Rick Sundberg, FAIA, LEED AP, of Seattle-based Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, has designed a spec house for developer Carol Isaak Barden + Company in Houston, based on the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi. Wabi-sabi serenely celebrates the beauty of imperfections, accepts the impermanent nature of all things, and respects the cycles of nature.
The 3-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom, 3,750-square-foot Wabi Sabi House, located in a traditional neighborhood, blends unrefined natural materials with simple, modern forms and open spaces that flow together easily. Simple finishes showcase the natural character of the materials, and carrying cedar planks from the exterior into the house ties the interiors more closely to the outdoors.
Carol Isaak Barden + Company plans to build a series of wabi-sabi houses in Houston; whether Sundberg will design more for the development has not yet been decided. To view details of this project, scroll through the slideshow.