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Brian Libby is a Portland-based architecture writer who has contributed to Dwell since 2004. He has also written for The New York Times, Architect, CityLab, Salon, Metropolis, Architectural Record and The Oregonian, among others. Libby additionally writes the Portland Architecture blog and is an award-winning filmmaker and photographer.

Snag This Fire Island Beach House by Modernist Architect Horace Gifford for $3.75M
Built in 1967, the cedar-and-glass residence features dramatic, barrel-vaulted ceilings that extend to an oceanfront deck.
The Home of “The Man Who Built Big Sur” Lists for $7M
The longtime residence of late architect Mickey Muennig comprises three curvaceous, glass-roofed structures situated on 30 acres...
An Abandoned Boathouse Catches a Second Wind as a Shipshape Tiny Home
Toronto architect Gregory Neudorf creates a pristine and practical 400-square-foot dwelling with nautical storage below deck.
A Carefully Converted Loft Near Barcelona’s Sagrada Família Asks €1.45M
The renovation maintains original elements of the 1961 factory including brick walls, hardwood floors, barrel-vaulted ceilings,...
A Greenhouse-Like Home by the 2021 Pritzker Prize Winners Asks €695K in France
Designed in 1993 by architects Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal, the two-level home comprises a wooden volume placed inside...
A London Mews Home With a Subterranean Dance Floor Asks £3.8M
Behind a modest brick exterior in Kensington, an expansive contemporary home built half underground is full of light, color, and...
A Marvelous Steel-and-Glass Midcentury Asks $5 Million in Los Angeles
Built by local modernist architect Bernard Zimmerman for celebrity clothier Leland Zeidler, the 4,400-square-foot home features...
This Flat-Pack Prefab Is Designed With Remote Living in Mind
In Australia, a manufacturer and an architecture firm create an off-grid home that can be broken down and shipped across the...
A Suburban Los Angeles Midcentury With Ample Outdoor Space Asks $1.7 Million
At the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains in Altadena, California, this four-bedroom 1947 house is a place to live, work, and...
A Punched-Up Brooklyn Townhouse Holds Three New Condos Starting at $1.2M
Overlay Office turns an 1899 building in South Slope into bright, two-bedroom units that have plenty of graphic flair.
A William Wurster–Designed Gem in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights Asks $6.9 Million
With sumptuous Douglas fir–clad interiors, an extensive back garden by Thomas Church, and an espionage-tinged backstory, this...
A Redwood-Clad Craftsman With Japanese Influences Asks $1.35M in Berkeley, CA
Reconstructed by Kip Mesirow, the renowned local builder behind Berkeley’s famed Chez Panisse restaurant, the 1,736-square-foot...
Pierre Koenig’s Wilheim House Asks $2.9M in Los Angeles
The T-shaped residence combines Koenig’s trademark steel-and-glass construction with warm wooden accents, which were unexpected...
Frank Herbert Wrote “Dune” in This San Francisco Home, Now Asking $1.6 Million
Art Deco and Victorian touches, plus an ample backyard garden, give this Potrero Hill two-bedroom presence as well as pedigree.
A Santa Monica Midcentury by a Late Actor Turned Architect Lists for $3.15 Million
Once home to local architect William Wallace Reid and his wife, Paula, the 1953 residence is a fusion of wood, glass, and...
The James Cutler–Designed Home of Best-Selling Author Richard Preston Asks $3.5 Million
Built on the footprint of an old stone barn, Freestone Farm takes inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright and ancient Greece.
Listed at $2M, a Hollywood Hills Midcentury Hovers in a Sycamore Canopy
A 1961 post-and-beam residence in Nichols Canyon cantilevers over the wooded hillside.
Icon’s Massive Neighborhood of 3D-Printed Homes in Texas Is Almost Finished
The company says the Wolf Ranch subdivision, designed with Bjark Ingels Group and builder Lennar, is the world’s largest...
At 820 Square Feet, This Glass-Ensconced Cabin Feels Bigger Than It Is
With its large covered porch and glazed walls, the Beaver Creek Cabin frames the forest like a picture.
Sea Ranch Master Planner Lawrence Halprin’s Cliff-Hugging Residence Lists for $8M
The home and studio of the legendary landscape architect features a glass solarium and outdoor amphitheater.
The Haunted House From “The Conjuring” Is Up for Sale Just in Time for Halloween
Like the popular movie franchise, this New England farmhouse is ready for another sequel.
Budget Breakdown: A Seattle Architect Crafts a Hardworking Shed for Just Over $2,200
A humble composition of two-by-fours, plywood, and polycarbonate, the Uphill Utilitarian is a flexible storage space and studio.
A Portland Home Combines Midcentury Style and Sustainable Design as It Bridges Wetlands
The Patton New Century House treads lightly on the land while providing wide-open living spaces.
Budget Breakdown: An Oregon Retreat Revamped for $135K Channels Nautical Wes Anderson Vibes
In the tiny community of Cape Meares, a DIY couple turn an unassuming shingled house into a maritime-inspired getaway.
Budget Breakdown: A Portland Home Packs an Off-Grid Punch for $820K
On challenging terrain overlooking a wetland, Minarik Architecture creates a resilient, dual-volume residence.
Cubes Give Way to Curves at a Revamped 1980s House in Manhattan Beach Asking $4.25 Million
Less than a mile from the ocean, this home’s warm, minimalist interiors create an escape all its own.
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.
Nova Scotia’s B2 Lofts Put a Contemporary Twist on a UNESCO World Heritage Site
In the historic center of Lunenburg, old and new mixed-use apartment buildings find common ground.
Everything You Need to Know About Building an ADU in Portland, Oregon
Accessory dwelling units help the city meet its density goals and extend housing options—but only after striking a...
Before & After: A Couple’s Careful Restoration of an L.A. Midcentury Earns It Landmark Status
Acting as their own general contractors, the homeowners respectfully update architect Doug Rucker’s redwood-clad Hogan Residence.
Budget Breakdown: A Gable Cottage Clad in Cork Pops Up in New York for $381K
Ninety minutes outside New York City, a young couple’s first house riffs on agricultural vernacular with a green twist.
Budget Breakdown: This Revamped New Orleans Home Is Part Urban Loft and Part Cathedral
A classic Big Easy house with a fanciful facade gets a $427K renovation that balances authenticity and imagination.
A Restored ’60s Home on Lake Oswego Channels Swanky “Mad Men” Vibes
With wall-to-wall wood and panoramic views, this modish midcentury sets the tone for relaxation just minutes from downtown...
Budget Breakdown: An Architect Couple Build a Net-Zero Home and Studio for $250 Per Square Foot
eMZed Architecture construct a sustainable, durable, high-performance residence and office in Portland, Oregon, for $950,000—an...
A Creative Couple’s Redwood-Clad Home Draws In Panoramic Bay Area Views
Elizabeth Paige Smith and Christopher Stringer’s hilltop retreat is a lucent gem on an impressive perch.
A Shingle-Clad Home on the Oregon Coast Wraps Around a Cozy Courtyard
Tucked into a forested hillside, the Arch Cape House shields its owners from the elements while opening to spectacular views.
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