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That’s how Milla Novo and her husband, Nigel Nowotarski, came to live in the top of what was once a chapel. As you step into their apartment, large arched windows hint at its ecclesiastical past, but the couple’s eye-catching textiles and artworks—set against pristine white walls—make the biggest impression.

In Bangkok, this family residence by Looklen Architects features four different courtyards with trees that stretch beyond its double-height interiors.

Maximizing a 280-square-foot plot, House Tokyo by Unemori Architects makes clever use of ceiling heights and half levels.

The architects specified an aluminum roof that “ghosts” the structure—it’s a material that recalls the typical use of corrugated metal on agricultural buildings, yet it subtly contrasts with the historic form. “It’s not quite what you’d use on a normal barn,” says Powell.