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The shower features timber-look tiles supplied by Earp Bros, with a cast concrete bench that mirrors the materiality of the living spaces in the home.

Portland loosened rules for backyard accessory homes, allowing up to two at 800 square feet each. They no longer have to be smaller than the existing home.

In the kitchen, Eames chairs flank a custom dining table, and the pendant is by Wever & Ducré.

Site plan of Morris Island Residence by Monte French Design Studio

In the Roma district of Mexico City, Vertebral designed a four-unit apartment building that grants its residents access to verdant terraces.

These projects cleverly address issues ranging from affordable housing to building sustainably in the face of climate change.

Exterior portrait of owners Michael and Amiee

When architects Thomas Karsten and Alexandra Erhard toured the raw industrial space, they were struck by how much light streamed in, a gift bestowed by large windows and the rare presence of a private patio.

In the Dank Lounge, a film screen lowers in front of room-darkening curtains on movie nights. The deep sectional was built by Lizz and Isaac while the Blob coffee table is by Project Room, and the Scandinavian rya rug is vintage. The couple’s art collection includes works by many friends and local artists. A print by Alex Smith, along with drawings by Cammie Staros and Karl Haendel, hang in the lounge beside a painting by John Finneran and a photo by Lizz.

To avoid excavating the land, Pang and Boyle designed a structural platform to keep the cabin level.

While the owners really liked the idea of shou sugi ban, they opted for a more cost-effective black stain. The random-width, reverse board-and-batten siding reflects the wabi-sabi concept. “The builder said the math for the random siding was torturous,” the wife said. “We didn’t know how hard it was to make things look simple.” DeNiord planted hay-scented fern and lowbush blueberry sod around the house. “We didn't want any side of the house to feel unconsidered,” he says. As for the local boulders he placed around the house and terrace, he says, “They give the feeling that the house grew up around the outcroppings.”