Favorites

Marie Saldivar’s experimental metal-clad dwelling is the perfect place to host family—and proof of concept for her new prefab company.

White oak slats and cork cladding give texture to the facade of a house that architect Jack Becker designed for himself and his wife, landscape architect Maddie Hoagland-Hanson, in an alley in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, D.C. High awning windows let daylight in while preserving privacy.

A worm filter system treats all of the home’s black water, producing fertilizer to regenerate the soil.

The studio comprises two equally sized spaces—one for Miriam and one for Simon—connected by double doors. The in-between space acts as storage, a small kitchenette, and Miriam’s dark room. Each studio space has been designed to meet the specific needs of the artist. Miriam’s space, for example, is punctuated by an enormous round window that allows her to draw inspiration from the surrounding landscape, while the walls in Simon’s space are dedicated to timber and tool storage.

“My studio space is so glorious,” says artist and homeowner Miriam Nabarro. “The round window is a kind of thought space where ideas are born, and pocket doors open out to the verandah so I can work both inside and outside. It’s a very flexible space.”

The studio opens out to a large verandah, which features a six-foot-long vintage French trough sink. The creative couple use it for soaking willow prior to weaving and washing out cyanotype prints. “We had an epic search for the right sleepers for the verandah,” says Miriam. “Eventually, we found some Jarrah sleepers. Our daughter is called Jarrah and it’s an Australian timber, so it felt right.”

Rebuilding the rear addition gave Aleksandra a chance to play with its form, and make it contrast with the historic body of the Edwardian. Large glass doors lighten up the kitchen and connect it to the deck and backyard.

Partially hidden from the main driveway, the cottage is accessed by a meandering stone path—you can't drive a car up to it. "It's not conventionally convenient,

The trees here “hug the building,” says Fritz. A Sycamore sits next to the house, providing shade for the patio in the summertime.

"I really appreciate as a designer, things that make me stop and go, 'Oh, I never thought of that,'

The walls now have 10

A structure built in a Polish ROD cannot be permanent, nor can it exceed 375 square feet.

Designed by Arba, the retreat’s enclosed garden provides outdoor space out of the wind while the cuts give it a strong connection with the setting.

Candour is a prefab building system and a tool to customize building components within that system—including walls, floors, facades, and roofs—with a proprietary CAD plug-in. Users of the software can draft a design, determine if it’s feasible, and price it all in one day. Designs are built at Candour’s manufacturing facility in Sunshine, Melbourne.

The sleek two-car garage is the only part of the property that is visible from the street.