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Collection by Brian Bruegge

Secretly Modern: Low-Profile Houses

It can be tough fitting in, but these clever, unobtrusive homes manage to fit a dose of modernism into the nooks and crannies left over from piecemeal urban expansion, or by gently settling into their scenic locales.

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The five-foot wide Keret House was built in an alley in Warsaw, Poland. Working within such tight boundaries, architect Jakub Szczesny was forced to get creative with the design. The bedroom is accessed by ladder and the fridge has just enough room to fit two drinks. While the design might be too sparse for a full-time home, Szczensny’s intent was to create a temporary home for a rotating roster of artist tenants and to push the boundaries of small space living. Photo by Bartek Warzecha.
The five-foot wide Keret House was built in an alley in Warsaw, Poland. Working within such tight boundaries, architect Jakub Szczesny was forced to get creative with the design. The bedroom is accessed by ladder and the fridge has just enough room to fit two drinks. While the design might be too sparse for a full-time home, Szczensny’s intent was to create a temporary home for a rotating roster of artist tenants and to push the boundaries of small space living. Photo by Bartek Warzecha.
After purchasing a thin, L-shaped lot in Tokyo, Tamotsu Nakada asked architect and friend Koji Tsutsui to create an open-plan concrete home to fit the site. Photo by Iwan Baan.
After purchasing a thin, L-shaped lot in Tokyo, Tamotsu Nakada asked architect and friend Koji Tsutsui to create an open-plan concrete home to fit the site. Photo by Iwan Baan.
Villa Vals is subtly out carved from an alpine slope in Vals, Switzerland. The unique design by SeARCH and Christian Müller Architects provides both a comfortably sized patio, and stunning mountain views while remaining visually unobtrusive in the pastoral landscape. Photo by Iwan Baan.
Villa Vals is subtly out carved from an alpine slope in Vals, Switzerland. The unique design by SeARCH and Christian Müller Architects provides both a comfortably sized patio, and stunning mountain views while remaining visually unobtrusive in the pastoral landscape. Photo by Iwan Baan.
Visitors enter through a narrow staircase, visible here as a slit to the right of the courtyard.
Visitors enter through a narrow staircase, visible here as a slit to the right of the courtyard.