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Minimalist in style, the Habibi House is a restored desert ranch with modern aesthetic, though infused with handcrafted pieces from Morocco and locally sourced furnishings. Rooms are kept sparse in a refreshingly clean space that oozes sophisticated charm. Vintage finds meet contemporary finishes: an inky metal bed frame pairs with rattan nightstands, and a wooden console serves as a vanity with gilded fixtures.

Soak in a hot tub, relax in a lounge chair, or dine al fresco on the two-level terrace while enjoying 180-degree views of the park, Mount San Jacinto, and Mount Gorgonio. Inside the two-bedroom dwelling, floor-to-ceiling glass walls allow the outdoors and sun to flood the home. Decor is kept minimal with playful pops of color, letting the landscape take center stage.

This site-built house is a development of the original OMD Swellhouse. A modular grid of exposed steel columns and beams orchestrates the spatial and structural design of this open live-work project.

Nestled on a sweeping 45-acre lot, this dome-shaped cabin was designed by multidisciplinary architect Fritz Haeg. The residence itself is just 721 square feet, but the one-bedroom, one-bath home is big on style. A tall, barrel-like ceiling adds a sense of whimsy, while sliding glass doors bring in a sense of the outdoors.

Los Angeles–based writer Leslie Longworth knew she’d found the perfect retreat when she spotted a five-acre lot in Pioneertown. Immersed in the rugged beauty of Joshua Tree with a dirt road for access, it was an ideal creative space. Seeking a low-impact build, she hired prefab company Cover to draft, construct, and install a custom home. The prefab came complete with fixtures, finishes, Wolf Sub-Zero appliances, and a state-of-the-art radiant heating and cooling system. In order to design around endangered Joshua trees, boulders, and the view, Cover used a combination of 3D mapping via drone imagery and handheld photos.

Husband-and-wife team Elaine and Stanley Yang of real estate and development firm Mini Inno discovered this 2,000-square-foot ranch home, and set about transforming it into an idyllic weekend retreat. Built in 1966, the home sits on 3.6 acres and, while the bones were good, it was a bit outdated in terms of style. The revitalized, Moroccan-inspired retreat is a sanctuary worthy of its soothing surroundings.

Upon purchasing a 10-acre plot surrounded by a cluster of boulders, a couple wrote a handwritten letter to architect Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, which resulted in the 5,000-square-foot High Desert House on the edge of Joshua Tree National Park. Kellog spent five years designing a home that would settle into the landscape, “crouching on the rocks, maybe like an animal asleep.” The house features 26 freestanding concrete columns reminiscent of rib bones, and a glass ceiling that fills the home with daylight and views of the stars at night.

Naturally rusted steel sheathes the cabins that Malek Alqadi built on a 1954 homestead outside Joshua Tree National Park. "I loved the idea of stitching the existing structure back together, reinforcing it, and giving it life again without compromising the beautiful setting it’s in," he says.

All kitchen appliances, cupboards, and counters have been united in a single, self-contained island, designed in collaboration with Bulthaup. The architects wanted unfussy space and they rejected easy-access overhanging cabinets. "There's an emphasis on convenience in the world that is all about numbing things," says Alan Koch.

After the overwhelming success of their first prefab model in 2019, Haus.Me has revealed their latest project—the Microhaus. Measuring 120 square feet and offered at $50,000, the tiny unit is delivered fully assembled and ready to use.

The scalable Sunset BUD LivingHome will be built with fire-resistant aluminum siding, doors, and windows. Sliding glass pocket doors create an indoor/outdoor living experience.

The prefab can be customized and configured to the client’s liking, and it can even be outfitted with renewable energy systems such as rooftop solar panels.

The Ecological Living Module (ELM) was installed at the UN Headquarters in New York City for two months.

Entirely prefabricated at Modscape’s factory in Brooklyn, the self-sufficient Tintaldra Cabin features six-panel construction with heavy insulation as well as low-E and double-glazed windows.

The home’s airtight envelope was achieved with structural insulated panels. Radially sawn timber and COLORBOND steel with Vitrabond accents clad the exterior and evokes the local rural vernacular.

The bedframe, also custom and seen here without a mattress, rests in the center of the living space and offers almost panoramic views.

Large canopies shade the retreat’s southern elevations, rendering the interior and ipe wood patio comfortable in the Texas heat.

Inspired by LivingHomes’ RK2 model, this custom prefab-hybrid home in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, was made for actor Will Arnett by Plant Prefab.

Near the front door, charred oak treads float on a blackened steel stringer to the master suite and on to the roof.