Tag Archives: Holiday

LEGO® Cataclaws to bring creative, festive fun this holiday season

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Depending on what activities you do, the upcoming holidays can either be the most joyful or the most stressful time of the year. Generally, children have the most fun during gatherings especially if there are toys and games involved. The spirit of play and fun sometimes goes out the window for grown ups but LEGO® thinks everyone needs reminding that there’s nothing more important than playing together this Holiday.

Designer: LEGO®

Cataclaws is a new icon that LEGO® is launching just in time for the holidays to become a “CAT-alyst” for play. The bricky rather than furry creature was actually born out of the minds of kids to remind both the young and the old that there’s no limit to where LEGO® bricks can take our creativity and imagination. This time it’s a tuxedo cat wearing a red and white beanie that will encourage people to play around this time of the year.

The brick-built feline is introduced in a short film showing it going on an adventure around the city to turn boring or tense situations into something more fun. In the video, you’ll also see 20 different products and builds, including a freezing cold queen, a cat who can’t wait to be king, and characters from a galaxy far far away. There are also some mini Cataclaws builds within the video if you want to play spot the Cataclwas.

If you want to dress up your LEGO® feline, they will also be selling a Cataclaws Christmas sweater while you can build the beanie yourself by following the building instructions. We’ll probably see Cataclaws in other campaigns next year as they are making it their new icon.

The post LEGO® Cataclaws to bring creative, festive fun this holiday season first appeared on Yanko Design.

Dwarf Factory’s ArtiSANTA Keycaps Are an Excellent Stocking Stuffer

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It’s only been a week since Halloween! What’re all these Christmas (and other related holiday decorations) doing on my neighbor’s front lawn? Where did the summer go, for crying out loud? If I have no choice but to accept the season’s greetings, I’ll do it my own way: by replacing a few keycaps on my gaming keyboard with three miniature snow globes containing all the typical Yuletide treasures. That’s the idea behind Dwarf Factory’s latest invention, anyway. These ArtiSANTA keycaps from Dwarf Factory are bright, festive, and adorable — all traits any true gamer would want their gaming keyboard to have, as the weather turns cold and the holiday cheer turns… uh… warm.

Designer: Dwarf Factory

The AntiSANTA keycaps are not exactly compatible with every keyboard on the market. At least, it doesn’t seem so, given what’s advertised on their store page. But as long as you have a clicky, tactile, or linear keyboard with Cherry MX switches, you should be alright. You can stick these three keycaps anywhere on your keyboard you’d like, giving it a handmade decorative flair — befitting a festive ornament that looks like it belongs on your tree. Or on your mantle. Or, anywhere else you might stick festive holiday decorations.

These handmade keycaps come in packs of three, and each one is a little bit different. There’s the Yule Tree, the Père Noel (basically, Santa Claus), and Frosty the Snowman. Look closely enough, you’ll see how each piece features a handful of intricate details, like ornamental string lights and miniature holiday gifts. It’s disappointing there are only three per pack, but that’s just because they look so good.

If you’re shopping for the gamer in your life, these are only going for $49 per pack, and that’s a holiday miracle if there ever was one. They’re perfect for stocking stuffers or even just trinkets to have around in a gaming room. Now if only the holidays would get here sooner (so we can get back to that summer weather much sooner).

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This Weekend Home Is The Private Forest Retreat Of Your Dreams

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Dubbed the House of Tall Trees, this stunning weekend retreat was designed by the Mexican practice 1i Arquitectura for a family of four. Built using a mesmerizing combination of glass, timber, and concrete, this holiday home is located on a wooded property, providing it with a lush connection to nature. Nestled in the midst of a secluded wooded site, the home is a striking double-height structure.

Designer: 1i Arquitectura

The studio says the site is a “jewel of a site”, and an excellent location for the imposing home as it perfectly combines plants, privacy, and impressive contours. A lovely stream runs through the center of the site, and the entire space is described “as an ode to tranquility in the forest”.  The main structure of the home is essentially a volume built from concrete and glass, with a pitched roof that spans over two floors.

A massive living with a kitchen and dining area, as well as a sunken conversation pit, form the focal point of the home. The pit is located right below the roof and forms a spacious area that is great to rest in. The walls are glazed, hence subtly matching the surrounding tree trunks, allowing an essence of the forest to be in the home.

The home also includes bedrooms, with two on each floor of the house. They are located at the edge of the home, as it provides each room with some privacy and a stunning view of the surrounding wooded landscape. The bedrooms are also complemented with a private balcony. The main structure of the home is surrounded by an ancillary building on each side. A carport and utility area is located up the slope to the north, while a concrete study area is on the terrace to the south. The courtyard on the north side includes a pool and a natural concrete fountain, while the terrace leads to the forest on the south side. The annex structure holds a cozy private terrace with a Jacuzzi that is intended to be an intimate space to relax and rejuvenate, making the House of Tall Trees, an escape for everyday life, and a lovely getaway.

The post This Weekend Home Is The Private Forest Retreat Of Your Dreams first appeared on Yanko Design.

Unique One-Legged Treehouse Holiday Home Cantilevers In A Forest In Estonia

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Dubbed Piil, this beautiful modular holiday home is built using wood and steel and was designed by architecture studio Arsenit. The home is gracefully elevated above the ground at the edge of a lush forest in Estonia. The home is called a treehouse, and it balances on one leg above a wooden terrace, making it a ‘one-legged’ cantilevered house.

Designer: Arsenit

Piil consists of a living space that is 4.25 meters above the ground, allowing it to cantilever and build a sheltered outdoor space. The house is inspired by the observation towers found in Estonia, which are often nestled away in picturesque locations and assembled on-site. The 19-square-meter building is built using a metal frame accentuated by timber cladding to create an organic connection with the surrounding greenery.

“The architectural brief was for elevated accommodation — so at the start of the project four design options were explored, with only one involving a cantilever and the ‘one-leg’ approach, a sort of wild-card ‘dream big’ idea,” said Arsenit founder Arseni Timofejev. “Further studies suggested this approach was not only feasible, but also had two key advantages: it reduced ground-level presence to a minimum, and allowed Piil to ‘grow’ taller by extending the ‘leg’ up by several levels — to elevate the accommodation further into the tree branches,” he concluded.

Steel was utilized as the load-bearing carcass to minimize the size of the building, and to create the unique cantilevered form. This allowed them to construct the structure quickly on-site. “At the same time, the aim of the project is to celebrate an escape into nature, so wood was a natural choice — that’s why all the steel elements are painted black, to fade into the background and make the wood the main character,” said Timofejev.

The interior of the home is “conceived as a large piece of joinery”. The inside is finished in white-washed oak, complemented by vertical timber paneling which also brings to mind the image of a treehouse. The home features a large main space that provides stunning views of the forest. This area is connected to a mesh mezzanine via a staircase, and this space serves as a corner for visitors to relax and read in.

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The Shrek’s Swamp Is a Rustic Mud-Covered Holiday Hut By Airbnb For The Shrek Fans

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We just scooped up something super cool and exciting for Shrek lovers, and if you’re one of them, you may want to look into Airbnb’s newest addition – Shrek’s Swamp. The Shrek’s Swamp is designed by the rental website Airbnb. It is a small grass and mud-covered hut nestled underneath a tree in the Scottish Highlands. It is described as a “stumpy, secluded haven fit for a solitude-seeking ogre”.

Designer: Airbnb

The rustic and cozy home is supposedly hosted by Shrek’s best friend Donkey, who is apparently swamp-sitting while Shrek is away for Halloween. The interesting part is that the Airbnb description is written by Donkey. In the description, Donkey says “I love everything about the swamp: the boulder out front, the modest interiors, the seclusion (ideal for singing karaoke late into the night), you get the picture”.

“This mud-laden, moss-covered, murky-watered oasis is a perfectly snug spot to escape from village life and embrace the beauty of nature,” Airbnb said.

The unique home can accommodate three guests and features a cozy open-plan design. The home is amped with a wooden bed that subtly leans against a wall. Other furniture in the home include a matching table and two wooden chairs which are placed in front of a fire. The fire is supported by two massive tree trunks. The home includes multiple decorations as an ode to the Shrek movie, such as a green “earwax candle”, which references a scene from the movie where Shreks tugs out a stick of earwax from his ear and lights it on fire. Another decoration is a bedside lamp that resembles a stuffed pufferfish.

An outhouse which is seen in many of the Shrek films is placed 20 meters away from the swamp. It can be used the visitors. The rustic hut is also surrounded by multiple signs such as “Stay out,” Beware Ogre”, and “Danger”!. Although they are intended for decoration. Currently, the home isn’t available, but it will be available to book from 13th October for a two-night stay for 27 and 29 October. The home will also be accompanied by a concierge who will ensure meals for the guests.

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This zigzagging luxurious villa is the ultimate holiday home for summer 2023

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Lisbon-based studio Falcão de Campos designed a stunning minimal holiday home called Pura Comporto. The picturesque home features a triple-pitched roof and is located near one of Portugal’s idyllic beaches. Designed by the head architect João Pedro Falcão de Campos, the exquisite villa has been equipped with three bedrooms and is on a vacation site near Praia do Pego – which is one of the most popular beaches in the Comporta area, south of Lisbon.

Designer: Falcão de Campos

The home has a feel-good and relaxed Mediterranean-style aesthetic amped with white walls, light-filled interiors, and minimal and precise detailing. The home features a zigzagging facade and roof that segregates the building into three neat volumes, giving the impression of a trio of humble homes, rather than a singular home. This influences the interiors of the home, with the bedrooms being nestled in half volumes at each end and a series of living spaces occupying the central section of the home. A mezzanine has also been placed above one of the bedrooms, which functions as an additional sleeping space.

The home has been placed off the sloping ground, which creates sufficient space for parking within. This creates an elevated terrace at the front, with the rear opening out to a large deck and a swimming pool. “We believe that we managed to develop a relationship of mutual confidence with them, which we consider very important for a positive outcome,” said João Pedro Falcão de Campos. Materials such as birch plywood and Estremoz marble were used in the construction of the home, and a Portuguese stone was used to build the kitchen island.

“The choice of bright colors and the use of cane reed shading for the south facade, executed by local workers, were important construction decisions that relate to the typical houses in the area,” he continued. The home artfully incorporates traditional clay roof tiles and shading devices made from cane reeds. The windows feature generous glazing which allows for lovely views of the nearby rice fields, while an internal courtyard functions as an outdoor dining space. “The challenges faced in this project are the same that we face in the majority of the projects developed in our office, which is to build well, making use of quality materials,” concluded Falcão de Campos.

The post This zigzagging luxurious villa is the ultimate holiday home for summer 2023 first appeared on Yanko Design.

This beautiful U-shaped beach house in Chile is located on the edge of a cliff

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Based in Chile, ERRE Arquitectos built the Casa Ferran, a stunning low-profile holiday home located in Matanzas. Placed on the coast of Chile, the home occupies 240 square meters, in the form of a U-shape, on the edge of a cliff, which drops majestically down to the Pacific Ocean. The home was designed by Raimundo Gutiérrez of ERRE Arquitectos

Designer: ERRE Arquitectos

While building the holiday home, the architect paid immense consideration to three important factors. He wanted to provide protection against the southwestern wind, privacy on the north and south sides, as well as ensure access to stunning views of the sea. The U-shaped form of the home helped very well in this. It causes the house to point away from the ocean, owing to a protected central courtyard on the slope connected to the sea via a glazed common area.

“What the project seeks is to generate a transversal and permeable axis in the east-west direction, which connects two exterior areas with dissimilar characteristics through the interior common area. The rest of the program is arranged to contain and give shape to this axis,” said the studio. The home consists of two major wings on either side of the main central volume. One wing includes three bedrooms and two atriums with plants, while the other wing angles outwards and holds the covered parking area, which further leads to the guest bedroom and service zones.

The main central volume houses the kitchen, living, and dining areas. The volume is marked by floor-to-ceiling windows, that allow light to stream in throughout the day. Sliding glass doors connect the space to the covered patio. The central volume is transparent and open. The home is built from black-colored steel, with the exterior clad in pine boards, which beautifully contrasts the steel. The interiors, on the other hand, feature a delicate white theme accentuated by warm wooden flooring. Each wing has been gifted with a planted green roof. “The design responds to elements of organic architecture. However, formally rigid features appear, which are the result of several variables, conditions, and demands that were presented,” concluded the studio.

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This glass pavilion in southern Chile features cantilevered boxed bedrooms

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Santiago-based studio Izquierdo Lehmann designed a cylindrical lakehouse near Lago Ranco in southern Chile. The home is designed by Cristián Izquierdo L, a partner at the studio. Called Casa Encoique, it was constructed in 2021 as a guest pavilion that supports a pre-existing holiday home, allowing various generations of the family to live on the property.

Designer: Izquierdo Lehmann

Occupying almost 1345 square feet, the lakehouse is in the form of a circular glass pavilion, and is located within the forest. It is connected to the main holiday home via an elevated concrete walkway. The first floor of the pavilion features an open-plan layout and accommodates a living and dining space, as well as a compact prep kitchen. On the floor above, there are three “boxed” en-suite bedrooms which are arranged in the shape of a triangle. These rooms are cantilevered and have been clad in dried pine. The pine was dried at 300 degrees Celsius to elevate its thermal properties and longevity.

“The main challenge was to solve, in an efficient way, the triangular structure in relation to the circular base,” Izquierdo said. The triangular section is rotated off-center, to create more circulation space between the rooms. A metal and eucalyptus spiral staircase is placed in this space. “In the end, the project doesn’t solve the problem – as Louis Kahn would do it in the Yale Art Center where the triangular stair meets the circle in a perfect way – but it manifests that these two orders are fighting with each other, and sometimes they fit and sometimes they don’t,” Izquierdo said.

Above the bed, a window has been positioned which allows light to generously stream into the room, but it also accommodates a triangular truss which allows the box to artfully blend into the perimeter wall. The various modular construction methods used to build the home ensured that a sense of cohesion and harmony was created throughout the home. “While the structure of the bedrooms and the staircase make explicit the mismatches of the triangular composition, the vertical modulation of the horizontal carpentry coincides in the boxes and the glazed enclosure, masking different materials and shapes in a common module,” the studio said.

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Nendo’s polyhedral Christmas tree with sparkling star-shaped cutouts will get you in the holiday mood

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One of my favorite design studio Nendo recently created a gold-colored Christmas tree for the Tokyo Midtown shopping center in Roppongi, Tokyo, putting the whole of Tokyo and me in a Christmassy mood! The beautiful tree features kinetic cutouts, which were designed to mimic “sparkling lights”.

Designer: Nendo

Standing tall at 7.5 meters, the stunning Christmas tree has been placed in the middle of the shopping center and boasts a polyhedral surface crafted from flat metal panels that create a pyramid as a result of being bolted together. The panels feature little fluttering stars, and behind them are positioned 416 small and compact fans. The fans have been designed to move the panels in different patterns – up, down, and across the tree.

“The pieces not only sway and move with the wind but can also stop swinging in the air catching the wind at the programmed timing. By continuously receiving a certain amount of airflow, the pieces also float upward in a sustained manner,” said Nendo. The star-shaped patterns were designed to resemble sparkling lights and seemed to be swirling or flowing rhythmically around the tree, in a mesmerizing up-and-down pattern. Cutouts in the same color, that is matte champagne gold, have been hung from the ceiling.

“The theme glitter in the air translates to creating the uplifting and shimmering atmosphere, the very essence of Christmas, by literally generating ‘glitters’ by ‘air’,” said Nendo. These glittery and beautiful pieces are positioned on Tokyo Midtown’s garden terrace as well as its galleria and atrium terraces.

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The Top 10 Winter Cabins that are the ultimate holiday destination this Christmas break!

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Winter’s here, and I couldn’t be happier! It’s the season of snowy skies and chilly weather! It’s my favorite time of the year, something I look forward to as the months pass by. And just thinking about a winter getaway gets me all jazzed up! Anytime, anyone proposes a quaint getaway during Christmas break, I’m the first one packing my bags. Bundled up in coats, and sipping on hot cocoa in a little cabin in the woods, with swirls of snowflakes fluttering outside the window, is my idea of an ideal vacation. And, we’ve curated a collection of cozy, comfy, and super cute winter homes that’ll make for the perfect holiday destination this winter. Make your plans and start booking your tickets, because these spaces are where you’re going to wanna be this Christmas!

1. The Yezo

Designed for idyllic Hokkaido in Japan, the YEZO is a retreat that uses its dramatic landscape and an experimental design approach to create a sanctuary in nature. The YEZO’s overall design is a fusion of both aesthetics and algorithms, optimized for fabrication from one single mold to minimize ecological impact and reduce manufacturing cost and delivery time. It features a unique curved roof that not only creates a spacious interior but even provides a channel for the central chimney while creating a small terrace/skylight in the process. The wooden roof shell structure, clad with regional black slate, consists of sustainable GluLam (glue-laminated) timber beams suspended from a central concrete chimney.

2. The Vermont Cabin

Occupying a humble space of 750-square-foot, Kundig designed the Vermont Cabin, keeping in mind that “The client brief called for a small, straightforward family cabin in the tradition of the Vermont cabins they grew up with.” Surrounded by white pines and maples, the intimate home has been divided into three levels. The lowest level is settled comfortably within the site, and contains a garage that also doubles up as a fun game room! A single bedroom and a powder room are also included in this level. The middle story consists of the main entry, two small bedrooms, and a bathroom. Whereas, the topmost level is essentially one large living area. This upper level provides panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, such as the Green Mountains to the west, and the Worcester Range to the east.

3. Niliaitta

Studio Puisto, a sustainable interior design studio based in Finland, recently debuted the first prototype of cabins soon to be part of a larger hospitality project called Kivijärvi Resort. The resort’s first completed cabin is called Niliaitta, which refers to the traditional storage structure built at the end of a high pillar, used by the Sámi people to store food and equipment, keeping it safe from the grasp of hungry or curious wildlife. In order to immerse guests of Kivijärvi Resort in the elements of nature as safely, but also as close as possible, Studio Puisto installed a floor-to-ceiling window that stands some distance from the cabin’s deep gable roof. From Niliaitta’s front-facing window, guests enjoy the most dominant landscapes as the cabin’s location was purposefully selected to offer the most unobstructed views of Finland’s forest and nearby body of water.

4. Skigard Hytte

Mork-Ulnes Architects constructed a modern cabin in the mountains called Skigard Hytte. Made from wood, the cabin is located in Kvitfjell, Norway. Skigard Hytte consists of 45 wooden columns that are arranged in a neat grid, which are covered in ‘Skigard’. ‘Skigard’ are quarter-cut tree logs.”There was also something interesting about making a cladding out of log that was completely detached from the house – creating a log cabin skin that sits outboard of the building, where it is not the load-bearing element one is used to in conventional log construction,” said the architects.

5. Cabin in Maine

Situated in a quiet and private location, this little cabin in the woods of Maine is as peaceful as it gets. The pond is quite secluded, hence it is free of noisy motorboats and pesky tourists. The height of the floating home provides unparalleled views of the pond and forest and also helps in capturing the breeze. Floor-to-ceiling windows and doors adorn the entire home, hence creating a beautifully open space, that perfectly captures the sunlight in the morning and late afternoon! Peck wanted to create “an experience within a space—keeping us connected to nature and the feelings of this site.” The floor-to-ceiling elements create a modern aesthetic but at the same time are durable enough to withstand Maine’s extreme weather conditions.

6. The Lima Cabin

Modern, minimal, and clean, the Lima cabin boasts an A-frame structure, although it cannot be compared to the traditional A-frame cabins we are so used to. Exquisitely pleasing to the eyes, yet highly functional, the cabin features two main areas or spaces. The two pyramid-shaped structures (which almost look like mountains, as the cabin has been inspired by the surrounding mountains!) represent these two spaces, and they are connected by a corridor, creating an open and spacious holiday home, while efficiently utilizing the square footage of the space. The living room is a beautiful communal space, wherein the residents of the home can lounge about, interact and connect. The wooden kitchen counter and dining table serve as intimate meal spots, where you can share a meal with your family and friends, and nurture the shared holiday spirit.

7. Cabin Thunder Top

Gartnerfuglen Arkitekter built a wooden cabin called Cabin Thunder Top in Telemark, Norway. The cabin features a stepped roof that also doubles up as a winter ski jump and a viewpoint. The triangular building is called a “man-made peak” by the architects. “As everything put here from the outside, Cabin Thunder Top is slowly appropriated by nature,” explained Gartnerfuglen Arkitekter. “The cabin is an inhabitable beacon, a man-made peak in the rolling fells of Hardangervidda, worn down by glaciers during the ice age.”

8. Road-Haus

Road-Haus is a 250sqf tiny cabin scaled down from a larger model designed by Wheelhaus, a tiny home company committed to modular and eco-friendly design practices. Taking the best from the more spacious Wedge model, the Road-Haus fuses elegant design elements with tiny living essentials. Considered crowd favorites by the tiny home company, Wheelhaus adorned Road-Haus with the same pitched roofline and wrap-around clerestory windows found on the Wedge model. From the bottom to the top, Road-Haus residents are immersed in the glory of the woods, with timber flooring that’s mirrored on the tiny home’s ceiling.

9. Cara R

Think of this cabin as a safehouse for when you are facing harsh weather conditions. Cara R is perched in the Andes Mountains in Southern Chile giving views of the vast parklands and nature reserves. It is the ideal destination to be immersed in nature but the area is also known for its extreme climatic conditions and that is exactly what Cara R’s design aims to guard against – nothing can stand between you and a cozy night at your cabin in the woods! On the first floor, there is a woodshed and a chiflonera.” This area between the interiors and exteriors is commonly found in Chilean or Patagonian homes because it helps to regulate the extreme temperature changes that occur in that region. It features a steel frame because stell is both water and fire-resistant!

10. Cabin A24

The RCA – 03, or Cabin A24 is a prefabricated tiny cabin that keeps a unique pentagonal shape and comes fully furnished with a bathroom, kitchenette, and living space. Designing Cabin A24, the team behind DDAA hoped to achieve a distinct architectural identity without compromising the tiny home’s household efficiency, amenities, or spatial functionality. Cozy and petite by design, Cabin A24 forms two halves. One half leaves enough room for a spacious living area, complete with a bedroom and lounge space. From there, the bathroom takes up about two-thirds of the cabin’s second half, which is shared with a small kitchenette, complete with a sink and small stovetop.

The post The Top 10 Winter Cabins that are the ultimate holiday destination this Christmas break! first appeared on Yanko Design.