A glimpse of the models that Studio Gang uses to achieve their designs.

The architecture mixes Douglas fir beams and exposed steel framing, achieving its soaring spaces without pretentiousness.

David Hertz shows how he used a pre-fabricated panels typically used for walk-in refrigeration buildings for the Panel House (above) and a 747 wing to build the 747 Wing House in Malibu.

The kitchen has incorporated Congdon's collections and Walsh's minimalism to achieving a bright balance between form and function.

Inside the former biplane hanger, the House of Air is filled with trampolines. It's expected to achieve LEED certification.

Arcadia windows and doors with bronze finishes help achieve the homeowners' goal of indoor/outdoor living.

For the breezeway, Schwartz used concrete to achieve the feel of a hardscape courtyard. Uma basks beneath the egg-shaped opening.

A high-gloss finish can be achieved by having a local automotive shop repaint the cabinet fronts. The finish will be long-lasting, strong, and shiny.

A late-1960s spiral stair designed by an aeronautical engineer to lead passengers to the bar inside a 747. From Off the Wall Antiques.

The Alila Villas Uluwatu in Bali has achieved Green Globe certification, making Indonesia a slightly greener place indeed.

The facade achieves a notable sense of verticality for such a stout structure, with its stained-timber cladding aimed straight up toward the sky. The heavy, horizontal brick-work of the neighboring Georgian houses seems to imply aesthetic controversy, but in fact, during its short planning review, Reeve's house received letters of support from no fewer than five neighbors. The front gate opens onto a driveway, which in turn leads to a private patio around back.

In order to achieve a contemporary exterior while still keeping a feeling of warmth, Martin Gomez Arquitectos chose to use dark metal, black flagstone, and lapacho wood as cladding.

The couple opted for a smaller kitchen without fussy appliances and a larger dining area. They concentrated on achieving a high-quality space through carefully chosen furnishings, including the Cross Extension table in wenge, a Cherner side chair, and the LEM Piston stools, all from Design Within Reach.

“The Passive House system is about achieving affordable energy-efficient houses. You reduce mechanical services—like heating systems—and put that money towards insulation and thermal performance, so you lower costs and achieve a high level of comfort,” explains Mori. The traditional charred cedar facing shown here (great for repelling insects and rain) hides a sandwich of plastic sheeting and insulation that keeps temperature and humidity stable with only occasional resort to active heating or cooling appliances.

A perfectly spaced notch in the base of the lamp holds the cord in place, allowing the lamp's user to achieve a harmonious placement of fixture and flower.

London based photographer, Ed Reeve used dark cedar to achieve his lifelong goal: to build his own house on a perfect plot of land located in De Beauvoir Town. Photos by: Ed Reeve

You would be hard pressed to find an issue of Dwell without a Bertoia barstool or chair in it. Launched in 1952, the industrial-strength steel seat is a modern classic without drawing too much attention to itself. $747

Masahiro and Mao Harada of Mount Fuji Architects Studio wanted to break with the traditional definition of a house when they designed this small Tokyo home. They achieved their goal by using the same material for the ceiling, the walls, and the floor, creating a space that flows beautifully. Photo by Ryota Atarashi.

"Light is the most important part of a successful living space," Naughtin says. "We utilized double-height glazing with operable windows and large doors to maximize the intake of light and achieve a strong connection to the outdoor space." European oak storage in the living space matches that in the kitchen for a continuous flow.

Beyond the kitchen is a secondary room that is a pantry, prep area, utility room, and entrance hall all in one. The standard beech-top counters from Howdens Joinery Co. are doubled up to achieve a three-inch thickness, with the rounded edges cut off.

A healthy budget for landscaping allowed Leah to achieve a natural, wild look with plants. “I wanted to look out and see just lush plants growing wild,” she says. The collage of native vegetation was also used to soften the transitions between surface materials and backyard zones.

One of the most important aspects of the renovation was to achieve the same high quality of crafted finish that had defined the original building—and much of the budget was allocated to skilled craftsmen, bricklayers, and carpenters. “Obviously, this has a huge impact on a renovation project like this,” explains Thomas.

The team sourced vintage furniture from auctions, ebay and Craigslist and had them reupholstered to achieve a uniform look and bring them back to life.

The dining space achieves its own clarity through a consistent color palette and strong angled lines. The white pendant light adds a sculptural detail.

This compact vacation home by TACO—or, Taller de Arquitectura Contextual—is immersed in southeastern Mexico’s wild landscape. The home is designed for a pair of young adults, and the firm’s objective was to achieve a reflective and contemplative place that links the occupants with the surrounding environment. The result is an intuitive, functional, and simple living experience that offers great spatial warmth.

This spacious kitchen was designed for simplicity and functionality. Black and white kitchens that incorporate elements of gray tend to have a softer look. Seen here, gray accents, like the pendant lights and backsplash color, abound. Says the architect, "The design of the interior achieves a softer touch by using bespoke detailing and a rich palette of materials such as stone and timber."

A “weird two-story closet” around the staircase, says Butcher, became the powder room on the first floor and a reading nook on the stair landing. The couple’s twelve-year-old suggested the forest theme, achieved with wallpaper from Murals Your Way and a log sconce from Unique Lighting Co on Etsy.

"A well-performing house extension facing south on a small inner-city block built in rammed earth is not easy to achieve," said Welsch. "However, in this challenge was our opportunity: We decided that our extension will curl around to capture the sun, creating a communal courtyard and allowing the occupants to look at their own house rather than a paling fence."

The meticulous landscaping was achieved by Australian landscape architect Jack Merlo.

Lesser known but equally stunning is Pierre Koenig’s Bailey House, Case Study House #21. A simple one-story box with a flat roof, built mostly of steel and glass, Koenig achieved his goal of designing a home which was both affordable and beautiful. The Bailey House currently houses Seomi International Gallery which offers visits by appointment.

The architects achieved unity and continuity in the home's façade, despite the unevenness of the terrain.

Stacked sliding doors achieve an open corner in the dining room for a seamless connection with the outdoors.

The interior boasts an industrial aesthetic achieved by the exposed brick wall, concrete surfaces, and copper finishes.

Punctuating a hallway with light was among the clients' few requests for the house. EFFEKT achieved it through a panel of glass that highlights a swath of greenery.

Along with specimen Ironwoods, native Foothill Palo Verde were brought in to achieve a unique Sonoran desert character.

He achieved this by using masonite for both the walls of the master bedroom, as well as the widest wall in the kitchen.