Architecture

© Vojteck Ketz courtesy of Marta Nowicka & Co.

The back of the house has sliding doors that open far enough to expose the entire livingroom to the families' back yard.

The rear of the house looks onto a lush backyard. The rough, industrial prefabricated concrete panels by the German manufacturer Syspro are the building blocks of the home.

Guests can relax by the pool and soak in the views or hike into the mountains, following a creek into an ancient forest.

Designer Sohei Nakanishi created a seaside family getaway in Japan’s Chiba prefecture as a retreat from urban life. The facade integrates a mix of natural materials that reference the home’s surroundings, in addition to a courtyard that sports a bright-citrus accent shade.

Tom’s Hut

Tintaldra Cabin

Stealth Cabin

Jim Olson's #cabin at Longbranch Washington #olsonkundig

Cottage, Vallemaggia by Roberto Briccola

Nido House, Finland

Located about two hours from Washington, D.C., architect Jordan Goldstein’s retreat is series of stacked volumes comprised of granite, stucco and mahogany siding accents.

When the Casali family gave Michael Krus and Prishram Jain of TACT Architecture free rein to work with unconventional materials, the architects responded by creating a geometric 4,300-square-foot smart home encased in aluminum panels by Agway Metals.

Large clerestory windows face the street at the Higashibatas’ house in Tokyo, optimizing both privacy and natural light within.