenty of space though, with seven bedrooms and two guest apartments.
? Located in Diocletian’s Palace in the city of Split, this apartment has the potential to be a royal pain in the ass. It's in need of a complete overhaul, including basic plumbing, electric, and heating, but the loft-like space has some serious potential if executed properly. Sorry, there's no sea view, but this historic property is cheaper as a result, at $668K.
? This last one is a move-in ready modern masterwork on Brac island for those too timid, or simply too busy, to conduct a renovation in a foreign country. The price is only available on request, but with an infinity pool, waterfront location, and a tasteful, if not distinctive, design, it will probably command a hefty premium.
· Villa San Spirito [Steven Harris Architects]
· Historic Villa, Lopud [Savills]
· Waterfront Captain's House [Savills]
· Villa with Pool, Zaton [Savills]
· Palace Apartment, Split [Savills]
· Superb villa, Brac island [Savills]
It's only been three months since Curbed National launched, but even still we decided to make up a bunch of awards as a way to recap the stuff we've covered. Over the next few days, we'll be feting the most deserving people, places, and things in the national design, decor, and real estate sphere. Herein, we unveil the first annual Curbed Awards!
Alright, so when we say "best" we really mean "best and most insane," because what's better than a little crazy to let you know you're sane. So let's celebrate the end of a topsy turvy year with a look back at some of our favorite celebrity abodes.
· All Curbed Awards 2010 posts [Curbed National]
