Ideas

The firm's first home model for the development is dubbed Spahaus. Meant as vacation homes, the site's 21 cabins are designed to take advantage of the area's natural setting with large windows that overlook the forest.

Backyard

Roof Deck

Family Room

Living Room

Dining & Living Room

Kitchen & Dining Room

Master Bathroom

Bedroom & Entry Hall

Entry Stair

Front Elevation

At the end of a steep driveway, off a road less graveled, await the happy innkeepers: Chris Brown, Sarah Johnson, and Michael and Joshua, two of their three sons.

Uninspired by the loft options in downtown Portland, Oregon, the Andréns opted to design and build their own freestanding version in the hills just minutes from the city.

The great room in the 2,800-square-foot house that architect Drew Lang designed for his family in the Hudson Woods development north of New York City features generous amounts of white oak, which he says is his favorite material.

Prefab house in Muskö, Sweden

SOCIAL HEAT What’s the best way to warm a small studio? Ekaterina Voronova opted for a compact wood-burning stove to keep her space cozy.

Alpine Barn Apartment Tomaz Gregoric

Overlooking the Hudson River, Allan Shope’s nearly 3,000-square-foot sustainable home features handmade furniture and an undulating floor, all crafted from the site’s felled black walnut trees.

One side of the building contains two simple bedrooms and a bathroom. The other, larger side houses the open-plan living area, kitchen, covered deck with fireplace, and additional bedroom. The deck-hallway that runs the length of the building is partially covered, but the decking boards and inset fiberglass door panels allow air and light to penetrate. The architects wanted to suggest that moving between the different living spaces involved a trip through nature, as it does in traditional camping.