The lower floor houses a spa, gym, and office. A built-in bathroom by Espace Cuisine includes a sauna.

"Beauty," Olafur Eliasson, 1993. In this work, a spotlight shines through a layer of mist to create a rainbow that's only visible from certain angles.

The owners were passionately involved in every aspect of the design, and pushed the team to make choices they normally might not have, including using Western red cedar for the master bathroom countertop. The spa-like space features a soaking tub, tile from Statements Urban, an MTI sink, a custom mirror, and a Vola faucet.

Segal’s urban-infill units (like the Titan shown here) eschew typical features like dysfunctional balconies and underground garages.

A side view of the Bieringas’ apartment reveals its jigsaw puzzle–like composition, and its contrast with its historic base.

The Sarti house—like much of the furnishings inside—is neatly hidden amongst its more established counterparts. In the early evening, Sarti’s studio takes on a lanternlike appearance.

1993, Pierluigi Cerri.

Rural and urban sensibilities mix indoors. The double-height living room nods to the loft-like spaces the family was accustomed to in Seattle; rough-hewn wood boards appeal to their "wabi sabi" taste in design.

The cavernous living room takes advantage of its height with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.

The bathroom's sauna-like interior includes a deep Toto bathtub—characteristic of traditional Japanese baths. The wooden hiba paneling, chosen because it is more water resistant than hinoki, is specific to the Northern Aomori region of Japan.

A photo of Verner Panton from 1993. © Panton Design, Basel

Front view of the FlatPak House in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When the architect first told his wife about his idea, she said, “It’s about time you focus on a house for me!” He continues, “It’s like the old story about the cobbler whose kids have no shoes.”

Vitra Fire Station, Weil am Rhein, Germany, 1993

The glass and wood walls of the bathhouse, like other retractable panels on the house, offer shade with a view.

The house clearly displays its Sea Ranch–style touches.

"We really love to cook and much of our home life revolves around our kitchen. When we have friends over it’s great to buzz around here; it’s almost like a cooking show. We’re a very equal couple. We wanted the kitchen island to be a single form that we could both use. We can both cook and we can both wash the dishes. The whole thing is really easy to clean as it’s just one main surface that you can wipe down. So the preparation surfaces, the hob [cooktop], and the sink are accessible from both sides. It’s a simple, fun, form-follows-function principle: Store, wash, prepare, cook, eat."

The kitchen is IKEA; the floors, like those in the bathroom, are Brazilian slate.

With its easy access, the flat roof is never hard to maintain.

Like the barns Barache scampered through as a child, the house divides its length between loftlike open spaces like the living room, which opens onto a small deck perfect for open-air lolling, and stacked-box nooks and crannies.

Idiosyncratic touches—including a recessed fireplace and a tall, ladder-like series of towel rungs—also mark the adjacent bathroom, outfitted with a fireplace near the tub.

For all its hard environmental work, one of the most immediate of the Blue Sky Home’s pleasures is how it sits so snugly in its desert surroundings.

He carefully crafted the black walnut floor to fit like a jigsaw puzzle.

A Balance Large module makes its way to its site on the Washington coast.

Strategically placed wooden windows like this one is an expression of Cho's style.

The house is seamlessly integrated into the landscape, at once blending in and sticking out. The exterior cleverly mirrors its surroundings in tone and texture. Solar panels are discretely tucked into the dunes next to the house, and passive building techniques maximize energy efficiency and improve insulation. Wood was favored as both structural and finish material, due to its longevity, recyclability, beauty when aged, and favorable acoustic qualities. Furthermore, since it does not react with salt, wood naturally shields the sea-bordering home from the elements.

Looks like a hip crowd. The island will get its next wave of art-seekers next summer.

The balcony is notable for its outdoor shower.

In addition to the public garden, each unit has its own private plot.

The master bathroom has its own open-air patio that faces the street.

In chic black aluminum and nylon, the Hook City Umbrella is light, durable, and fit to withstand a strong wind. Whatever the forecast and wherever you're going, this umbrella is guaranteed to suit the local climate.

Spanish Rooftop Ready for Its Closeup (Barcelona, Spain) While the owner claims this designer apartment is where Bond would stay in El Born, the rustic rooftop could even drag M out of M16 headquarters for a Spanish holiday. Panoramic views of the Catalan playground contrast nicely with the sleek, slate-colored interior, which, based on the incredible perspective, probably isn’t where you’ll be spending most of your trip. Listing at Petit Lego Barcelona WiFi 007

Winter takes care of chores like tree trimming and the tending of his succulents.

Even the rear facade is seamless—its door all but disappearing into the cedar cladding.

Podere 43 allows for an endless array of leisure activities like ping-pong.

These geometric shapes provide various possibilities for playing around. Each piece has a bell inside of it that makes a distinct sound that can be heard when the dog is playing with it.