Tucked into the forested slopes above Portugal’s Douro River, Douro Wood House from MJARC – Arquitectos Associados, lda seems less built than grown from the earth itself. Its living green roof, blanketed with native vegetation, allows the structure to vanish into the hillside. Raised lightly on steel supports, the timber and corten-clad retreat preserves the...

This residence by Condon Scott Architects and Space Studio, located against the dramatic peaks of Gibbston Valley, merges contemporary architecture with the rugged textures of its landscape. The home’s exterior is defined by stone cladding and dark-stained timber, echoing the historic gold-mining cottages of Central Otago while projecting a refined, modern character. Dual gabled forms...

Originally built in 1879, this seaside residence in Sorrento, Australia, was brought back to life by Di Bartolo Architects, who skillfully balanced historical preservation with modern comfort. The kitchen island extension features a rounded design that creates an informal dining area, while the combination of natural wood chairs and dark cabinetry makes this kitchen the...

Designed by Hasan Ayata, Tinx House showcases how smart design can turn a compact A-frame into a luxurious modern hideaway. A black steel spiral staircase leads to the bedroom area, offering both a functional way to save space and a striking design feature within the compact interior. We recommend considering this option when planning your...

Tucked into the slopes of Park City, Nest by Sparano + Mooney Architecture reimagines the idea of a modern mountain retreat.  Its thermally-modified timber façade and board-formed concrete details blend seamlessly with the surrounding forest, creating a warm contrast to the crisp alpine landscape. The interior design is minimalist with natural oak floors, soft Venetian...

MU Architecture designed a multilevel house in the Laurentians, Quebec, anchored to a rocky slope overlooking forest and lake. Excavated boulders were reused on site, forming retaining walls, terraced gardens, and stone steps that integrate the structure with its rugged landscape. The exterior combines pale stone, warm cedar, and a dark cedar cube that projects...

The red brick facade anchors this Melbourne residence in tradition, recalling the heritage-listed 1920s structure that defines the site. The brickwork presents a sense of permanence and continuity, tying the new extensions to the home’s history. Behind this robust frontage, FMD Architects reveal a series of interlocking roof forms clad in prefabricated metal. These stepped...

Black modern house designs look chic and make a bold statement. Unlike traditional neutrals, black exteriors pair beautifully with materials such as metal, wood cladding, or concrete, giving modern and contemporary homes a striking presence that feels both sleek and unexpected. Black Mansion Modern black homes can be pretty large and mostly the exterior styles...

We’re excited to feature a new project submitted through our Submit Your Work section, a custom residence in Pocahontas, South Carolina, designed by DK Studio. This home blends contemporary architecture with a strong connection to nature, using clean lines, warm materials, and a thoughtful layout that brings light and views into every space. Large white...

Architect João Tiago Aguiar designed the V House as a bold composition of stone volumes that unfold around a central courtyard. Located in Portigaul, the house reads as a continuous monolith—walls, roof, and floors all wrapped in the same pale stone—yet inside, light, greenery, and water shape an entirely different experience. The plan hinges on...

On Chile’s Canela coast, architect Benjamín Goñi designed a home oriented to rare northern views of the Pacific. The house structure is defined by four low wooden volumes for private areas, two parallel concrete walls, and a central living space that opens fully to the horizon. The clad exterior in gray-toned wood that weathers against...

From the street, Stealth by APOLLO Architects & Associates reads as a solid stone block, its slate-gray facade giving nothing away. The design prioritizes privacy, yet once inside, the home reveals itself as a light-filled sanctuary shaped by Japanese sensibilities. Minimalist lines, natural materials, and carefully framed garden views echo traditional Japanese architecture while reinterpreting...

Located in the Krkonoše National Park, the Horní Malá Úpa Mountain Chalet by OK PLAN ARCHITECTS blends contemporary comfort with the vernacular character of the Czech highlands. Clad in charred wood and topped with an anthracite metal roof, the gabled structure draws from traditional Krkonoše forms while integrating modern construction methods and energy-sustainable systems. The...

Overlooking a wooded lake in Michigan, Sodon Lake House from Disbrown Iannuzzi is designed for light, openness, and family living. Inside, large windows and white interiors create an uplifting atmosphere that feels both modern and serene. The renovation enhanced both aesthetics and performance. Uninsulated brick was upgraded with exterior insulation and a crisp white finish,...

Armstrong Cottage is an off-grid, net zero retreat in Peterborough, Canada, designed by Peter Braithwaite Studio for a Toronto family. Built on an island with difficult access, the project required barges, floating docks, and winter ice crossings to transport materials and machinery. The house is made up of two pavilions—one for living, one for sleeping—set...

Chapelle MI is a contemporary extension to a historic stone chapel in Mortagne-sur-Sèvre. The project from Atelier Ose respects the original heritage while introducing a modern timber structure that adapts to the sloping terrain. Built on pilotis, the new volumes appear suspended, reducing their impact on the site and creating a light contrast to the...

In Asturias, a modern residence by Jovino Martínez Sierra Arquitectos frames expansive views of the Cantabrian Sea and the surrounding meadows. Large windows and clean white volumes open the house to the landscape, giving it a strong connection to its natural setting. High ceilings and an exposed concrete ceiling beam define the space, giving it...

Set in the rural landscape of Central West NSW, Kavillo Studios reinterpret the region’s building traditions with a modern, sustainable approach. Designed as four studio dwellings, the structures draw inspiration from nearby shearing sheds and historic pisé (rammed earth) buildings. Their striking tent-like forms combine galvanised sheet metal roofs with thick rammed earth walls, grounding...

Set in Melbourne’s Eaglemont, Villa XXIII by FGR Architects draws inspiration from both art and landscape. The site sits just below the grounds where the Heidelberg School painters once captured the Australian bush in the late 19th century. Their legacy of plein air expression, tied to natural light and terrain, finds a modern echo in...

In Kaunas, Lithuania, this residence by Architectural Bureau G. Natkevicius & Partners takes a bold yet quiet stance. Instead of rising above its neighborhood, the house embeds into a sloping site, its angular roofline echoing the ground’s natural grade. From the street, it reads restrained, but from the garden, walls of glass open fully to...

Set in a forested landscape outside Montreal, this residence by Desjardins Bherer reworks a 1990s structure into a light-filled retreat. The architects opened the footprint by removing part of the ground floor and enclosing an extension in glass, creating a double-height living area that frames views of the pool and valleys beyond. The interiors pair...

In Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Casa Sofía by HACEDORMAKER_ sits on a forested cliff facing the Atlantic. From the street, its concrete facade stays closed and private, but inside, the plan opens directly to a patio, pool, and uninterrupted ocean views. The house is organized by a T-shaped layout. Private rooms run along one axis, while...

In Melbourne, Australia, FGR Architects designed the Concrete Curtain House as a calm presence within a chaotic suburban streetscape. The façade is defined by pleated concrete columns, a rhythmic brise soleil that provides privacy, controls sunlight, and sets the tone of the home’s restrained geometry. Behind the sculptural exterior, the plan unfolds across split levels....

Set in the open pastures of Drummond, Victoria, the Mingela Polo Residence by FGR Architects is a flat, pavilion-style home designed to dissolve into the Australian landscape. The structure appears to hover above the terrain, defined by a floating concrete deck and floor-to-ceiling glazing on three sides. Long eaves provide shade and frame panoramic views...

In Sydney’s inner-west, the Leichhardt House reimagines an 1882 worker’s cottage as a modern sanctuary. Designed by Porebski Architects, the renovation respects the original structure while introducing bold spatial connections and natural light that dramatically expand the compact footprint. At the heart of the design is the material palette—marble and timber working in harmony. Striking...

The Fowler & Ward x Base Cabin tiny house turns compact living into an adventure. At just 215 square feet, it swaps a standard loft ladder for a mini climbing wall and opens up with large bifold doors that connect the interior to the outdoors. There’s space for four to sleep, a skylight for stargazing,...

Set along the rugged edge of Harbor Springs, Michigan, the Lower Shore Residence by Lucid Architecture embraces its position on Lake Michigan with a design tuned to water, wind, and seasonal change. The home is organized into three distinct volumes: two wood-clad wings for private functions and a taller, transparent core that gathers daily life...

Suspended among the treetops of Quebec, this striking cabin by Kariouk Architects looks more like a futuristic mirage than a woodland retreat. Perched on a steel support above a rocky cliff, the cantilevered black volume hovers dramatically over the forest floor, creating the sensation of floating in midair. The design was born out of strict...

Designed by iHouse estudio, this compact home in Punta del Este, Uruguay, reinterprets mid-century living with a modern twist, blurring the boundary between inside and out. Raised lightly above the ground, the structure uses two bold yellow blocks to contain the kitchen, bathrooms, and storage, freeing the rest of the layout for an open plan...

This 684-square-foot cabin in Sea Ranch, California, was originally designed in 1968 by architect Joseph Esherick. Restored by its new owners with Framestudio, the project keeps the midcentury character while adding modern updates. The three-level open plan was preserved, with a partition added to close off bedrooms when needed. Custom blue cupboards and built-in bunk...

Overlooking Ames Lake near Redmond, Washington, the Scout Lake Residence now stands on a site once used as a Boy Scout camp. Designed by Stephenson Design Collective and built by Dovetail in 2021, the 3,900-square-foot house balances modern architecture with sensitivity to the protected lakeside forest. The home’s stacked block-like design draws inspiration from the...

Kohútka Cottage is a contemporary mountain retreat in Nový Hrozenkov, Czech Republic, designed by SENAA architekti. Inspired by traditional Wallachian log cabins, the home combines classic timber architecture with modern technologies to create energy-efficient living in harmony with its surroundings. The design respects tradition with its steep saddle roof, small casement windows, and deep overhangs,...

Yama Architecture transformed two shipping containers into a fully self-sustaining off-grid cabin in Manton, California. Designed to be secure, mobile, and low-impact, the cabin is a practical solution where permanent construction was not allowed. The interiors are compact yet functional, with a propane-powered kitchen, heating, and lighting, plus solar panels for supplemental power. Durable finishes...

Tucked into the forests of Washington State, this 1,721-square-foot A-frame cabin by Stephenson Design Collective turns a classic alpine form into a bold modern retreat. Its sharp silhouette and standing-seam black metal roof cut a dramatic figure against the evergreens, designed to withstand heavy snowfall while blending seamlessly into the landscape. Inside, the mood shifts...

Designed by Love Schack Architecture, the Freja House in Whitefish, Montana, is clad in prefabricated wood panels treated with järnvitriol, a Swedish iron sulfate technique that gives the home a weathered look while ensuring durability and energy efficiency. Its pitched roof and compact form recall traditional cabins, yet the design feels modern and adaptable for...

Unlike many DIY tiny houses built with cost savings in mind, the FL Tiny Home was conceived as a piece of architecture. Designed as a “refined tramping lodge on wheels,” it complies with NZTA width, height, and weight regulations while remaining fully transportable. Originally planned for a section in Ohariu Valley, the home was designed...

Villa 18, designed by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos, is located in Madrid’s La Moraleja district, overlooking the golf course lake. The daytime spaces occupy two staggered volumes, their shift forming a sheltered terrace that captures morning light and offers protection later in the day. A taller volume rises to nearly one and a half stories, while...

This 538-square-foot (50 m²) house in the Netherlands is built almost entirely from glass, with both walls and ceiling designed to bring in light and frame the surrounding forest. The compact footprint,designed by GetAway Projects BV, is just 21 by 26 feet, spread across three levels: the main living area, a sunken bathroom, and two...

Lake Cle Elum from sticklab, on the west side of the Cascades, sets the backdrop for this modern cabin in Roslyn, Washington. The 2,800-square-foot home and 800-square-foot garage occupy a slim terrace above the water, where steep slopes define the site.  The roof is engineered for deep winter snow loads and doubles as a housing...

Perched on the east shore of Lake Garda, Villa Dellago by Jacopo Mascheroni is designed as a pavilion that blends seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. The home stretches parallel to the water, allowing every room to open toward sweeping lake views.  The large glazed façades and extended rooflines make the structure feel both weightless and...

Riba House sits in the Puembo Valley, Ecuador, on a curved corner plot shaped around a centuries-old carob tree. The tree became the guiding axis of the project, influencing both orientation and design.  With 520 m² spread across two levels, the house from TEC Taller EC, is conceived as a bar-like structure that embraces the...

On the edge of Lake Washington, Olson Kundig’s Pattern House stands out with its dark industrial aesthetic and glass-forward design. The two-story residence makes the most of a narrow site, with its full-height glazed facade framing panoramic views across the lake.  The telescoping and pivot glass doors are engineered to fully open, dissolving the line...

Belgian interior architect Arjaan De Feyter has transformed two ocean-facing apartments into one striking penthouse on the northern coast of Belgium. Located in Knokke, a town known for its lively atmosphere and access to the Zwin Nature Reserve, the project balances raw industrial accents with the serenity of seaside living. Black steel, slate, and textured...

Located in Melbourne’s Armadale, Huntingtower Road is a boutique apartment complex by Jolson Architecture and Interiors that feels more like a sculptural residence than a multi-home building. Its defining feature is the series of deep arched windows and doors, creating a façade that plays with light and shadow while framing views of greenery. The design...

Set against the hills of Alicante, Spain, Ramón Esteve Estudio’s Oslo House brings a calm, minimalist take on modern living. Defined by two overlapping concrete volumes that appear like stacked blocks, the home balances bold geometry with the serenity of its Mediterranean setting. The house anchors to the hillside with a stone base that follows...