House envy...

Modern architecture really can improve, as well as save abandoned ruins. Success stories like this really make me want to yell at fusty institutions like British Heritage, who seem to prefer buildings on the 'at risk register' to sit and crumble waiting for someone to rebuild them as working museums, rather than give them the freedom to turn them into something new and wonderful, as

David Closes has done to the convent of Sant Francesc in Santpedor, Spain. Built between 1721 and 1729, then demolished in 2000, of the original building only the church remains, which has been undergoing renovations since 2003. 

Closes has managed to preserve the historical legacy of the building (scars included), with the addition of new values. Without losing sight of the architectural unity, the church is now an auditorium and multifunctional cultural space.

Info from: Lancia Trend Visions

The fairest of them all...

Oskar Kohnen and Fabian Freytag's company LecaroliMited have produced a truly modern Berlin penthouse. It's a brave gamble, but I think it works beautifully, providing you always put everything away in unseen storage and wiped fingermarks off as you go. But what a vehicle for modern art!

Not brave enough to cover the whole house in mirrors? The mirrored tile trend is really gathering pace, good for catching natural light on surfaces that rarely see them, and a clean look for kitchens and bathrooms.