Exterior

A thoughtful renovation and transformation of an 18th century farmhouse. Nestled on a slope of the Buechberg sandstone hill in the Tobler hamlet, Switzerland, this traditional farmhouse overlooks Lake Constance to the north. The building dates back to the 18th c...

Living the dream of living in the Alps. When it comes to gorgeous house locations, the Alps score extra-high marks. Breathtaking views, crisp mountain air, fresh earthy smells, and meadows in bloom attract increasingly more urban dwellers who wish to slow down and reconnect to nature. In an array of new, modern buildings, it’s refreshing to see such a thoughtful take on vernacular arc...

[dropcap]B[/dropcap]uilt on rocky cliffs, flat terrain, or among sand dunes, beach houses are the perfect weekend retreat or holiday home. Whether located close to the water or nestled away in a woodland, these houses immerse the inhabitants into gorgeous coastal landscapes. We have gathered some of the most impressive and inspired projects we could find to showcase the beach house design in al...

A rehabilitated building from 1954 transformed into a flexible, co-working space. Located in Dehesas, in the province of León, northwestern Spain, this building looks distinctly modern, but it actually dates back to 1954. Architecture firm MCVR Studio completed the project of renovating the existing building and of desig...

An ingenious design for a tiny plot of land in central Tokyo. Completed by Japanese architecture firm Unemori Architects, House Tokyo has a clever design that makes the most of every inch of space. Located in central Tokyo, in a densely populated area where space is in short supply, the property has a f...

A compact family home that optimizes light, comfort, and flexibility. Built on a narrow plot in neighborhood bordered by a street with heavy traffic in the city of Toyota, Japan, the Minimum House proposes a new type of sustainable architecture for urban housing. Nori Architects created the dwelling for a family with ...

A creatively designed, contemporary extension that complements the old-time charm of a 1911 weatherboard cottage. At the edge of a bushland reserve south of the Hepburn Springs town, in Victoria, Australia, there’s a 1911 house closely connected to the local community. The weatherboard cottage with a double-pitched r...

Three volumes arranged around a courtyard in Palo Alto, California. When the owners of a 1920s house in Palo Alto, California, learned that two adjacent parcels came on the market, they tasked Buttrick Projects Architecture+Design with designing an extension that would expand their living spaces. Na...

A Harmonious Blend of Style, Function, and Sustainability Nestled in the picturesque English countryside, Cotswolds House is a contemporary five-bedroom masterpiece designed by Oliver Leech Architects. This gem of a home perfectly marries the old and the new, offering a peaceful retreat for its lucky owners, Alan...

An immersive woodland retreat designed with mirrored steel cabins. Built in a secluded forest in Ontario, Canada, only two hours away from Toronto, Arcana is a new retreat that aims to reconnect guests to nature. Leckie Studio Architecture + Design completed the design of the contemporary cabins. Featuring mirrored steel exterio...

A house extension designed with a warm gray, hipped roof. Located in Epsom, Surrey, this 1920s house was transformed with a contemporary extension by London-based studio Oliver Leech Architects. Named Hipped House, the residence required extensive renovations throughout the int...

A stunning extension clad in white marble, Achilles creates a sculptural transition between the existing living spaces and a garden. Completed by architecture firm ConForm, Achilles is an extraordinary project that redefines the concept of “extension” with a refined twist. Located in Hampstead, London, the clients’ terr...

A second home designed with private areas that also establish a dynamic flow between different programs. Located in Barwon Heads, Australia, AB House is a second home specially designed to provide privacy to family member without sacrificing the feeling of connection and closeness. Architecture firm Office MI-JI rais...

A Corten steel and wood extension designed for an existing house in Spain. Situated in a mountainous landscape in Ribes de Freser, Catalonia, Spain, this traditional house received a contemporary addition. Architecture firm Comas-Pont architects designed a Corten steel vo...

An old agricultural building converted into a refuge. Located in Montevecchia, in the province of Lombardy, Italy, The Mulberry Refuge (Il Rifugio del Gelso) is a building with a strong connection to the area’s history. Architecture firm a25architetti completed the project with a thoughtful design approach. Used since th...

A minimalist dwelling nestled in a lush jungle setting. [dropcap]P[/dropcap]art of the larger Art Villas Resort in Costa Rica, the minimalist and dark Atelier Villa by Czech studio FormaFatal is a dwelling specially designed for the retreat’s owner and his family as a private home. The complex aims to provide the perfect opportun...

A sculptural timber volume that houses a spa and sauna, build for a family home in upstate New York. Designed by architecture firm Worrell Yeung, this sculptural volume that contains a sauna, outdoor shower, and hot tub is part of an 8.7-acre property in North Sa...

A cozy family retreat built between two old stone walls in a garden. Located in Thomery, France, this black wood house creates a poetic dialogue between old and new. The creativity of the project stems from the architecture firm’s decision to preserve rather than demolish two existing stone vine walls. Instead of removing the old...

A family home designed with three gabled volumes oriented toward different views. Rising from the shores of the Rupanco Lake in Chile, this home is a great example of sustainable architecture. Design organization Citic collaborated with Constructores de ...

An imaginative, unique house design that puts sustainable architecture in a whole new light. Built in a serene landscape in Long Island, NY, the LEED-certified Cocoon House redefines the concept of “sustainable design” with imaginative architecture that brings sunshine into living spaces in an inspired way. Architect and designer Nina Edwards Anker, founder of

An ingenious house design that allows the owners to easily expand their living spaces in the future. Built in a picturesque area in Øksendal, rural Norway, 1/3 House showcases the creative possibilities of contemporary architecture. Designed by Rever & Drage, an architecture practice with experience in building imaginatively designed

A minimalist house designed with three slightly offset volumes. Built in a quiet neighborhood close to a woodland, on the shore of Lake Zürich, Switzerland, House S is a minimal house that both blends into the lush setting and stands out against the surrounding single-family homes, all featuring a range of architec...

A family home designed with two gabled volumes that create a sheltered deck and courtyard. Located in the village of Rybí, in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic, this wood-clad house was designed by architecture firm KLAR for a family...

A weekend retreat that references traditional yurts. Designed by the JRKVC studio, Attila cabin doubles as a weekend retreat and meeting space. Located in the village of Vojka nad Dunajom, some 20km away from Bratislava, Slovakia, the cottage stands on a small plot of land in the rural landscape, overlooking a

A barn-like retreat designed to look at home among rolling hills and agricultural buildings. [dropcap]N[/dropcap]estled in a picturesque landscape north of San Francisco in Glen Ellen, Napa wine country, Big Barn is a tranquil retreat that offers the perfect respite from urban living. The clients hired

A beautiful blend of tradition and contemporary design. Designed by CollectiveProject, Brick House offers access to serene living spaces in the middle of a densely populated neighborhood in Bangalore, India. An open farmland only 15 years ago, the area underwent drastic changes recently, but without rigorous urban planning. The architects ...

Mette Lange, born in Gentofte and alumnus of Kunstakademiets Arkitektskole, Copenhagen, has been crafting architectural narratives since she inaugurated her firm in 2002. Drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of Danish architectural practices, Lange embeds sustainability and social responsibility into every blueprint. Nature plays a pivotal role in her designs, acting as a canvas that brin...

A thoughtfully designed extension that complements a heritage-listed brick house. Located in the Clifton Hill inner-city suburb of Melbourne, Australia, Northside House is a heritage-listed, Federation-era building. The clients tasked architecture firm Wellard Architects with making sensitive alterations to the origi...

A reinterpretation of traditional timber houses with wraparound porches, this kindergarten features three volumes arranged around a courtyard. Named the Bohinj Kindergarten, this building is located on the outskirts of Bohinjska Bistrica, the largest settlement of the Bohinj Valley in northwestern Slovenia. Arrea Architecture has completed this project in collaboration with Madrid-bas...

An abandoned shepherd’s hut transformed into a family house. Located in the Pas Valley area of Cantabria, Spain, this building used to be a shepherd’s hut. The new owners, a young family, tasked architect Jesús Vassallo with the renovation and redesign of the abandoned building. The area has strict building regulations t...

A clever way to blend a modern dwelling into a natural wonderland. The ultimate example of a house that blends into its natural surroundings, the striking Los Terrenos combines contemporary design with minimalism in a refined way. Designed by Mexico City-based Tatiana Bilbao, this vacation hous...

Contemporary and simple, this house takes inspiration from traditional farmhouses. Located near the city of Winterthur, northern Switzerland, this house has a contemporary design that celebrates vernacular architecture. More specifically, traditional farmhous...

A contemporary beach house inspired by Mallorca’s vernacular architecture. [dropcap]B[/dropcap]uilt on a gently sloping street on the island of Mallorca, Spain, Casa Fly nestles naturally in the quiet neighborhood with a design that celebrates local architecture. Bratislava-based studio beef architekti took inspiration f...

Whether arising from a need to accommodate a growing family, or a desire for independence, quiet workspace, creative studio, or simply just more space, adding an extension to an existing house is common. However, not all of these additions share a clear link with the main home. In this list, we’re focusing on the connected house architecture. From a tiny house or home with a DIY build to a spra...

A creative re-imagining of a traditional log cabin. Located on the outskirts of the village of Laterns Bonacker, Austria, this cabin strikes a bold silhouette, even among other recently built, contemporary houses.

A house partly built within a slope that overlooks a bay and mountains. Built on a sloping site on a bend of the Derwent River in Hobart, Australia, House at Otago Bay immerses its residents in a beautiful natural landscape. Architecture firm Topology Studio nestled the building into its setting by partly embedding t...

Creatively designed, this house extension features a guest room, cinema, and lookout tower. Completed by Ghent-based architecture firm Atelier Vens Vanbelle, this sculptural structures serves multiple purposes. The studio designed the extension as a separate volume and built it in the clients garden. Clad in Corten steel, the building ...

 Modern Danish Farmhouse Blending Tradition and Innovation for Sustainable Living and Farm-to-Table Production Located in the coastal town of Haderslev, Denmark, Åstrup Have is a distinctive house that takes inspiration from vernacular architecture and traditional farmhouses. Copenhagen-based architecture firm Norrøn designed the...

An eco-conscious family retreat built in a protected area of Hampshire, UK. Nestled in a rural hamlet, in a protected New Forest area of Hampshire, UK, the Clay Retreat is an eco-friendly, holiday house and future home designed for a London-based family with two children. The clients originally commissioned architecture...

A T-shaped home with three garden spaces. Built in the middle of a pine forest near a beach in Ljunghusen, Sweden, Villa MSV is a home designed for a couple who also want to entertain family and friends. Architect Johan Sundberg designed the T-sha...

Striking and bold, a black brick house retains the warmth of the tactile material, but also refines its appearance. Starkly different from Victorian or Tudor houses or even New York apartments with exposed brick walls, these houses stand out with their dark beauty and an often creative use of a traditional material. Here, we have gathered some of the most spectacular architecture projects that ...

[dropcap]B[/dropcap]uilt on rocky cliffs, flat terrain, or among sand dunes, beach houses are the perfect weekend retreat or holiday home. Whether located close to the water or nestled away in a woodland, these houses immerse the inhabitants into gorgeous coastal landscapes. We have gathered some of the most impressive and inspired projects we could find to showcase the beach house design in al...

A home designed with a transparent screened porch that connects two wings. Architecture and interior design firm Berman Horn Studio took inspiration from both traditional farmhouses in the Maine area and minimalist Shaker design to create the...

Sustainable architecture principles and a great respect for both nature and local building traditions enrich this single-family home in South Tyrol, Italy. Built among traditional farmsteads in the village of Kastelruth, South Tyrol, Italy, the contemporary Habitat R is a single-family house that draws inspiration from v...

A striking holiday house designed with bold geometric forms inspired by naturally formed rock formations. Located in the village of Finikia in Santorini, Greece, Monolithus is a creatively designed holiday house that strikes a bold silhouette in the coastal landscape. Architecture firm Kapsimalis Architects designed the...

An old, abandoned farmhouse transformed into a modern country house. Danish architecture firm NORRØN Architects specializes in a wide range of projects, including the rehabilitation and modernization of old farmhouses and agricultural buildings. Working together with the local authorities of Vordingborg, Gu...

A harmonious architectural composition that combines a family house and music studio. Built on a hill on the outskirts of the city of Bergen, Norway, Villa Grieg is specially designed as a viewfinder that brings the inhabitants closer to spectacular views of Lake Nordås and its small islands. Saunders Architecture worke...

A modern house built on a secluded and breathtaking island. Built on the remote Bruny island, off the south-eastern coast of Tasmania, D’Entrecasteaux House has a thoughtful design that provides clever solutions to the challenges presented by the coastal landscape. The owners tasked Australian architecture studio

A charming house that celebrates a rural setting via thoughtful design. Built in a beautiful area near the Adage river at the borders of the city of Verona, Italy, this gorgeous dwelling marries rustic details and contemporary features in a thoughtful way.

A minimalist cabin built in a pine forest on a rural property in the south of France. [dropcap]N[/dropcap]estled in a forest in Marseille, France, Pine Nut Cabane is a minimalist cabin that takes cues from vernacular architecture. London-based architecture and desig...

A cozy retreat designed with respect for a natural site with a rich biodiversity. Located on the Norfolk coast, England, in an area that borders a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), this compact building is specially designed to harmonize with the surrounding nature. Cowper Griffith Architects created the cabin with a

A black concrete and wood volume perched atop of a hill with views of a verdant landscape. Perched atop of a hill in the Byron Bay hinterland, Australia, Federal House strikes an arresting figure with its distinctive design. Melbourne-based architect...

[dropcap]B[/dropcap]uilt on rocky cliffs, flat terrain, or among sand dunes, beach houses are the perfect weekend retreat or holiday home. Whether located close to the water or nestled away in a woodland, these houses immerse the inhabitants into gorgeous coastal landscapes. We have gathered some of the most impressive and inspired projects we could find to showcase the beach house design in al...

A contemporary extension designed for a house built in the 1950s. Dating back to the 1950s, this residential property in Lochristi, Belgium features three distinct elements that represent three different eras. Tall trees and vegetation surround the property in this quiet neighborhood. The clients asked architect Wim He...

A tranquil home designed with two courtyards and windows that open to an olive grove. On the outskirts of Bassano del Grappa, Italy, House NF by Didonè Comacchio Architects stands as a calming presence at the foothills of the Alps. It’s a place ...