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A bathroom shows off the large scale of the site's sloping rock with a floor-to-ceiling window.

The annex "lanai" opens up to the deck for indoor/outdoor living.

A view of the ipe-and-steel bridge from the main house to the annex.

Originally dating to the 1970s, Hotel Carlota was revamped by JSa Arquitectura and completed in 2015. As part of the renovation, a pool became the focal point of the courtyard, and its modernized, streamlined design makes a dramatic statement.

The asymmetrical shape and tilted lines reinforce the impression that the cabins are capsized ships.

The renovated basement has curtains made of shiny bubble wrap, steel grate catwalks, and reflective surfaces everywhere.

Archisbang saw the value in materials that had been left exposed, so it amplified the look with mesh wiring, galvanized steel, and wood and concrete fiber panels.

Italian design firm Archisbang transformed an unfinished family villa—acquired through a bankruptcy auction—into additional office space for a company called Chemsafe. The volume is wrapped in a metal mesh and the walls are clad in exposed wood fiber and concrete insulating panels and galvanized metal sheets, creating a striking contrast between precise detailing and raw materiality.

Floor plan of Off-Grid Inn, Unit 2 by Danny Lindstrom

A queen bed sits next to one of three large windows. The lighting throughout is by Philips Hue Bulbs.

“It feels like a timeless monument or a meeting place for a cult,” says Lindstrom (at right, with Davidson). "That feeling, whether good or bad or creepy, is just so powerful."

Floor plan of Forest Pavilion by Signal Architecture & Research

Nestled into the trees, the modern home blends with its surroundings, following the site’s contours as if it were another wild thing sprung from the ground.

The roofs were designed to guide water to the steel channels, which run the entire width of the house. Joan’s painting studio sits nears the back door, where she can easily step out for fresh air or inspiration.

Joan’s main request, aside from a single-level residence, was that she would feel like she was “outside in and inside out” at all times. A sliding glass wall system along the back of the house lets her and Ken open their dining room up to the surrounding forest.

At the north end of the living room, a sliding barn-style door opens to reveal the primary suite. Ken and Joan love to entertain, so a large, comfortable sectional was a must. Positioned in front of the custom fireplace, it’s a popular after-dinner gathering place when it’s too cool or rainy to venture outdoors.

A flexible-use entertainment space in the guest suite adds extra storage with built-in cabinetry.