#material-honesty

#material-honesty

In recent years, designers increasingly recognize that a home's luxury is not defined by its size but by how space is sequenced, detailed, and experienced. In small residences, limited square footage becomes an opportunity to refine material honesty, elevate craftsmanship, and curate a focused expression of high-end living. This shift frames luxury as a philosophy rooted in intention rather than excess.

When a National Geographic photographer designs his sanctuary, the lens doesn't disappear. John Dessarzin's Brutalist compound in Atenas, Costa Rica, frames the jungle like a permanent viewfinder: all concrete, steel, and calculated sightlines. Perched on a cliff bordering a protected bird sanctuary in the Central Valley, the 2017 residence rejects the neoclassical templates that dominate the region in favor of raw materiality and seismic resilience.

Located on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, , at the end of a mango tree-lined street, Teen Vaults is a defined by its interplay of , , and light. Originally conceived by Vaissnavi Shukl as a weekend home with a pool and pavilion, the project evolved into a full-time residence for a family of four. The house is organized around three parallel exposed RCC vaults, each serving a distinct function: one accommodates the kitchen and dining area, another contains the formal living space, and the third houses a study and reading lounge.

The architectural language is quiet but confident. A flat roof stretches outward, forming generous overhangs that temper the desert sun while framing long horizontal lines against the open sky. Beneath it, warm Douglas fir eaves run continuously from exterior to interior, creating a seamless ribbon of wood that guides the eye and softens the transition between architecture and nature. It's this gesture, simple, fluid, and tactile, that anchors the design.

Lighting design has evolved far beyond simple switches and dimmers, yet most lamps still operate on the same basic premise: flip a switch, get light. This predictable relationship between user and object leaves little room for discovery, play, or the kind of tactile engagement that makes everyday interactions memorable and meaningful. What makes the Tangent lamp by Ana Relvão and Gerhardt Kellermann particularly compelling is how it transforms the simple act of turning on a light into something far more engaging.