Beneath the postcard-like backdrop of La Concha mountain, a previously abandoned Spanish villa received a modernist revamp for a couple and their young child. Natural, earthy interiors connect the living spaces to the lush surroundings, with the light-filled kitchen opening directly onto an outdoor pergola and pool.

Set on an east-west axis, the home stays cool with shading south-facing glass, minimal west-facing glass, and operable windows that allow for natural ventilation. Energy recovery ventilators also bring fresh air into the home.

The Mt. Buller Home of Andrew and Tiffany Percy and Family via the Design Files.

The main level features a bold blue kitchen illuminated by skylights.

A Seattle family tasked Atmosphere Design Build with creating a sustainable dwelling in Nevada City, California, the matriarch's hometown and a historic mining community. The firm's material-driven approach channels the pioneer spirit of the gold rush, without compromising comfort or high-efficiency standards.

Braun KF 21 Aromaster designed by Florian Seiffert and Hartwig Hahlcke (1976), in white or orange.

Naturally rusted steel sheathes the cabins that Malek Alqadi built on a 1954 homestead outside Joshua Tree National Park. "I loved the idea of stitching the existing structure back together, reinforcing it, and giving it life again without compromising the beautiful setting it’s in," he says.

A fireplace in the living room features glazed clay bricks from Swedish manufacturer Tegelbolaget. The dining table and chairs are by Kristensen & Kristensen.

Trees create beautiful shadows on the slatted courtyard fence.

Simpatico Homes founder Seth Krubiner has lived in the prefab company’s nearly net-zero prototype since it was customized and lifted onsite in 2011.

“As far as minimal impact is concerned, the lightweight foundation system is part of it, and we also advocate that our customers do minimal clearing to engage their cabins in the landscape as naturally as possible,” Romanowicz says. “If your build site feels too open because you just cleared one too many trees, stop, and take a break—and maybe plant a bush to make up for it.”

Components for low-cost prefab homes designed by Habitat for Humanity and the firm Minarc for South Central Los Angeles were trucked in and assembled over three days. Photos by Art Gray.

Rice surfs the net at the built-in desk.

A Viewrail floating stairway with glass railing.

Another bedroom features a newly added built-in desk, as well as a window overlooking the pool.

LIVE. LOVE. LOFT.

"In the dining nook adjacent to the kitchen, there is a Bocci 21 light and a vintage table. I love thinking about how these things will travel with us for many years, like companions. Aileen and I have a strong relationship to objects: They are a tactile diary of our lives. The interesting thing about our home is not the structure itself, but the way it has become an intimate part of us. The most sustainable thing we can do as architects and designers is to make spaces and objects worthy of a lifetime commitment. Then [the objects] can have five, six, ten lives instead of half a life."

Most impressive of all, a solar array on the roof empowers the residents to produce more energy than they consume on-site.

Future site view. Overgrown 21+ acre forested site.

Vintage Alvar Aalto Table Model 91 “I thought it would be interesting to include a piece of vintage furniture, since that’s where we got our start. It’s a bold and big table for such a restrained designer, with chunky legs and decorative veneer. It’s big for 1930’s standards, and still has labels and stickers on the bottom, including one from Harvey Nichols, the original importer.”

The cabins can house a king, queen, or two twin-sized beds.

The 115-square-foot structure is flat-packed.

A view of the installation at the House for Contemporary Art in Belgium.

Numen's Net, occupied by gallery attendees.

Another perspective shows the kitchen to one side, as well as the garden shed out the window.

We’ve gathered 20 of our favorite homes that maintain their midcentury flavor without sacrificing 21st-century modernizations and updates.

Tantalus Studio coaxes a Palm Springs home into the 21st century with fresh finishes and a sublime palette plucked from the desert landscape.

Large-scale glass tile lines the shower enclosure in the suite bathrooms; marble surrounds continue the material theme from the lobby.

21c is known for fusing art, design, and hospitality in their hotels, offering visitors an expertly curated and modern retreat. Designed by architect Deborah Berke, Museum Hotel Bentonville holds a large selection of contemporary art within 12,000 square feet of exhibition space that’s available for public viewing. Within the 104 rooms are custom-designed pieces by Deborah Berke Partners, including the banquette sofas lining the wall.

At a net-zero home in San Francisco, the house's green roof is more of a brown roof: a desert-like array of native and non-native succulents that require minimal irrigation. The soil area is maintained with motorcycle tires (including one from a Harley hog), which control erosion. Composting takes place here as well.

Metal shingles cut from scraps of sheet metal mix with new material as well as odds and ends, such as a road sign Baker bought at the Alameda Flea market. Baker designed stainless steel clips that allow any tile to be easily moved or replaced without the use of tools. Planter box panels add functionality to the facade and can be swapped out or relocated throughout the year.

"Knot 2," Anni Albers, 1947. Both Anni and Josef Albers pushed students to consider how line, color, and form could communicate ideas to the viewer, and pursued these concepts in their own work.

21 meter infinity pool on top of the house acts as a roof

Within the home, the ceiling heights range from 11 to 21 feet.