5 Homes with Award-Winning Designs and Designers - Christie’s International Real Estate (2024)

Critical recognition, while key to an architect’s reputation, can be a vital guidepost in the buying of luxury properties. Here, Luxury Defined puts the spotlight on five properties that have either won an architectural award or are the creative vision of architects with accolades from institutions such as AIA, AD100, and the “Nobel Prize of architecture” itself, the Pritzker. Consider contemporary city living in a glass-enclosed “tree house,” or savor the Mediterranean lifestyle in a modernist resort villa. Settle into an ultra-chic Hollywood hideaway high above the Sunset Strip, or samba on a seafront terrace over Ipanema Beach. Architectural awards are the grace notes; the music is in the living.

South 5th ResidenceAustin, Texas

This contemporary “tree house” in Austin’s Bouldin Creek neighborhood was the recipient of the prestigious 2018 AIA National Housing Award and the AIA Austin Design Awards. Alterstudio Architecture designed the unique glass box-like structure, which is surrounded by steel, stucco and wood. The sophisticated three-bedroom, three-bathroom home is the perfect combination of elements, thoughtfully executed inside and out. From the street, a custom wall of welded steel and tumbled limestone provides privacy. Inside, a series of floor-to-ceiling glass walls and skylights bring the outdoors in, capturing views of the wooded grounds, while harnessing gentle summer breezes and flooding the space with natural light.

Villa in El Bosque Club de GolfValencia, Spain

Mano de Santo architecture studio designed this modernist aerie, which was recognized as one of the top 50 buildings in the region by the CTAV (college of Valencia architects). Situated in the exclusive El Bosque golf and country club, the home is spread across nearly 5,000 square feet with six bedrooms and five bathrooms. The chic interior spaces are enclosed within vast walls of glass that frame spectacular views of the surrounding landscape and open to an infinity pool and entertaining terraces. The property is close to El Bosque club’s world-class amenities, which include a Robert Trent Jones-designed golf course and an equestrian center.

Oceanfront Penthouse
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

This opulent, terraced penthouse, crowns a magnificent Ipanema beachfront building designed by the late Pritzker Prize winning architect Oscar Niemeyer, whose seminal works include the Headquarters of the United Nations and the Cathedral of Brasilia. This apartment, updated by Studio Arthur Casas, has a contemporary layout with sophisticated finishes, including Ornare cupboards, marble floors, and woodwork from Clamom. Its vast, open-plan living spaces include a first-floor living room, dining room, breakfast room, media room, wine cellar, and gourmet kitchen with industrial-grade fixtures. Five en suite bedrooms on the second floor include the master suite, with two walk-in closets, two bathrooms, and spectacular ocean views. Staff quarters on the third floor offer five bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living room.

Contemporary Aerie
Los Angeles, California

This contemporary residence, by multi-award-winning Belzberg Architects, takes in the full spectrum of the City of Angels from atop one of the great promontories along Hollywood’s famed Sunset Strip. The minimalist interiors create a fluid living environment. Highest quality finishes include frameless glass doors by Rimadesio, a chef’s kitchen by Dada, and bathrooms by Antonio Lupi. The luxurious features continue with smart-home automation, a theater and bar, a wine room, and gym. There are five bedrooms and six bathrooms, including a separate master suite, which is cantilevered above the pool deck for dramatic effect. The master bathroom is a spa-like retreat complete with soaking tub overlooking the glimmering lights of Century City.

Villa FarneseNaples, Florida

Villa Farnese is a grand Venetian-inspired home overlooking the 15th fairway of the five-star Mediterra golf and beach club in Naples, Florida. The 6,000-square-foot villa opens to a magnificent pool terrace with a courtyard fountain, water features, and four fire bowls that create an alluring outdoor ambiance. The property has been updated throughout. The gourmet kitchen was remodeled at a cost of just under $400,000, earning it the Sand Dollar Award for best kitchen remodel in the $1 million+ category. The lanai-inspired living room, with fireplace, media area, and summer kitchen, is ideal for alfresco entertaining. Other highlights include a master suite with spa bathroom, a wine cellar, and formal gardens.