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The dining area’s aluminum window frame was custom cut onsite to wrap around a corner.

When Mexico City residents Nina Wanderstok and Raúl Cremoux were ready for a smaller house, they turned to their son, architect Paul Cremoux. The two-story structure he designed preserves open space on the property to support groundwater recharge in accordance with strict local zoning regulations.

A pair of Molded Plywood lounge chairs by Charles and Ray Eames for Herman Miller sit opposite a BoConcept coffee table and a sofa of Paul’s design. For his father’s book collection, Paul created a library around the double-height staircase.

The Palacio des Bellas Artes, located west of the Zocalo, or Plaza de la Constitución, is home to an extravagant art nouveau lobby and murals by José Clemente Orozco and Diego Rivera.

Today, as in the 1970s, the central courtyard is an oasis within the city. Along with a pool, the area is also home to a market-centric restaurant. For architect Javier Sanchez of JSa Arquitectura, the transformation from motel to (boutique) hotel began with "urban-archeological work," as his team researched the structure's past lives. Digging through decades' worth of renovations, and, virtually, through Google Images, they found inspiration in the relaxed poolside glamour of the interior courtyard in its heyday—then updated it by losing dated touches like the AstroTurf patio and by streamlining the swimming pool into a modern, glass-edged refuge.

Stone step

This family in Switzerland asked for a removable seat when they ordered an extra thick tub from Bartok Design, owned by an Italian architect who uses cedar from the Kiso valley, one of the few sources of Hinoki. Soaking tubs are usually smaller than conventional tubs as the bather sits with knees to chest, says owner Iacopo Torrini, but since most tubs are made to order, customers outside Japan often specify longer tubs to stretch out. Photo courtesy of: Bartok Design

Japanese showers are usually set low down so the bather can sit on a stool and scrub, then pour cedar buckets of hot water over their heads for a refreshing rinse. This homeowner in Venice, California mounted a handheld shower head on the wall for added flexibility. The drain is under the removable cedar floor slats, keeping the room design uncluttered. Wood tubs are cleaned with a simple rinse and last for decades, as the antiseptic properties of cedar guard against mold and rot. This ofuro was designed by Santiago Ortiz and fabricated by Bartok Design.

Located in the hilly and forested mountainside outside of Kyoto, the Miho Museum was designed to evoke traditional Japanese architecture. Pei was commissioned by Mihoko Koyama and her daughter, Hiroko Koyama to design the structure which is approximately three-quarters underground. The roof is a large glass and steel construction, composed of translucent triangles, while the exterior and interior walls and floor are made of a warm beige-colored limestone from France—the exact same material used by Pei in the reception hall of the Louvre.

Anyone who has visited Hong Kong will immediately recognize Pei's iconic addition to the HK skyline. Standing tall at 1,033 feet high with two masts reaching 1,205 feet high, it was the tallest building in Hong Kong and Asia from 1989 to 1992, and the first building outside the United States to break the 1,000 feet mark. The design of the building is said to resemble growing bamboo shoots which symbolize livelihood and prosperity.

Built to commemorate John F Kennedy, the library and museum contains papers and materials from his time in office, and exhibits about the 35th President's life. Pei was chosen by the Kennedy family to lead the project after JFK was assassinated in 1963, but setbacks and a change of location delayed the completion for 16 years. With a commanding view of the Boston waterfront, the austere building comprised of Pei's signature geometric shapes in concrete, steel and glass and serves as a fitting monument to the former President. Pei is said to consider the John F. Kennedy Library

I.M. Pei with a model of Le Grand Louvre on his head.