This self-contained garden by Global Gardens doesn't require a planter. Just dip the soil ball in water and drain to keep the herbs and succulents growing.

Since septic systems are impossibilities on Criehaven, the Porters chose a Sun-Mar self-contained composting toilet as the ideal alternative.

All kitchen appliances, cupboards, and counters have been united in a single, self-contained island, designed in collaboration with Bulthaup. The architects wanted unfussy space and they rejected easy-access overhanging cabinets. "There's an emphasis on convenience in the world that is all about numbing things," says Alan Koch.

The kitchen, clad in the same wood as the joinery walls, is designed like a self-contained piece of furniture.

“It has a surreal element,” says Wooten of the house, nicknamed the Skull. In the snow, the building blends into the landscape. Its tallest form holds a periscope. Inside, Guido Gambone ceramics brighten the living area.

The exterior is wrapped in cement fiber boards with a Cembrit patina finish. Due to a lack of onshore infrastructure, a big challenge of the project was the addition of self-contained sewage and clear water tanks.

Architect Bill Yudchitz asked his son, Daniel, to help him create a self-sustaining multi-level family cabin in Bayfield, Wisconsin.

The Majamaja Cabin by Littow Architectes was constructed on-site from prefab wood panels and without the use of heavy machinery. The self-contained unit makes for a perfect eco-retreat, especially when positioned at water’s edge in Finland.

Kelsey: AnOther Kind of Selfie While the awkwardly angled, lips-pursed cell phone "selfie" may be a strictly 21st century iteration of the self-portrait genre, it's worth noting that even famous people—and professional photographers—have engaged in the practice from time to time. AnOther magazine has rounded up a few such gems, from a Roloflex family snapshot by Jackie Kennedy with her husband and sister-in-law to Cecil Beaton's selfie with Mick Jagger, on set in 1968.

Self-Made Seat for Campeggi, starting at $259 per cushion

The plush poufs of this sofa system can be freely stacked and arranged. Each cushion can also be carried like a suitcase by its bold, bright orange strap.

A Friedlander self-portrait taken in New York City in 1968 from In the Picture: Self Portraits 1958-2011 (Yale University Press), 2011. In the afterword to the book, photographer Richard Benson writes: "I once asked him why he became so dedicated to making books, and he told me that when he was young he found a copy of Walker Evan’s great book American Photographs, and every time he went through it he something new. The book became the ultimate venue for Lee, not the transitory one of the gallery show, where the pictures could be seen only for a short time, but instead a visual structure that lasted and could repeatedly reacquaint us with what we thought we already knew so well." Image copyright Lee Friedlander/Fraenkel Gallery. Click on the image to see the entire page in the book.

Three self-contained guest bedrooms are hidden behind curved, timber-lined enclosures.

Danielle Trofe DesignThe Live Screen is an indoor planter system that uses self-sustaining, hydroponic technology.

The Boskke cube is filled through an opening in the corner of the plant. Simply filling the water to the marked line in the cube will enable the plant to be effectively irrigated for thirty days. Once the water dips below the line, it’s time to refill the water. If there is any sediment or dirt in the cube, the cover—including the plant—easily pops off, making cleaning the planter a breeze.

Once hung, the planter can "self water" by pulling from the reservoir at bottom, and aerates the plants through the holes in the BPA-free plastic shell.

Contemporary gardening company Boskke creates products with urban spaces in mind. The Boskke Cube is an innovative, self-watering planter that only needs to be watered once a month. In addition to this practical feature, the Cube also exhibits a distinctive design— the classic pot is deconstructed and recast as a transparent planter, revealing the plant’s water, soil, and roots.

A skylight brings air and light into the bathroom. Because it is outfitted with amenities like plumbing, the tree house can also act as a self-contained dwelling.

The Boskke Planters—available in a single cube and three-cube versions—are transparent, self-watering planters. Fehrenbacher says, “I am coveting these transparent planters right now! I love the design concept of transparency; in the case of these plant pots you can see the roots and thus the inner life and health of your plants. This would make a great gift for kids or adults.”

Encourage a friend or loved one to finally grow that kitchen herb garden with this planter from Bosske. With a self-watering mechanism, the planter makes it easy to care for herbs, flowers, or grasses.

Architect Rebal Knayzeh's favorite detail is "the flush door which aligns perfectly with the 'window' in the room, and the door to the apartment. Making sure that this object-interface remains self-contained without any hardware sticking out was important."

The cover of Self Portrait (Haywire Press), 1970. Image copyright Lee Friedlander/Fraenkel Gallery.

Knayzeh's favorite detail is "the flush door which aligns perfectly with the 'window' in the room, and the door to the apartment. Making sure that this object-interface remains self-contained without any hardware sticking out was important."

The retreat is open to the stair void, giving it a mezzanine-like quality. “In terms of spatial layout, the sequencing was really important, because it allows for easy movement between the rooms, which are all somehow connected yet still quite self-contained,” says architect Dan Gayfer.

Self Growing Lab: Diaz Paunetto Arquitectos (San Juan) The other first-place prize went to an amorphous concept by Puerto Rican firm Diaz Paunetto Arquitectos. Built of a genetically manipulated bacteria laid on a structural frame, the concept could theoretically be manipulated and even expand on its own to meet the facility's shifting needs over time.

In addition to its fleet of cube planters, Bosske designed the Sky Planter, which can be hung from a ceiling or covered porch. The interior of each planter includes a self-watering reservoir, limiting the amount of time one needs to spend watering. The hanging model also limits the amount of floor or table space that traditional planters take up, making them perfect options for small apartments.

According to the firm, the lab structure is conditioned to adapt to its environment, so it can be installed outdoors as well.

The cover of In the Picture: Self Portraits 1958-2011. Image copyright Lee Friedlander/Fraenkel Gallery.

Contained within this gabled-roof section are the bedrooms and bathrooms, which look out to stunning views of the mountains.

This Pleated Planter is sized to hold one plant and includes a self-watering wick to ensure that the plant does not need to be watered as frequently as typical earthenware planters. The earthy color of the planter makes it a neutral accent that will complement a dining room table, side table, or even the corner of a room.

The home features three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a self-contained studio on the ground floor.

Carocim tiles and custom wood cupboards add lively details to the kitchen’s contained space.

Neither the owner, a self-declared "card-carrying-modernist," or his girlfriend, Stephanie Kiriakopolos, miss having a big bulky refrigerator.

The Up 7 was designed in 1969 of self-skinning molded polyurethane foam.