Favorites

One continuous hallway goes across the house, from carport to great room to bedrooms. It allows the house to be expanded with an identically-designed twin, simply extending the hallway.

The hand-built ruggedness of the earthship complements the scruffy, rock-strewn terrain of the mesa. The skylights are operable and, when open, pull warm air out, working in concert with the huge thermal mass built into the earthship to provide passive HVAC.

The home is delivered to site by truck before being placed by a crane onto the foundation. The rest of the installation—the interior and exterior finishing, utility hookups, and final inspections—can take up to four months.

Floor-to-ceiling windows bring the views inside. Currently, Pluspuu is available in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

The home is located in Todds Valley, a 10-minute drive from Nelson, where architect William Samuels grew up—and one of the least affordable areas in New Zealand. “The obsession with the price of housing is pervasive and can cloud our thinking when we consider the true value of a home,” he says. “In New Zealand, there is a tendency to think of housing purely as an asset, an investment, rather than a home, a place for life to happen.”

Connecticut-based D2 Interieurs recently finished a complete renovation of this 1950 home in Westport, CT for a local artist that kept the bones and integrity of the classic Mid Century home intact.

This adjustable cabin can be opened up to the elements or closed off when the weather is being uncooperative.

The IWI also contains a range of utilities, like a sink, lighting, electrical outlets, electrical switches, etc, which can be adapted for the user's needs. It can also be used on or off-grid, depending on where it's located.

The paved side yard with a translucent roof sheet acts as a landing pad for the family’s ride-on toys, while a slatted frame keeps the space from seeming too cluttered.

Adjustable pegboards help lawyer Dan Franklin manage his compact apartment in downtown Manhattan. The Executive Chair is by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller.

Kele Dobrinski and Christina Valencia, of Sacramento, California-based Colossus Mfg., revamped a 2008 Starstream Starcraft camper that allows their family of five to comfortably explore nature in different landscapes for weeks at a time.

The Hideout lives on the same five-acre property as another guesthouse Castillero owns, The Woodlands.

A view of the rear facade shows the swimming pool and patio illuminated at night.

Accessible via a private entrance from the patio, the home office provides a quiet and spacious space for working—complete with a built-in desk and expansive windows for ample sunlight.