The Slice House by Proctor:Rihl Architects

The company I work for has an office in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and I'm doing everything I can to get a trip to visit it. Why? Because that's where the Slice House is, and I'd just love to go see it, just walk down the sidewalk at night and see it glowing, and let my eye wander over its sleek angular lines.



The Slice House is a stunning modern beauty designed by the London-based firm Proctor:Rihl. Built on a sliver of land, the house wraps itself around a beautiful courtyard. A swimming pool on an upper terrace has a glass wall that shines a rippling, lantern-like glow down into the main living area. It's a simple plan, executed magnificently, a sculpture of modernity. It's the kind of house you dream about.




It's far from the simple, modest home I imagine for my own family. But I'm not someone who thinks life should just be about what you need. I think striving for something remarkable is human nature. Many of us can never afford a house like this one. But we can be inspired by it. That's why I like it so much. It makes me think about what could be. It reminds me that creativity and style do matter, and that we should all live someplace that lifts us up. I believe that housing in America has been in a dark age, and that we're on the cusp of something better. New architects are challenging convention. Alternative energy and awareness of materials is helping us create healthier spaces for our families and our planet. And even as home prices generally continue to soar I think we are getting ever closer to affordable and better housing solutions. The future looks bright.



The house, by the way, is an achievement in concrete. You can read about that, and the many sustainable design concepts employed in its construction, at ConcreteCentre.com.

You can see lots of pics of the Slice House on a post on arqa.com (and if you read Spanish, you'll enjoy the text too). The house is also featured in the book 150 Best House Ideas by Ana G. Canizares (Collins Design, 2005). It's a nice book that features a ton of great homes (150, curiously enough).

Image credits - arqa.com post