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This prefab also has a wraparound deck with a shaded dining area.

Floor plan of Axiom Desert House by Turkel Design

The home is connected to a series of five unique outdoor spaces, hence its name: Five Yard House. Each yard takes a different approach to the landscape. The front lawn that faces the street is very orderly and manicured, and it maintains the appearance of the traditional neighborhood. “At one point, we debated a contemporary design for the steps leading up to the front porch—just to hint at the changes happening beyond,” says architect Miguel Rivera. “In the end, however, we decided it was best to adhere strictly to the historic nature of the district.”

Site plan of Five Yard House by Miró Rivera Architects

Architect Line Solgaard, founder of the eponymous Oslo- and Fredrikstad-based firm, designed a getaway for her family in the place where she grew up. Untreated, exposed concrete pairs with cedar cladding; custom, oak-paneled ceilings; and a glass roof in the center of the home that opens like a sunroof for natural ventilation.