Dwell January/February 2022

1. Grant Harder, photographer, “Happily Medium,” p. 80 If Grant’s not on a shoot, he’s likely camping somewhere near his Vancouver home with his wife and two kids, sleeping in the pop top of their VW (when the crotchety van isn’t in the shop, that is). 2. Vejay Nair, writer, “Only the Essentials,” p. 44 Vejay reports from his home in snowy Helsinki: “Winter in the Nordics can be challenging. While days are short, the promise of a bright, crisp morning in early February is always something to look forward to, even if we’re still waking up in the dark.” 3. Youngna Park, writer, “Sophie Brickman,” p. 38 A product adviser focused on family tech, Youngna lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her partner and their two daughters. She read Brickman’s 2021…

“This is friggin’ delightful. They’ve used all they’ve got, in terms of light and space, indoor and out, and gotten so many generous spaces out of it. Good for them.”—Caroline Kelly via Dwell.com Comments [Re: “Livable America,” November/December 2021] I am very curious to see what cities fit the majority of these livability criteria and still have a mix of affordable housing. With the Covid real estate boom, it doesn’t seem like you can have safe, affordable, and walkable all in one neighborhood. CHARLOTTE BRAVO CANNON, VIA DWELL.COM [Re: “Amy Stelly,” November/December 2021] Thank you for this insightful and revealing article. Very important stuff here. CAROLYN A., VIA DWELL.COM EDITORS’ NOTE: An artwork on the wall of the house featured in “Shifting Gears” on page 54 of the September/October 2021 issue is a copy, made by…

What would your ideal home robot do? They work in hospitals, factories, and space stations, but where are they when we need them most? Readers share what their dream household robots would accomplish. Take my dog for a walk. @kristine.rungis Change diapers. @elle.kitty Help me clean the house, talk with me, and ask me to paint cats on the wall. @meh_devos Cook and clean. @jejelita Manage conflicts between the kids. @ren_chalk Put away dishes, groceries, and laundry. @ejdevangelista Keep the countertops sparkling clean all the time—detect dirt, spray, and squeegee! @fiercewildmad swag Wake me up. @danleifson Scrub floors. @planetmombalt Everything Rosie from The Jetsons did. @burlwoodcottage Put on a duvet cover. @erinvmahoney Vacuum, but also know when the dog has thrown up so it doesn’t smear it everywhere. @aubynstjames Clean anything, especially floors and hard-to-reach places. @jobopdx Tidy up my kids’ mess. @libuddha Clean up the kitchen after cooking. @laurie_zing The never-ending two: dishes and laundry. @klenkli Vacuum up dog hair continuously. @donnajean_jel lybean Cook a…

DESIGN AWARDS 2021 THE JURY 1 Dwellings WINNER CASA TER Using regional building techniques and local materials, Mesura created a sustainable retreat that blends with the Catalonian countryside. RUNNER-UP UC HOUSE Designed by Daniela Bucio Sistos, this brick-and-concrete residence on the outskirts of Morelia, Mexico, is anchored by a central open-air foyer that frames a library displaying the owners’ collection of more than 15,000 books. 2 Prefabs WINNER CATERPILLAR Undecorated and Studio Detroit sliced up a prefab Quonset hut to create a series of light-filled dwellings in Detroit. RUNNER-UP CASA MIRADOR Rama Estudio used a prefab glass-and-steel box to extend a home outside Quito, Ecuador, into the surrounding landscape. “Lovely—it gives the feeling of being elevated among the trees.”—Tosin Oshinowo on Mit Chit House 3 Gardens WINNER MIT CHIT HOUSE In Bangkok, this family residence by Looklen Architects features four courtyards with trees that stretch beyond…

Brutal bidding wars. Ten rejected offers. Undercuts from cash buyers. Twenty rejected offers. We’ve all heard stories, or have our own, about house-hunting headaches—or maybe searing migraines. To call the market “overheated” understates how hard it is to buy a home in many places right now. Single-family properties are regularly selling for way above asking price, but the only available alternatives are often apartments with far smaller square footage. For many people who are doing relatively well—middle class by any measure—there seem to be fewer areas where they can afford to have children or just get a bit more space. They are staring into the “missing middle” of the housing market. But some designers, builders, and organizations have come up with creative ways to construct medium-density multifamily developments close to…

When outdoor enthusiast and tech executive Anders Smedberg set out to build a mountain getaway for himself and his two teenage children among the ski slopes of Edsåsdalen in northern Sweden, he had a clear vision. He wanted a practical and comfortable alpine home inspired by the classic American A-frame, and he called on Stockholm architect Måns Tham—whose cousin designed a previous home of his—to help him create it. Tham tweaked the basic A-frame concept to reflect the home’s Scandinavian context. He added curved aluminum dormers that swing out from the prefabricated aluminum roof and wood frame, evoking the kåta (huts) used by the Sámi, an Indigenous people of several Nordic countries, as well as the branches of the trees that surround the home. The front and rear elevations will also…