Following the popular Rusty House in London, we’ve collected 10 residential buildings with striking Corten-steel – a type of weathering-steel – facades in this roundup.
Among the buildings featured are a micro-home in Lithuania, a US house with pyramidal roofs and a Belgian guesthouse with a watchtower.
While their designs would have been remarkable in themselves, they’ve all been further enhanced by the addition of Corten steel facades, which create a rusty surface that catches the eye.
Read on for 10 homes where Corten steel adds tactile interest:
Rusty House, UK, by Studio on the Rye
One of our most-commented residential projects of the year so far, Rusty House was designed as an extension to a London home and entirely clad in Corten steel. This was then sealed so as not to weather further.
“The tone of the weathered Corten was carefully selected to fit with the red bricks of the original house,” said architect Sarah Borowiecka.
Find out more about Rusty House ›
Little House/Big Shed, US, by David van Galen
US architect David van Galen designed these sloped-roof houses on Whidbey Island in the Puget Sound, north of Seattle, as a retreat for himself and his wife.
The project has a main house and a smaller cabin, which is used as a studio and guesthouse. Both were clad in Corten steel that was left to rust naturally.
“Much like the trees themselves, each building surface uniquely responds to time, wind, water and sun,” Van Galen told Dezeen.
Find out more about Little House/Big Shed ›
White Rock Cottage, Canada, by Omar Gandhi
This elevated cabin in Canada by local studio Omar Gandhi Architects has a whimsical design, consisting of a steel-clad volume perched on thin pillars.
Gandhi designed the home to resemble a duck blind, with the entrance recessed underneath the volume. On its southern facade, steel canopies were cantilevered to shade large windows.
Find out more about White Rock Cottage ›
Corten House, UK, by Barefoot Architects
Tucked behind an old brick wall in Bristol, England, this weathering-steel-clad home is arranged around an internal courtyard and sits on a triangular site.
Local studio Barefoot Architects chose to use Corten steel for the house’s facade since the material’s orange colour nods to both the brick wall and other buildings in the area.
Find out more about Corten House ›
Y House, Canada, by Saunders Architecture
Y House is notable not just for its Corten steel facade but also for its Y-shape, which gave the Canadian home its name.
Floor-to-ceiling windows run along one side of the house, which derives its unusual floorplan from the site on a rural retreat near the Rocky Mountains.
Find out more about Y House ›
Steel Craft House, the Netherlands, by Zecc Architecten
Located in the city of Utrecht, this Dutch self-build project saw Zecc Architecten turn an old garage into a home for a steel artist.
Fittingly clad in Corten steel, the house now has an additional two-storey timber structure that sits on top of the original ground-floor space. While it was designed by Zecc Architecten, the 95-square-metre house was built by the clients themselves with the help of craftsmen they knew.
Find out more about Steel Craft House ›
Alex Guesthouse, Belgium, by Atelier Vens Vanbelle
Perhaps the most striking design on this list comes from Belgium, where Atelier Vens Vanbelle created the Alex Guesthouse from different layers of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) clad in Corten.
The wooden part of the building was constructed in a studio and then rebuilt on-site. The final structure is accessed via an underground entrance while its watchtower gives guests a view of the Schelde river valley.
Find out more about Alex Guesthouse ›
River Bend Residence, US, by Lake Flato Architects
Texan studio Lake Flato Architects designed this pyramidal home north of San Antonio to “sit lightly upon the land”.
It comprises a main dwelling and two detached buildings, all organised around a central garden. Pyramidal roofs give the Corten steel-clad homes a ceiling height of eight metres, with large skylights at the top.
Find out more about River Bend Residence ›
Rust House, Norway, by Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects
Rust House was designed for a plot in the Gamlebyen area of Oslo – the old town in the eastern part of the inner city that dates back to medieval times.
Local studio Jarmund/Vigsnæs Architects designed the house on an infill plot, using concrete, Corten steel and plywood to create a low-maintenance family home.
Find out more about Rust House ›
Vilnius micro home, Lithuania, by IM Interior
A former garage in Vilnius was clad in Corten steel to create this micro home by architecture studio IM Interior, which now acts as a studio flat for a single occupant.
“I wanted to show how little a person needs,” said Indrė Mylytė-Sinkevičienė, founder of IM Interior. “In 21 square metres, it is really possible to work and live. This particular interior is like another way of life”.
Find out more about Vilnius micro home ›
