Adjaye cut a gap straight through the roof and facade.

Untitled (gap) by Chris Ballantyne

For now, the sensors can only detect temperature changes, humidity fluctuations, and the presence of nearby water, so a separate detection item like the Nest Protect smoke and carbon monoxide detector is necessary to keep your home safe.

The Wally's price is especially competitive considering a one-time installation that will last over ten years—though, as connected home technology progresses so rapidly, it’s hard to know whether this kind of system will be relevant then. Inarguably, though, water damage will be a recurring issue for homeowners, making it likely that a prevention system is worth the spend.

Mind The Gap by Andrew Haarsager. This glove will eliminate any unwanted hand-to-hand contact on the subway.

The system has a main hub and comes with six sensors to install around the house. Power comes from batteries that are designed to last ten years. Each of the sensors use copper wiring as a signal booster, which relays their findings to the central unit, which is connected to your home Wi-Fi network. Set the sensors in a bathroom, basement, or any other room, and press a button to activate it.

The benefit of the Wally system is its price and dead-simple setup. Some models like the WaterCop cost up to $400, while the Vivint flood sensor requires a $50 monthly service fee. At $300 for a hub and six sensors, the Wally is comparatively cheap.

Once activated, the sensors feed to a central information source, accessible through a web browser or on the Android and iOS apps. Should a pipe start leaking, or a rainstorm creep inside, the system will text or email you to altert you that moisture levels are rising.

Wallpaper by Mind The Gap and custom wind gong wall sconces

The façade load bearing wall and its gaps have been preserved in their original state during the remodelling process as a tribute to its Mediterranean past.

The open, pull-out shelves allow for easy reaching and the gap at the bottom of the drawers makes room for the feet of someone in a wheelchair so they can be closer to the counter.

A view of the installations at Lost in the Discovery of What Shapes the Mind, opening March 26 and on display at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design gallery through April 18, 2010. Photo by Caitlin Longley.

Stacked Baltic birch plywood strips encase the master bathroom, with gaps providing ventilation.

Paintings by Perry on view as part of Lost in the Discovery of What Shapes the Mind, opening March 26 and on display at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design gallery through April 18, 2010. Photo by Caitlin Longley.

The entrance to Lost in the Discovery of What Shapes the Mind, opening March 26 and on display at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design gallery through April 18, 2010. Photo by Caitlin Longley.

The postcard announcement for Perry's new show, Lost in the Discovery of What Shapes the Mind, opening March 26 and on display at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design gallery through April 18, 2010.

The 1000-square-foot ADU is two levels with a footprint that allows the owners to retain plenty of outdoor space for their dogs to play. The façade “is a rain screen system, so the heat gain on the Brazilian hardwood is minimized by being physically separated by an air gap between it and the membrane behind it,” said Knight. “So, the wood heats up when sun hits it and this is not directly translated into the wall on the interior; it is instead buffered by this air gap.” The large doors and second-story skylights then work together to pull a nice breeze through the house.

The 510 Cabin is one of Leggitt's designs, executed with the help of student apprentices.

Illustrator Mike Perry at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design gallery in the midst of setting up his new show, Lost in the Discovery of What Shapes the Mind, opening March 26 and on display through April 18, 2010. Photo by Caitlin Longley.

A ladder protrudes out of (or climbs up to) a painting by Perry as part of Lost in the Discovery of What Shapes the Mind, opening March 26 and on display at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design gallery through April 18, 2010. Photo by Caitlin Longley.

The staircase also plays with the concept of gaps and slices.

The ADA compliant, handicap-accessible guesthouse at the Butterfly Gap Retreat in Maryland, Tennessee, just outside Knoxville.

The gaps in the brickwork naturally brighten the interiors.

Stanaćev and Granados not only thought about views from the cabin, they also considered views of the cabin. With that in mind, they designed a green roof planted with creeping redflush that harmonizes with surrounding cypress forest.

A dynamic walkway bridges a gap above terraced planters.

Sunlight enters the shower area through the gaps between the bricks.

The cover of Murakami Versailles.

Read on for all the pros and cons to keep in mind for an educated decision about installing a kitchen sink.

Galvanized steel is used to bridge the gap between natural landscape and structure in the entryway of the house.

The Bercy residence seems to close the ever contentious gap between art and architecture. Says designer Thomas Bercy: “We tried to get the house to an artistic level, almost as if it were an installation as much as it was a house.”

Pablo designed his home with simplicity in mind, opting for simple geometric forms and a minimal color and material palette.

A slight gap between the existing house and the new addition allows for a skylight and a masonry chimney with a wood-burning fireplace.

Sustainability was top of mind for Tribe who, chose a highly efficient French Philippe Chemise fireplace—a justifiable extravagance that heats the entire home.

In the couple's bedroom, a Gap pendant from Woud hangs in front of a wall clad in STI Otto porcelain tile from Stone Tile.

Pendant by Matthew Fairbank Design.