20 Homes That Are Habitats

"The client wanted to feel like she was living in the wilderness when, in fact, her home is on a regular-size urban neighborhood lot," notes Jim Olson, co-founder of the award-winning architecture studio Olson Kundig. Undeterred by the challenge, Jim strategically set the 2,400-square-foot home—dubbed the City Cabin—on the Seattle lot’s northwest corner to maximize garden space on the south and east sides. Walls of glazing frame views of the gardens that were densely landscaped with mature trees to fulfill the client’s desire for a connection to "urban wilderness."