In this week's comments update, readers are discussing a wood-and-stucco house and art studio in the Californian desert by Ryan Leidner Architecture.
Located in the High Desert region, the house was designed for a painter and creative director and was informed by mid-century Eichler homes and southwestern art.
"An architect's dream"
Commenters were largely positive about the project. Pavarreon hailed it as "a real work by a true architect: elegant, discreet, functional, a well-proportioned space". They added "what a great way to start a new year".
JZ echoed this sentiment, admiring the "elegant, organic palette".
On the same page, Miles Teg declared "well nothing can top this I think – this is the best house of 2025 already".
Meanwhile, Artyvisual thought it was an "amazing plot" and called it "an architect's dream".
Do you agree? Join the discussion ›
"This is brutal poetry"
Another project receiving plenty of praise this week was a concrete spa with tubular lightwells completed by Vector Architects in a forest in China.
Reader Dik Coates wrote "that concrete work is excuisite" and admired the "beautiful brush-hammering finish".
Typinghereagain had nothing but praise. "What a sublime and bonkers resolution of brief. A wonderful and powerful execution of space."
"This is brutal poetry," added Miles Teg.
However, not all readers were quite so smitten. Souji argued that "it has cute details, but this feels more like a building made to be photographed than used".
They went on to say "it's so out of place, no different to a McMansion ruining a landscape – the only difference is that this is edgy with its dark industrial aesthetic".
Which side are you on? Join the discussion ›
"A bit too sleek and polished"
Also on commenters' radar this week was a glass-lined extension to a farmhouse in Hertfordshire by Will Gamble Architects.
"The photo of the glass extension in long elevation view shows how awkward the slightly pitched parapet is," put forward Dwg. "Really not a fan of this," they concluded.
Alfred Hitchcock also wasn't impressed and felt "the new interventions are all just a bit too sleek and polished".
"It's almost as if they're trying to pretend that they don't live in a medieval farmhouse," they continued.
However, Susanna Diegel argued that it "works extremely well viewed from the outside".
What's your take on the farmhouse extension? Join the discussion ›
Comments Update
Dezeen is the world's most commented architecture and design magazine, receiving thousands of comments each month from readers. Keep up to date on the latest discussions on our comments page and subscribe to our weekly Debate newsletter, where we feature the best reader comments from stories in the last seven days.
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