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“The main volume presents a traditional front and is wrapped on the west and south by a deep porch,” says architect Erin Sterling Lewis. “Living and dining spaces access the porch.” A standing seam metal roof with a Kynar finish and HardiePlank Lap Siding cover the exterior of this 3,000-square-foot home.

Caterpillar House

Oisterwijk Brouwhuis was designed by Bedaux de Brouwer Architecten and its finished structure resembles an elongated barn in the forests of Oisterwijk. The pitched roof makes way for a window wall that covers one entire end of cabin. The exterior is clad in black-stained wood, which matches the wooded forest and contrasts with the snow.

At night, the quiet drama of the shed roof's angles glows against the darkened forest.

“After touring the factory, we could see that the working conditions looked safe and comfortable and that the building materials would stay dry at all times and go up quickly,” he says. “Traditional construction could have exposed our framing and flooring to the elements for weeks.”

Country Garden House | Olson Kundig

The timber decking that connects the existing cottage to the new volumes emphasizes indoor-outdoor living.

The residence has an elongated, open-plan interior layout.

The father of architect Greg Dutton wished to build a cabin on the family farm, located within Appalachian Ohio and home to 400 heads of cattle. Dutton, of Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio-based Midland Architecture, presented this design as his father’s birthday present in 2012. Finished in 2014, the 900-square-foot cabin operates entirely off-the-grid.

Set on an east-west axis, the home stays cool with shading south-facing glass, minimal west-facing glass, and operable windows that allow for natural ventilation. Energy recovery ventilators also bring fresh air into the home.

Sleeping Cabin at sunset.

A view of the Z House illuminated at night.

Deep roof overhangs not only protect the interior from direct sunlight, but also provide privacy.

Created in collaboration with nonprofit Summit Huts Association, the Sister's Cabin by Colorado Timberframe is a timber ski hut perched atop Breckenridge's Baldy Mountain that can only be accessed by a 3.5-mile trek. Due to its remote location, the retreat operates entirely off-grid. It was built with prefabricated timber elements and SIPs airlifted to the site, and it features a luxurious interior that can accommodate 14 people.

Set on a two-acre site abutting Lake Upton in the Hudson Valley, the Clinton Corners Residence is carefully sited to respond to the lake and maximize privacy.

Solar panels provide power for the two cabins.

Windows wrap around the sides of the cabins to maximize views.

The expansive glazing allows the occupants to appreciate not just the views, but shifting light and shadow play throughout the day.