exteriors

The serene, Japanese-inspired midcentury home features interiors that are fully connected to the outdoors.

The simple, architectural form reaches out into the landscape.

Architect Kerstin Thompson designed the low-slung structure to follow the sloping site. A steel roof and Thermomass precast concrete panels protect the house in the fire-prone bush.

“We did our best to tuck the buildings into the site—the goal was to get up high on a perch. It was a matter of setting that elevation and working back down with the topography.”—Riley Pratt, architectural designer

Built of sustainable cross-laminated timber, a prefab cabin by the architecture firm MAPA offers a tranquil escape for São Paulo–based Maurício Uhle and Ralph Weigand. “We wanted to be in touch with nature, in a house made of wood and glass,” says Maurício. Adds Ralph, “We’d been searching for a solution that was well designed and cost-efficient and had a minimal impact on the environment.”

Kelly, Christen, and their dog Lucy seen standing in front of their home in summer.

Metal structural insulated panels (SIPs) informed the rectangular shape of the home. "Every single surface of the home could be cut out of a flat rectangle," says Hygge Supply founder Sean Karcher.

The South Elevation provides complete transparency through the main level to established gardens beyond

Built entirely from teak harvested on-site, this breezy solar-powered home in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica, ticks all the right boxes for a pair of avid environmentalists who love surfing.

The highly glazed exterior is balanced using cedar plank cladding and large pine trees to provide privacy and filter sunlight.

This Victorian-era home in Melbourne, renovated by OOF! Architecture, maintains privacy from the street, but does so in an unusually "friendly" manner—with a giant brick wall that spells out "Hello," a collaboration with local artist Rose Nolan. The residents wanted their house to appeal to passersby, since it sits on a well-trafficked block near a café.

Over time, the landscape will fill in, becoming a seamless blend running underneath the house.

The rear courtyard appears to float over the site. On the right is a large screened porch with three walls of retractable insect screens from Phantom Screens, which make it easy to use the space whether it's bug season or not.

The house is oriented to utilize passive heating and cooling strategies. “Deep overhangs and large glazed areas on the south and west were modeled to protect from solar build up in summer and allow for heating gains in winter,” said the architects.

"Running a business with your family is complicated, but being back together after six or seven years of living on our own has been a beautiful experience," she says.

Either spend time swimming in this secluded pool, or go to the nearby beach. In fact, do both.

"What we want most was for people to feel the passion and love we put into the hotel," notes Claudia Muñoz, who helped build the intimate, family-run hotel.