Minimalissimo

Carmel House

architecture

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Located in the middle of five acres of land, providing plenty of privacy, sits Carmel House, in the northern California region. It is a hefty 530m² single-story residence designed by renowned architect Jim Jennings for a retired couple. It is a love letter to modern architecture; a fully realised project looking back to stark geometry as the main conceptual argument.

The architect embraces the modernist influence through the use of the signature floor-to-ceiling glass panels, as well as steel frames; a staple of the aesthetic at hand. The outer shell employs a darker colour scheme, making use of dark fascia panels and the native Carmel stones. It goes further than most contemporary projects do though, when emulating modernism, as the program mirrors the amplitude and interior design layouts from the era as well.

The foyer is the heart of the dwelling, right at the midpoint, connecting the social area to the private area, which acts as a transition, offering passerby's a sun-dappled hallway and garden on the outer walls of the glass panels. While the social area exudes a West Coast cocktail-party energy, the other side of the residence acts as the opposite, with four bedrooms inviting a visitor to rest.

Carmel House is award-winning, and this comes as no surprise, as it embodies some of the most beloved characteristics of the modernist era, mixing a minimalist sensibility, unusual materials, and absolute openness.

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