Truth to materials is a major tenet of modern architecture. Concrete is one place we see this axiom in action. Historically concrete that was used in construction would be clad to make it appear as something other. Modern architecture uses concrete where appropriate and then exposes it. The Brutalist Movement was the height of concrete celebration.

Open-Plan Concrete Home in Japan
In Tokyo, Japan, where the houses are crammed cheek by jowl, two old friends from architecture school have created a...
A Cube-Shaped Japanese Home Opens Wide to the Mountains and Sky
A ribbon of glass slices through this monolithic house, framing views of the surrounding landscape.
A Concrete and Glass Pavilion Opens This 1930s Home to a Tiered Garden
The exterior, made of prim brick and stucco, hides a show-stopping addition at this suburban home outside of Melbourne, Australia.
Compact Wooden Home in Japan
A distinctive wooden pattern lines the walls, floors, and ceilings of this compact home in Japan.
A Modern Concrete Home in Peru
Behind a traditional colonial in Lima, an angular house attuned to its site takes shape.
A Brazilian Home With a Touch of Japanese Zen
Designed with two parallel wings separated by a shallow pool, this striking São Paulo residence is lined with rows of timber...
10 Ultra-Modern Homes in Japan
Japanese culture is said to share a close and harmonious relationship with nature.
Minimal Home on a Narrow Plot in Japan
A Japanese architect creates multi-use miracles with a home just wider than a big rig.
8 Japanese-Inspired Spaces We Love
The small archipelago in the Pacific Ocean has had a big influence on architects and designers across the globe, from São Paulo...
This Boulder Home's Unique Bedroom-Bathroom Puts a New Twist on the Open Plan
A pair of Coloradans work with a design-build firm to create an airy, 2,100-square-foot modern home.
Finn Juhl Design Hotel Opens in Nagano, Japan
The first-ever getaway decorated entirely in Finn Juhl furniture is nestled at the base of one of the most popular skiing...
Muji's Flagship Hotel in Japan Is Now Officially Open
The popular retailer just officially opened its first hotel in Japan.
A Concrete Micro-House in Japan Works All the Angles
Built with specially-formulated concrete made of volcanic ash, this micro-house in Tokyo maximizes space through vertical...
This Bilbao Apartment Takes the Open Floor Plan to the Extreme
Stripped to its basic elements—no walls, only curtains to divide the living spaces—this colorful flat is inspired by Marcel...
A Concrete Home in Vietnam Is Topped With Trees
With greenery dwindling in urban areas, an architecture firm in Ho Chi Minh City designs a home to bring nature back to the...
A Montreal Architect Converts a 1901 Loft Into an Open-Plan Family Home Filled With Sunlight
Architect Christine Djerrahian turns an industrial space into an unconventional family dwelling that celebrates open-concept...
A Concrete Tiny House in Tokyo Opens to the Sky—and the Street
In a city known for its density and small residences, this tiny home employs skylights and a large glass door to connect with its...
10 Zen Homes That Champion Japanese Design
From mono no aware, the awareness of the transience of things, to wabi-sabi, the appreciation of imperfection, Japanese design...
A Simple Plan
A Marmol Radziner–designed prefab house, trucked onto a remote Northern California site, takes the pain out of the construction...
6 Tiny Outdoor Pavilions Inspired by Japanese Tearooms
A "chashitsu," which literally means “tearoom” in Japanese, is a freestanding, pavilion-like structure that was used for tea...
This Whimsical Home in Japan Encourages Play and Exploration
Exposed wooden trusses and polycarbonate walls are just some of the features of this playful, Kobe residence.
This Japanese Home With Earthen Walls Was Inspired by Sandcastles
Instead of dumping excavated soil, ADX used it to build a new home for a client recovering from the 2011 earthquake.
Before & After: A New, Open Plan Irons Out the Kinks of a Semicircular Home in L.A.
Designer Mandy Cheng conquers awkward angles by plotting a new layout and installing sleek, custom cabinetry in every room.
A Concrete Beach House in Mexico Opens a Portal to Epic Surfing
Homeowner and surfer Christopher Hansen envisions a secluded oceanfront retreat that lets him keep an eye on the waves.
This Home in the Italian Countryside Is Radically Open to the Landscape
With an unusual roof and a ground floor open to the outside, a barn-like house stretches out amidst rolling fields.
Open Kitchen
A San Francisco architect turns his “inefficiency” kitchen into a modestly scaled and well-lit place to cook, eat, work, and...
35 Modern Homes That Make the Case for Concrete
Durable, versatile, and energy-efficient to boot, concrete is a smart building material with endless design potential.
Opened House
A few years after moving into their stocky, cavelike 1970s bi-level 20 miles southeast of Milwaukee, JJ and Eric Edstrom decided...
A Commanding Mexican Home of Stone and Concrete Is For Sale
South of Mexico City, MA House by Cadaval & Solà-Morales is a stone, concrete, and glass structure that captures mountain views.
Pigmented Concrete Walls Tie This Home Into the Landscape
North of Rio de Janeiro, a holiday home blends into the terrain with reddish concrete walls pigmented to match the native soil.
5 Strong Prefab Concrete Home Companies
When researching the benefits of building with a prefab concrete system, one of the outstanding elements that comes up...
8 Incredible Concrete Homes in Latin America
Beauty, convenience, and simplicity—concrete provides it all in these Latin American homes.
A Staggered Concrete Home in Argentina Nestles in the Woods
Hugging a gentle slope on the Argentine coast, Casa Bosque by Besonías Almeida Arquitectos integrates with its forest...
Explore the Japanese-Style Home of Two L.A. Tastemakers
The owners of a beloved housewares boutique upsize and remodel their home in Venice.
This Minimalist Japanese Home Pivots Around an Indoor Garden
An indoor/outdoor courtyard allows tree branches to graze the ceiling of this narrow Osaka residence.
Compact Australian Home Clad in Steel and Concrete
An Australian renovation uses industrial materials both indoors and out.

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