Architecture in Nature

Most of Arizona's streams run only after a storm. Oak Creek is one of the few that flows all year, and the water changes everything around it. Along its banks in Sedona, Arizona, sycamores, cottonwoods, ash and alder grow into a canopy of shade and green that most of the state never sees. On a wooded bend of the creek, architecture firm The Ranch Mine has designed "Ironwood," a small retreat built around one simple wish: to spend the days and nights down by the water, under the trees. Dan Ryan Studio The idea began with tents. The concept was to pitch them in the woods and get guests sleeping by the creek, and The Ranch Mine was asked to design the buildings that would let them stay longer. Those buildings became two open air pavilion... More

Nestled deep within the Wuling Mountain National Nature Reserve in Chengde, Hebei, the Aranya Wuling Mountain resort community sits quietly in its natural surroundings. Life here unfolds along mountain springs—layers of vegetation and clear streams form a natural barrier that gives the area a tranquil, secluded atmosphere, away from the noise of the outside world. Arch-Exist Photography Arch-Exist Photography Arch-Exist Photography Arch-Exist Photography Arch-Exist Photography   The Shan Canteen is a community building for everyday dining and public leisure, located on a grassy slope beside the stream. The site is higher to the north and lower to the south, with water views to the west and a landscaped... More

Location: Tumbira Region, Amazon Forest - Brazil “How can we conceive an architecture made from the forest, for the forest, that becomes part of the forest?” In response to this central question, we arrived at the concept of the “nest,” evoking protection, hospitality, tranquility, and family, and the concept of the “path,” which explores community, shared experiences, forest trails, and the integration of people with nature. These concepts emerged from an in-depth analysis of the place, its people, nature, and culture, observing the interaction between vegetation and water in the igapós, the reflections on the water, the labyrinthine configuration of the islands, and the nests of yellow-rumped... More

01 Overview Sinye is located in the secret valley of Zengcheng, Guangzhou, in an isolated area with nearly 85acres of bamboo forests, terraced fields, and valleys. Passing through winding mountain roads and bamboo, finally the site is reached. The long prelude paths the starting point of master planning, which is to prioritise the local context, embarking on a journey of returning from city to the nature. The entire project consists of 21 residential buildings and 3 public areas, scattered across a 50,000sqm landscape. By connecting various functional groups through landscapes such as rice paddies, trails, bamboo forests, and mountain streams, each group has an independent system of experience while maintaining unity on landscape interface... More

Villa Gantiadi is a single-family residence situated on a picturesque rocky slope along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, in close proximity to the shoreline. The house is designed entirely below street level—a deliberate architectural decision that preserves uninterrupted sea views, protects the existing vegetation, and allows the building to merge harmoniously with the natural terrain. The project concept is rooted in deep respect for the site’s natural characteristics. The building’s horizontal lines—defined by exposed concrete edges along the terraces and roofline—gently follow the topography of the slope. Rather than creating sharp contrasts, the architecture integrates subtly into the landscape, to the exte... More

A contemporary house project, designed with natural materials and situated at the foothills of the mountainVitosha The main architectural highlight is the roof — a thin, strongly cantilevered slab with pronounced horizontality, creating a sense of a ‘floating’ volume and visually lightening the massive stone elements. The deep overhang serves both aesthetic and functional purposes, providing passive solar shading and control of natural light. The underside of the roof is clad in wood, softening the silhouette and extending the interior materiality to the exterior. NIKART NIKART The façade combines horizontally laid natural stone, timber cladding, and full-height glazing with structural timber profiles. T... More

Búfalo Residence was designed to enhance the site’s VIEWS and natural topography, creating a harmonious connection with the surrounding FOREST. The main objective was to integrate the exterior landscape with the interior spaces, making the most of the breathtaking views and surrounding NATURE. cesar belio cesar belio cesar belio cesar belio cesar belio The architecture explores contrasts and visual tension through the use of NATURAL LIGHT, highlighting the details and creating a distinctive atmosphere. Floor-to-ceiling windows and open spaces allow the forest to become an integral part of the home, while the interior design elements reflect the serenity and beauty of the landscape beyond. cesar beli... More

Some houses are defined by their walls, while others are defined by the spaces between them. Nguyen’s House belongs to the latter. Rather than treating voids as leftover spaces, the project places them at the heart of the architectural strategy, allowing light, air, and vegetation to shape the experience of living. Designed for a young family in a dense urban neighborhood of Ho Chi Minh City, the house responds to a familiar challenge: how can a home remain private without becoming disconnected from nature? Instead of maximizing built volume, the design deliberately reserves generous open spaces within the building itself, transforming the interior into a calm environment that feels detached from the intensity of the surrounding city... More

Mount Ortobene is the principal landscape landmark and symbolic reference of the city of Nuoro. More than a natural feature, the mountain is deeply embedded in the collective memory of the local community. Nobel Prize-winning writer Grazia Deledda described this relationship with words that still capture the intimate and visceral bond between the city and its mountain: “Ortobene is unique in the world: it is our heart, it is our soul.” adriano mura adriano mura Surrounded by a dense forest of holm oaks and oaks, the granite massif has long been a place for walking, contemplation and summer retreat for the people of Nuoro. The intervention is located within the summit area known as the Anello (“Ring”), the... More

Villa E is situated on the urban limits of the Pucallpa city and proposes a way of inhabiting the Amazon rooted in simplicity, efficiency, and respect for the territory, with the aim of integrating and becoming part of a greater ecosystem. Above all, its architecture serves as a bridge between the daily life of a family made up of two sub-units and the untamed nature that surrounds it, enhancing the richness of the landscape, and responding sensitively to the unique features of the site and the living patterns of its occupants. ©Vásquez & López Arquitectos From a contemporary perspective, the design proposes a simple and honest interaction with the natural environment, applying strategies from Amazonian vernacul... More

San Bernardino is a summer town located about 50 kilometers from the capital (Assunção), a city that is dedicated to its landscapes and its blue lake for poets, musicians and artists. Inspiration site for the beautiful song Recordações de Ypacarai. This commission aimed to design small living modules to be used as rest spaces during the weekends. Time was a contrary factor, and the work should be carried out quickly and should also be adjusted to the budget established by the investors. The area available for intervention is 2,000 square meters of free surface, in the Monte Espeso area. The project should contemplate the construction of new modules so that they are executed efficiently and quickly. The challenge... More

The term "Forest Engawa" is a combination of a Japanese architectural element and the context of our project. The project of a single-family house in Miłoszyce near Wrocław is a contemporary interpretation of a single-story pavilion immersed in a forest clearing. The building was conceived as a calm, horizontal form that does not dominate the landscape but enters into an equal dialogue with it. The starting point was the need to create a house with a distinct identity while being maximally integrated with the surrounding forest and the daily routine of its inhabitants. MUS ARCHITECTS Concept, Context, and Assumptions The architecture of the house is shaped by a combination of Japan-inspired minimalism with functionality and warmth c... More

A microretreat with a minimal footprint has been realised in the wooded hills of northern Hungary. The cabin was conceived as a prototype for a scalable network of small-scale, design-led nature retreats that can be replicated across diverse landscapes with minimal environmental impact. NestOff is the project of architect and interior designer, Péter Kotek, who worked with cabin fabricator Tajga-Depo to realise the project. The cabin, which features a deck, hot-tub and sauna, demonstrates how considered and comfortable design can be realised through prefabricated and sustainable means.  Gyorgy Endresz Gyorgy Endresz ❌︎ Remove Applied Products block will be inserted here   Construction and materials Ne... More

Casa RM is the result of a careful reading of the site and a pursuit of an essential architectural language, where form, structure, and landscape are intrinsically connected. The residence is precisely positioned on the terrain through exposed concrete volumes that rest on and hover above the ground, minimizing site intervention while reinforcing continuity with the natural topography. The project explores the relationship between solids and voids as a spatial strategy, shaping paths, visual frames, and gradual transitions between interior and exterior spaces. Studio cdsarq Concrete defines the structural logic and material character of the house, while glass acts as a dissolving element, allowing the landscape to permeate the living... More