On the outskirts of Wanaka, New Zealand, Sundance Rise by Condon Scott Architects is a modern home that opens to sweeping views of the mountains and lake. The design emphasizes materiality, where Corten steel panels and dark timber cladding create a bold exterior softened by natural textures. Local schist stone anchors the base, adding weight...

Set in Montauk, New York, the Spinnell Residence by Christopher Jeffrey Architects balances rugged coastal strength with a warm, light-filled interior. The project consists of two shifted gabled volumes that rest on poured concrete walls, creating a composition that steps with the site and opens toward the ocean. The exterior is clad in black-stained shingles,...

Christopher Jeffrey Architects designed a waterfront retreat overlooking Peconic Bay, where the site slopes forty feet down to the wetlands. The project includes a 1,500-square-foot single-story house and a 400-square-foot pool house with an in-ground pool. Concrete walls anchor the home into the slope, drawing the hillside into the interior. Native grasses and wildflowers surround...

Sloping green roofs not only insulate and manage rainwater but also let homes disappear into their surroundings. Camouflaged by grass and moss, these designs hide within nature, merging architecture with the landscape. Green Roof House by Snegiri Architects Blends Into the Forest Slope Russian studio Snegiri Architects designed HillHouse with a sloping green roof that...

Atelier Hajný has renovated a 1970s stone hut in the Sázava region near Prague into a compact countryside retreat called Skylight Hut. The original single-story structure was stripped back to its stone base and rebuilt with a concrete slab and timber frame, topped by a corrugated metal trapezoidal roof. The new form meets the local...

Haus Max by Caramel Architekten sits on a sloping site near Vienna, designed for a family of four seeking both quiet countryside living and a large artist’s studio. The lower level houses the 3-meter-high studio, partly embedded into the slope, with direct access to the garden and a covered outdoor workspace. Above it are the...

A residence designed by OFFICE INAINN sits on the west coast of Norway, 148 meters above sea level. Completed in April 2025, the 127-square-meter home follows the steep slope without altering the ground. The dark timber structure blends with its surroundings and positions itself as part of the terrain rather than standing apart from it....

Patina Maldives, part of the Fari Islands in the Indian Ocean, is a modern retreat set across 10 kilometers of reef on the northern edge of North Male Atoll. Designed by Studio MK27, the resort features low buildings that merge with the tree line and open wide to the sea and sky. Studio MK27’s approach...

Set on a steep Goan hillside, Timber Residence is anchored by bold cantilevers that project the living spaces into the surrounding canopy. Designed by Architecture Discipline, the 8,650 ft² house uses a linear pitched-roof form, with eleven glulam portal frames supporting its structure. The home rests lightly on the terrain, raised on stilts and retaining...

Set into the steep slopes of Lefkada, Greece, the THYTA House by LASSA Architects demonstrates how contemporary forms can be embedded into rugged terrain. The residence is defined by sweeping, elliptical geometries that follow the mountain’s curvature, its volumes partly recessed into the hillside to reduce visual impact from the sea. This compositional strategy allows...

In Hungary’s UNESCO-protected Tokaj-Hegyalja wine region, the Sauska Tokaj Winery by BORD Architectural Studio presents two intersecting, lens-shaped volumes raised on steel columns. The curved forms contain a restaurant, bar, and terrace, designed to appear as if floating over the slopes of Padi Hill. Their placement creates a strong architectural presence while keeping the vineyards...

Scotchman’s View Farmhouse, designed by AD Houses and completed in 2024 on Victoria’s Bellarine Peninsula, reinterprets the classic farmhouse with a sleek, contemporary edge. The 516 m² residence, built on a 44-acre site, features a striking black facade crafted from Colourbond and Cambia Ash Timber, blending modern aesthetics with rural roots. This bold exterior, paired...

The Drop Pod, by Inspiral Architecture and Design Studios, explores modular housing through a compact prefabricated structure. Built in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, in 2025, the project tests how small-scale design can adapt to different sites and needs. Its Lombok version uses a mezzanine layout, doubling usable space within a minimal footprint. The pod is...

It’s been a while since we covered a tiny home, and the Honey Bee is worth the attention. Built by Backcountry Tiny Homes, this 26-foot-long, 8.5-foot-wide house on wheels makes every inch count. With a height of 10 feet 5 inches, it offers two loft bedrooms, one with standing space, and a main-floor sleeper sofa...

Penrith Peaks, designed by Condon Scott Architects, is a striking holiday home in Wānaka, New Zealand, crafted for a North Island couple with plans to eventually make it their permanent residence. Its design responds to strict site setbacks and historic planning rules, with a west-facing living room and a roofline angled to catch the eastern...

Pierattelli Architetture restored Villa il Gioiello, a 700 m² historic residence on the hills near Florence, blending preserved architectural elements with modern functions. The five-level home retains original features such as vaulted ceilings, teak parquet floors, arches, and exposed wooden beams, while integrating custom furnishings, contemporary finishes, and 20th-century artworks by artists including Boetti, Spalletti,...

In Kleinmachnow, near Berlin, Lars Triesch commissioned the only home designed by Ray Kappe outside the United States. The low, horizontal structure features expansive glass walls, layered volumes, and custom-milled redwood siding shipped from California. Prefabricated components and advanced slim insulation allowed the build to meet strict German codes while preserving Kappe’s proportions and open,...

This renovated 1720 brick and stone farmhouse in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, blends historic charm with modern farmhouse style. Originally a modest two-room structure with fieldstone walls and corner fireplaces, it expanded over centuries, including a 1750s stone addition and a 1970s brick veneer bay. Period Architecture’s recent renovation added 1,700 square feet, enhancing natural light...

In Merate, m2atelier has reimagined a private residence within one of Mario Botta’s distinctive buildings, shaping a home that pairs strong architectural geometry with a softer, more livable interior. The design works with Botta’s monumental forms, introducing glass-wrapped dining spaces, open living areas, and landscaped terraces that extend the rooms outward. The layout spans four...

OWIU Design’s renovation of Ray Kappe’s 1973 Glass Ridge House preserves the architect’s modernist clarity while infusing it with Japanese ryokan-inspired warmth. Located in La Cañada Flintridge, the home now integrates flowing water features, traditional tatami flooring, and artisan-crafted details, creating a seamless dialogue between interior and landscape. Material authenticity defines the update: marble, blackened...

ArchLAB Studio designed the Triangle House to fit a sharply angled plot at the edge of a forest, shaping the plan and pointed form directly from the site’s geometry. The ground floor includes a study, open-plan living and dining area, kitchen, and a covered terrace connecting seamlessly to the garden. Upstairs, a continuous balcony links...

Completed in 2025 by ArchLAB, the Green Terrace House is a masterclass in precision, proportion, and integration with its forested hillside site. The design’s most striking gesture is the cantilever, projecting the main living volume over the driveway and resting on two angled concrete supports. This bold structural move not only shelters the entrance and...

The Wall House is defined by an 80-meter wall running the full length of the property from the entrance to the navigable canal. This element serves as the main structure, organizing the layout and unifying the design. One side contains technical and service areas, while the other side has the living spaces, pool, lounge, and...

Located in the countryside of Joanópolis, Brazil, The Moenda House by Felipe Rodrigues sits on a 20,000 m² plot overlooking the Mantiqueira Mountains. Built in 2017, the home consists of two interconnected volumes, one for the owners and another for guests. The design prioritizes connection to the landscape. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls slide open to erase...

On a narrow uphill-sloping lot in Vancouver, Scott Posno Design created a three-level home that blends Scandinavian cabin influences with modern urban design. Built for two industrial designers, the house uses its compact footprint efficiently, stepping up the slope in a form shaped by city zoning rules. The exterior is clad in narrow black board-and-batten...

InForm’s Brighton East 2 in Victoria, Australia, is defined by a dramatic double‑height entry and a clean, modern form. A central spine organizes the layout, with open living, kitchen, and dining spaces on one side, and private functions including a garage, cellar, and gym on the other. Reclaimed white‑painted brick, teak ceilings, and oak accents...

Originally designed in the 1950s by architect Howard R. Barr, FAIA, this Highland Park home in Austin, Texas, has been thoughtfully expanded and renovated by Clayton Korte. The transformation respects the home’s mid-century modern roots, maintaining the original brick, wood siding, and carefully proportioned openings while introducing modern functionality and additional living space. The residence...

Designed by Scott Posno Design with interiors by &Daughters, The Farm is a 30-hectare countryside retreat in Southwestern Ontario, created for a family seeking a stronger connection to the land. Drawing inspiration from the traditional longhouse, the main residence stretches 48 meters, clad in charcoal-stained cedar with a matching metal roof. Large east-facing windows capture...

Perched on the cliffs of Santorini’s iconic Caldera, this boutique hotel designed by Kapsimalis Architects blends modern hospitality with the timeless charm of Oia’s whitewashed architecture. The project integrates an old cave house with a newly built complex of five stepped rooms, carefully positioned to respect the terrain, views, and village context. The rooms are...

At just four meters wide, the Slim Fit house by Ana Rocha Architecture demonstrates how smart design can turn a micro footprint into a livable home. Located in Almere Poort, Netherlands, this three-story timber structure offers 50 square meters of living space on a 16-square-meter base—smaller than a double parking spot. The design uses space-saving...

Located near the Gulf of Finland, Delo House 3.2 is a prefabricated timber-frame home developed by Delo Studio. The linear structure sits on a raised site and includes both a main house and a detached annex, connected by a larch-wood terrace that frames a small courtyard. The main building features two bedrooms, a study, living...

Lib Work’s new Model B house in Kumamoto, Japan, pushes sustainable construction forward by 3D-printing a 100-square-meter home using a cement-free mix of soil, lime, and natural fibers. The design reduces CO₂ emissions by 50% compared to concrete and is fully biodegradable. Equipped with solar panels, smart home tech, and a fluid, light-filled layout, the...

What if a wind turbine could become your next home? That’s exactly the vision behind Blade-Made’s latest projecta micro house built inside a decommissioned wind turbine nacelle. This bold concept reimagines industrial waste as cozy, off-grid living. Dutch studio Blade-Made, co-founded by architect Jos de Krieger of Superuse, designed the tiny house using a nacelle—the...

Set on a narrow infill lot near Lake Huron, this cottage designed by Setless Architecture, uses a sharply pitched wood shingle roof to shape both its structure and interior. The twisting roof ridge creates dynamic rooms upstairs while maintaining a compact footprint. Large triangular windows follow the roofline, framing views of the forest and allowing...

Tucked into the coastal hillside of Separation Creek, the Olive Street Cabin by MGAO is a 90-square-meter holiday home designed with quiet precision and regional sensitivity. Inspired by 1950s and ’60s cabins, the structure opens when in use and closes securely when unoccupied—mirroring the rhythm of retreat. The two-bedroom, one-bathroom dwelling blends modern robustness with...

Designed by YH2 Architecture, this minimalist lakefront cabin in Quebec is a refined reinterpretation of the classic family cottage. Clad in white cedar, the gabled structure rests gently on the landscape, with full-height glass walls that open the interior to the serene lake view. On both long sides, tall glass panels open the interior to...

Set among lemon and olive groves in Sicily’s UNESCO-listed Val di Noto, Casa Idda by Itinera Studio Associato is a minimalist residence that blends seamlessly into its surroundings. The structure is based on modular 7.5-meter-square volumes, arranged to define the master suite, living area, and guest zone while opening toward the sea-facing landscape. The outdoor...

Located into the dramatic landscape of the Lofoten Islands, Aurora Cabin is a compact wooden retreat designed to immerse its visitors in nature. The blackened timber exterior contrasts with the surrounding greenery, while inside, warm untreated wood creates a calm, minimal interior. Large windows frame views of Higravstinden and the fjord below, bringing the outside...

Cleft House, designed by TAEP/AAP in Abdullah Al-Salem, Kuwait, is a sculptural home shaped by light, voids, and environmental strategy. With its clean white exterior and dark steel fence, the design balances openness and privacy, responding to its urban setting and hot climate. Spacious living areas open toward a shaded portico and pool, blending indoor...

Located in the Czech village of Polanka, this house by Lenka Míková Architekti is instantly defined by one feature: a circular hole carved through its front gable wall. More than a design gesture, this large round opening frames views, brings light into the covered terrace, and gives the house a distinct, almost abstract character. The...

Set on a 49-acre ridgeline lot overlooking the Teton Range, the Skyview Residence is a modern legacy home that reflects both family heritage and its dramatic natural surroundings. Designed by Eric Logan, Bryan James, and Forrest Britton, with interiors by Sarah Kennedy, Cynthia Tibbitts, Erica Hawley, and Brooke Peacock, the home balances traditional materiality with...

Set against a windswept ridgeline outside Jackson, Wyoming, Elysium Fields by CLB Architects merges modern form with timeless surroundings. Designed as a multi-generational retreat, the home doubles as a living gallery—anchored by a sculptural stainless-steel piece by Jedd Novatt that informs both the spatial layout and architectural rhythm of the house. The building materials palette—sandstone,...

Designed by Tact Design Inc., this modern Toronto residence makes a powerful first impression with its sculptural corten steel facade. Located at the edge of Cedarvale Park’s ravine, the house carefully navigates the tension between urban presence and natural retreat. It’s not the first time we’ve featured a corten steel facade.  Our readers love the...

Perched on a ridgeline in Queenstown, New Zealand, Ridge House by architect Ben Hudson fuses rustic charm with crisp contemporary lines. Designed as the builder’s personal residence, the home draws inspiration from Scottish heritage and European travels, expressed in its gabled forms and textured stonework. The vaulted living space opens wide to mountain views, while...

This modern guest house by Desai Chia Architecture is designed as a minimalist weekend retreat, perched on a rocky outcrop with direct views of farmland and a reflective trout pond. The rectangular, single-story structure uses high-performance triple-glazed panels for its full-height façade, which was prefabricated off-site and installed in just two days. The home features...

Set into a grassy hill in upstate New York, the Clinton Corners Residence by Desai Chia Architecture, blends contemporary architecture with a rural sensibility. Its striking black exterior evokes the silhouette of a modern barn, while the layout steps down with the slope, using a concrete retaining wall to anchor the lower level and provide...

Designed by K-Thengono Design Studio, this four-story residence in Jakarta’s upscale Pantai Mutiara neighborhood offers a luxurious balance between privacy and openness. With an east-west orientation, the home is split into two blocks: the western volume houses the bedrooms while the eastern one hosts the living and dining areas. A central circulation space acts as...

Set on a secluded 10-acre plot in Joshua Tree, Casa Azzurra by Fieldtrip and AdM Studio offers a modern desert retreat inspired by both the California landscape and Italian coastal architecture. The blue limewash exterior, rendered in five desert-toned shades, reflects the shifting sky while anchoring the villa into the arid terrain. Organized around an...

Located in Barton Hills, Crestvale Residence by Clark | Richardson Architects was awarded a 5-Star Austin Energy Green Build rating and featured as the 2022 Green Building Case Study House. The new construction was designed with one clear goal: to create a healthy, high-performance home for a young family. The river rock walls appear throughout...

Clark Richardson Architects designed the W 50th Street Residence as a two-story masonry-clad home that makes full use of its corner lot in Austin, Texas. The standout feature of the home is its white Old Texas handmade brick façade, which creates a crisp, clean contrast against dark bronze standing seam roofing and black-trimmed Pella wood...

Set along the edge of the Los Trancos Forest in Portola Valley, Pinon Ranch by Field Architecture was designed around a clear rule: do not disturb the oak grove. The 3,838-square-foot residence, built for an empty-nester couple, includes a main house, a detached music studio, a stable, and a hay barn — all arranged carefully...

Located near Valdivia on Chile’s Pacific coast, the Calfuco Refuge is a 50 m² cabin designed by Tomás de Iruarrizaga. Built on a concrete supports, the structure rises ten meters into the treetops of the dense Valdivian rainforest, minimizing ground disturbance. The small footprint — just 4 by 7 meters — fits precisely between existing...

This black brick house from Gogstudio , near Seattle stands out with its bold masonry that blends perfectly with the dark forest around it. The textured bricks and deep mortar lines give the house a strong, grounded look that feels at home in the woods. Built on a concrete base, the home includes natural touches...

This clifftop retreat by Winter Architecture replaces a long-loved weatherboard shack with a refined yet informal beach house. Designed as three interconnected pavilions wrapped in timber, the home balances privacy with openness, forming fluid outdoor spaces that move with the sun and sea breeze. The house is deeply rooted in its coastal environment—weathered timber cladding,...

Casa da Baro, designed by Passarelli Arquitetos, is a residence that redefines balance—both in structure and in spirit. Located in a gated leisure community in Bragança Paulista, the house embraces the natural contours of the land like a set of wings gliding over the hillside. From above, the home unfolds as a clean, horizontal composition,...

Casa E+E, designed by GM Arquitecto, sits on a privileged coastal site in Spain and captures panoramic views over the Mediterranean Sea. The 283 m² residence reinterprets the original structure with a minimalist aesthetic, enhancing indoor-outdoor living through clean lines, natural ventilation, and thoughtfully framed views. A reconstructed roof and new southeast opening improve airflow,...

In a suburb of Salzburg, INNOCAD Architecture reinterprets the gabled-roof house with Casa S—a modern family residence wrapped in pre-weathered timber. Built from native spruce using cross-laminated timber, the structure rests lightly above a steel-supported base, giving the home a sculptural and elevated appearance. The facade is layered with folding perforated shutters, offering privacy and...

Perched above Nova Scotia’s Gaspereau River Valley, White Rock Cottage by Omar Gandhi Architects is a bold architectural response to its rugged, wooded setting. The 140-square-meter cabin is lifted above the sloping five-acre site on slender steel stilts, taking on the form of a corrugated Corten steel cube. Its elevated stance and muted palette blend...

Vistalcielo is a 155 m² residence in Mérida, Mexico, designed on a narrow 5×31-meter lot by Veinte Diezz Arquitectos. The existing house was structurally damaged, but instead of demolishing it, the architects retained about 70% of the original masonry. The home was reorganized into six volumes, three enclosed and three open, to create visual continuity...

Set on a historically rich site between meadow and woodland in Amagansett, the 6,300-square-foot Stony Hill Residence by Bates Masi + Architects draws from the area’s agricultural past to shape a contemporary home for a young family. Once used by Native Americans for hunting and later by settlers as grazing pastures, the land’s original layout...

Tucked into the remote hills of Chiang Mai, the Wood and Mountain Cabin by Sher Maker is a handcrafted timber retreat designed for off-grid travelers seeking immersion in nature. Collaborating with local artisans, the architecture firm drew inspiration from traditional northern Thai wooden houses, creating a humble yet expressive structure that opens toward mountain views...

Perched on the rugged edge of a forested cliff, the Orcas House by Allied8 is a bold architectural statement in minimal impact and maximal experience. The facade is clad in aging Kebony wood that seamlessly mimics the bark of the surrounding trees, visually blending the structure into its mossy, old-growth environment. Large glass openings frame...

Tucked into the woods of Suizhou, China, The Treehouse, Mask in the Forest by Moguang Studio is a 190 m² retreat raised above ground to protect ancient trees and enhance forest views. Built in 2023, the structure features charred cedar cladding and geometric forms that respond to the site’s irregular shape. Curved walls, wood finishes,...

Located in Khao Yai, Thailand, BAAN O+O sits on sloped terrain without altering the landform. The Junsekino Architect and Design elevated the structure, minimizing earthwork and using a compact footprint to reduce impact. This elevated design reinterprets the traditional “tai thun” space beneath Thai homes, creating a shaded, ventilated zone for outdoor living. The house...

Anchored into the steep slopes of Mont-Tremblant, La Flèche Residence is a 740 m² home by MU Architecture, designed around site constraints and forest preservation. The architects blasted into rock to secure a minimal footprint and repurposed the material for landscaping. Strict environmental rules shaped the design, eliminating exterior lighting and favoring concealed solutions. From...

Set into the steep slopes of Mexico City’s Lomas de Vista Hermosa, the LAI House by BROISSIN is a 923 m² residence that flows with the land. Anchored into the terrain with a cascading, multi-level layout, the home unfolds across five levels, two above and three below street level, revealing shifting views and seamless indoor-outdoor...

Tucked into the foothills of the Aravalli Range, the Container House project by RSDA transforms humble shipping containers into two inviting, light-filled homes named Champa and Chameli. Champa is formed from five 20-foot containers in a U-shaped layout, while Chameli uses two 40-foot containers arranged linearly. Both homes feature full-height glass doors, simple interiors with...

Villa M, designed by Triptyque Architecture with interiors by Philippe Starck, stands as a powerful example of how architecture can integrate nature into the urban fabric. Located in Paris’s Montparnasse district, this bold structure uses greenery not as decoration, but as a fundamental building material. Wrapped in an open steel exoskeleton, the facade supports a...

Set deep in the Austrian forest of Fontanella, the Bregenzerwald Vacation Home by Architektur-SCHWEIGHOFER replaces a 1960s container house with a carefully considered timber structure. Instead of demolishing everything, the architects reused the existing foundations, adapting the footprint to house an entire family. Built entirely from solid wood, the home combines structural and thermal efficiency...