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Portland is one of our favorite cities. So when we came across this private residence and studio in Portland by Works Partnership, it gave us all the more desire to find these types of hidden architectural gems there. The house was adapted from a 5000 sq.ft former warehouse and auto repair shop with a series of four bowstring trusses and exposed roof framing. The intent was to maintain the vast trussed ceiling and the open floor plan, while inserting standard house amenities to the interior. The result manages to give you a sense of the expanse of the large structure while also creating smaller scaled living areas. A series of new skylights create an abundance of natural light and pools of sun throughout the house. But our favorite space happens at the center, where the plan and roof align to form a central open-air courtyard. The private outdoor space effortlessly creates a minimal space in an otherwise complex original structure. The finishing touch? They put a hammock in that courtyard! Needless to say, we would lounge there for hours.

Cottage spaces are first and foremost about their relationships to the outdoors. So when this minimalist poolhouse designed by Belgian architect Marc Merckx came under our radar, we were instantly enamored by it. The design is characteristic of his tamed interiors, evidence of a search for the perfect balance between proportion, materials and space. One of Merckx’s latest projects, the pool house features a black timber facade that responds to its heavily treed context, next to the blue shades of the adjacent swimming pool. The structure’s symmetry is mirrored by the reflection of the water, creating a beautiful sense of repetition. Material usage is reduced, and structural elements are light and delicate so that the structure has a sensitive relationship to the outside. Speaking for ourselves, we wouldn't mind a relaxing summer afternoon hanging poolside at this place.