Set in a spectacular surrounding, in Queenstown’s elite golf club Jacks Point, the Coburn Residence is defined by views of the nearby lake and mountains. The client brief included the need for large entertaining spaces that would be strongly connected to the outdoors and separate master and guest bedrooms. Connecting with the surrounding landscape, the residence designed by Harris Butt Architecture stretches over a total surface of ​​712 square meters. Built with locally resourced materials, the house displays an honest, uncomplicated architecture that could easily be transformed into a boutique hotel if necessary. Concrete structural walls were dressed with schist from the site, creating a powerful connection to the property in both material choice and layout overlooking beautiful vistas. Three volumes shelter the main spaces – a rectangular living zone, a square bedroom zone and a linear gallery connecting the two. The garage was hidden under the building, acting as the base of the structure. Focusing on different views surrounding the property, architects designed a modern retreat in a memorable environment.

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Well-suited for truly open loft living, this bathing system is not for the shy – it combines the openness of a hot tub with the jets of a Jacuzzi and the functionality of a shower, all in a sleek UFO-shaped package.

The downside is that there are in fact no sides – one has to wonder a little whether the shower portion will work well without a curtain, even with the large footprint of the round tub below.

Spiritual Mode makes this odd marvel with dual steel side faucets and a series of semi-circular bubblers around the base, distributed evenly for easy multiple-person use. The whole thing looks prepped to take flight, once the docking clamps (faucets) are folded back from the sides.

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We first spotted Rail Yard Studios at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show in New York. Founded by Robert Hendrick and his father Jim, the company creates one-of-a-kind custom furniture from historical, century-old railroad steel and hardwood timbers. Handmade in America from 100% American materials, every piece is a uniquely created work of art – individually numbered and cataloged. We caught up with Robert to find out more about him and his fascinating creations.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself & your background?

RH. Nashville is where I grew up, but after living and travelling in Australia and Europe, it is the last place I thought I would ultimately wind up.  Still it’s a nice place to live, work and raise a family and I’m proud to be from here. I have degrees in Industrial Design from Auburn University and The Ohio State University. After college, an interest in technology led me into several hi-tech and health care-related businesses before I ultimately wound up purchasing a railroad construction company. I still work in healthcare technology in addition to the railroad businesses. I’m also an avid cyclist.  We lead a busy life, but my wife Sally and my three daughters, Zoe, Kate and Annie are very supportive.

How did you first become interested in design?

RH. Design was a natural outlet. I went to college as a backup for the poorly laid plans of becoming a professional musician. Fine art was not my strength, and I had to have a major in college after deciding engineering was not the thing for me. Industrial Design afforded me the opportunity to scratch the itch for both the technical and artistic. I have always had a passion for the creative side of things. My kids love to flip through the comic books I wrote and illustrated when I was their age. Beyond that, I learned to build things out of reclaimed materials at the foot of the ladder helping my father on projects. I blame him for instilling in me that desire to design and build things. As payback, he helps me out today in the studio.

What was it that inspired you to purchase a railroad contracting company?

RH. After spending a few years in Europe, I developed an appreciation for the efficiency and convenience of rail. That fuelled my interest when I was presented with an opportunity to purchase the company in 2001. After several stints with technology companies, it was a welcome change to have the opportunity to work with my hands on something more tangible.

How did this lead to you producing a range of furniture made from rails?

RH. Preserving the history behind the rails that carried names like CARNEGIE, BETHLEHEM and TENNESSEE, and dates from 1899 and the early 1900s, sparked the initial idea. The idea of creating something using sustainable materials drove it a bit further. But the final catalyst was the recession. It slowed everything down including our railroad contracting work. The crews needed something to do in between jobs, and so we started in on this project as a way to keep them busy, fulfill an appreciation for sustainability and appease my creative ideas that I had been suppressing for five years.

Where do you source all the materials that you use in the fabrication of your furniture?

RH. Our materials are generally sourced in the southeastern U.S. We own a railroad construction and maintenance business and it is through that business that we have access to century-old steel rail from across the country. The wood ties are sourced through our suppliers as rejects. As imperfect timbers, they are never treated with the various chemicals, such as creosote, and they also possess incredible natural features like knots and barkseams that we integrate into our designs.

Can you please describe the process you go through to make your furniture?

RH. We scream, we cry, we strain under the weight of the materials and then we take out all of our frustrations by pounding the spikes into them. Oh wait – you’re serious.

First, we sketch out our ideas, and we may build a scale model of the piece we plan to fabricate. We plan the build process on white boards and scratch on scrap paper as we go along, sometimes making design changes in the middle of a build. Once we have a plan we’re satisfied with, we select timbers. Some features like knots and barkseams work better in some designs, while other designs are more forgiving and will allow us to use bowed or heavily checked (split) timbers. And that’s when the screaming and lifting really starts.

Which of your products would you say are the most popular and why?

RH. Our wine racks have been some of the most popular. We’ve had requests for those from around the globe. Of the furniture, the pieces that have ballast (granite gravel) in them like the Sleepers Coffee Table and the Ballast Deck Desk have been most popular. Those pieces look as if the entire rail bed was just plucked up and placed in someone’s office or living room. They are the most literal translations of our materials and have been the most popular – enough so that we’ve gone to the trouble to patent them.

What is it that people like most about your products?

RH. When someone stops and stares at one of our pieces, we have to ask “What made you stop and look?” because we get so many different answers. The tie to the railroad and the history behind the rails is the most common, but many people simply love the industrial chic style or the sustainable aspect of what we do. Others like the composition of steel and wood and sometimes stone.  The most humbling for me is when someone stops just because they like the simplicity of the design and only later do they realize that the pieces are made from railroad materials.

What kind of interiors are your products most suited to?

RH. They are very versatile. We have them in modern lofts and 1920’s bungalows sitting atop oriental rugs, as well as in offices and log cabins. They can be modern and industrial or casual and folksy – it’s all in the eye of the beholder. For instance, we just shipped a coffee table and two conference tables to a company in San Francisco for their corporate office and recently delivered a coffee table to one of the founders of Tumblr for his New York home.

Do you have any plans to introduce any new product lines to your range?

RH. We constantly are looking at new products and adding new things. We started with big pieces like desks and coffee tables and have worked our way down to wine racks and end tables. We’d like to make some even smaller pieces and have developed designs for them, but producing smaller pieces presents challenges… like how to be cost-effective and how to accommodate the variability in our materials. Since the timbers are rejects, they vary dramatically by 1-2” in some cases in size and they can even be twisted or uneven. The rails are worn from 100 years or more of use, so they are not uniform either. That becomes increasingly challenging for us as we move into smaller and smaller product, but we’re learning to overcome those issues and embrace the uniqueness of our product.

Thank you Robert for giving Freshome readers an insight into your company and the unique products that you create. We think these products are absolutely charming and we love the sustainability element to them. Do you agree? We would love to hear your thoughts so please leave your comments below.

You’re reading Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose with Rail Yard Studios originally posted on Freshome. If you’ve enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Freshome on Twitter, Facebook and Google+

Urban living is great for its convenience and for living in the midst of the city’s pulse. But let’s be honest: there is often a cramped dreariness to living in the city.

Not so with this incredible London penthouse. Located on Mallow Street, the stylish apartment boasts the best in comfortable yet contemporary design.

Thanks to its gigantic windows, the two-story apartment is constantly bathed in light: natural light in the day and ambient city lighting at night.

Slick modern furnishings mingle with rustic wooden accents and the odd live plant here and there.

The duplex penthouse features two sizeable (for London) bedrooms, each boasting a king-sized bed and floor-to-ceiling windows.

One of the most stunning features of the apartment is its rooftop terrace. On the rare sunny London day, residents can sit outside and soak up the sun. Even when the sun is not out, the terrace gives the perfect spot for catching a bit of fresh air and watching the city speed by.

A few days ago Cecconi Simone sent us images about their latest project. Cecconi Simone has designed the model for a community of thirty-seven contemporary townhouses by Treasure Hill Developments in Little Italy / Little Portugal, Downtown Toronto. Here are a few words about this project according to Cecconi Simone : “The 662 s.f. show suite is a careful study in urban living, its manifest simplicity belying its essential complexity. It embodies the modern impulse for openness, unity, and fluidity, within which functional parts are accommodated effortlessly. The character of the different zones is easy to read though their interrelationship is dense and multi-faceted.

Three distinct yet continuous areas – dine-cook-live – are defined clearly within the spatial totality, linked by an interplay of surface planes in cadence; horizontal and vertical, matte and reflective, transparent and opaque, dark and light. Deep espresso, custom millwork contracts the space, creating intimacy and warmth, while the white lacquer, custom kitchen island provides visual expansion and release. The oak stair on a single stringer behind floor-to-ceiling plate glass is highlighted with LEDs, imbuing it with complexity and dimensional depth.

As part of the overall design discourse, there are few freestanding or decorative furnishings within the suite. The integrity of its interior architecture stands on its own, enlivened with carefully-calibrated artificial and natural light. Sliding veneer panels – for concealed storage, media, and food preparation – maintain the model’s architectonic focus, ensuring clear and extended sight lines. The eye is led through the space where its discrete elements are introduced then fused into a seamless whole. - Photography: [ Joy von Tiedemann ]

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Even if you have hooks or a hall tree by your front door, winter accessories tend to pile up quickly. All of the coats, hats, scarves, earwarmers and other cold-weather detritus can rapidly take over unless you make better arrangements. Those better arrangements are right here in the form of these clever paint can coat hooks from Instructables user Brian Jewett.

The project is simple enough for almost anyone to pull off. It involves mounting a clean paint can (or two or ten, however many you need) to the wall with screws. No fancy tools or special knowledge are needed.

The insides of the cans hold all of your smallish accessories like gloves and mittens. The metal handle of the can is a great place for hanging scarves or wet socks. Coats are hung over the body of the can. Et voila, everyone in the household has their own special place for all of their outdoor gear – and it’s way cheaper than installing an entire cloakroom.

People get inspired by lots of things but have you ever heard of someone being inspired by the financial crisis ? Have you ever come across a product, or a piece of furniture inspired by prevailing economic condition? Spread 10 y by Antonio Maria Privitera is a handcrafted wooden magazine rack designed to combine the “news” with the now “(in)famous” graph. It also maps the transition between the Silvio Berlusconi government and that of Mario Monti. The Spread 10 y magazine rack is handmade by Zana Lab and designed by Antonio Maria Privitera @ Studio Inesistente. Finally we think that the Spread 10 y magazine rack  is not just a magazine rack it’s a statement !

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The time-worn adage about necessity and invention is one that may induce some eye-rolling, but it is undeniably true. This is particularly the case in arctic zones which are often extremely inhospitable to humans – yet we as a species continue to venture there in order to learn about our world.

To support the mission of these intrepid Arctic explorers, 2-B-2 Architecture designed the Arctic Mobile Unit. The small pre-fab unit provides life support for three people for up to 15 days.

Researchers would share the tiny living quarters for short-term treks; any longer and they are likely to get a bit annoyed with each other. Each AMU is 6.5 feet X 5.25 feet X 7.5 feet, making it just big enough to eat, sleep and shower in.

Like any well-designed tiny living space, the AMU is designed to use space efficiently. One of the sleeping bunks turns into a table and chairs for two while the toilet sits inside of the shower enclosure.

For ease of moving, the AMU is partially collapsible. When on the move, the unit is compact and unhindered by protuberances. After arriving at its destination, certain parts of the pod pull out to offer a slightly expanded (though still remarkably tiny) interior space.

The need for a place dedicated to bicycle enthusiasts was answered with an inspirational project in Hainan, China. Bicycle Club was designed by NL Architects and is an impressive cycling pavilion, meant to bring people together and encourage one of the greatest sports. Here is more on the project’s structure from the architects: “A rooftop cycling arena is supported by a glass-enclosed cafe at ground level. The oval-footprint structure’s protruding canopy is essential due to the tropical climate, shading the perimeter seating. The elegant upward curvature of the eaves evokes the form of the traditional and functional pagoda. Visitors set their bicycles within a recessed trough and easily walk up two staircases to the open-air velodrome. The area beneath by the stairs contains and conceals public restrooms“. Bicycles can also be rented from the pavilion, making cycling in Hainan the more accessible. Would you encourage this type of construction in your own city?

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The best part about designing a kid’s bedroom is that you can do all of the crazy, over-the-top fun things that you would like to do in the rest of the house but probably couldn’t get away with. This fantastic dinosaur-themed bedroom is endlessly fun and just the kind of imaginative design that kids love.

One lucky kid gets to sleep right in the mouth of a T. Rex every night. The bottom jaw forms the bed and a hinged toy box, while the upper jaw is suspended from the ceiling – gigantic teeth and all.

The mural on the bedroom wall depicts a fun prehistoric world, and the wall just behind the bed shows the monster dino’s body. This is a great example of silly (in the best way), creative design that doesn’t require a mansion-sized room to pull off.