The office houses the letter “U" as well as cameras.

This wall shelf, made of powder-coated steel and oak, is available in different sizes and colors, all of which give an almost invisible, shadow-box effect when mounted.

An archival photo shows the interior of the detached studio with drafting tables awash in light through the enormous skylight above.

Built in the early 60s, the separate concrete-and-glass studio echoes the original home.

To add cards to your Coin, you need to take a photo of the front and back and then use a provided card reader to swipe the card. Once your cards have been synced, you can use the app to manage your library and choose which cards you'd like to use on the physical Coin. Although the accompanying mobile app can store an unlimited number of cards, a Coin card holds no more than eight.

Coin is about the same size as a traditional credit card, and comes in a similar plastic.

Pressing a small buton on the card lets you toggle through the different credit card accounts that you have uploaded to Coin. Currently, Coin only assimilates magnetic stripe cards and has no support for the up-and-coming EMV chip technology.

Coin uses a low-power Bluetooth signal to communicate with the app. If you ever leave your Coin behind while buying coffee, your phone will receive a notification asking whether you left without remembering to take your card. A phone is not required to use the card, however.

The Coin's screen displays the credit card brand, the last 4 digits of the card number, and the expiration date on a digital display. There's a signature panel on the back.

A stone path leads from the backyard, up the hillside, and arrives at the streetside entryway. The rhythmic pattern of the concrete garage, as well as the pedestrian walkway, are front and center. The privacy of the living and sleeping areas, seen at the left through floor-to-ceiling windows, are shielded from public view by the hill and the stone wall.

The four neutral shades of the tile are also suitable for outdoor applications.

Just as the stairs use movement to change how residents experience the space, the walls also provide a new and subtle awareness: concrete ridges—seen right—cast changing shadows that mark the passage of the sun. Features like these, in the words of Carmona, “manipulate your experience, bring [a] different consciousness,” and elevate your awareness of the space.

The house is built into the hillside but its top floor entrance is level with the street. The stone wall provides privacy while the garage and a pedestrian walkway—seen exact center, by the tree—bridge the gap.

Ample floor-to-ceiling windows mean residents rarely have to turn on lights during the day. The living room flooring, seen here, also features oak but in warmer tones.

A show-stopper at this year’s Dwell on Design, the Iconic Architecture Card Game is a set of cards that features the greatest modern architectural icons separated into seven groups including events, house, tower, culture, religion, housing, and museum. Including 44 black and white cards, the game spans architecture all over the world that have been carefully selected because of their diversity, architectural aspects, technical details, and cultural value.

Dwell Store Gift Card, $50–$1,000 at the Dwell Store Always in stock, the Digital Gift Card from the Dwell Store lets you give the design seeker on your list the gift of discovering great design. Perfect for that person who has everything (or likes to shop for herself), this gift will save you time and still keep your status as a thoughtful gift-giver.

Sugarbird note card by The Letterpress Company-Letterpress stationary hasn't quite had the revival in South Africa as in the US, but the Letterpress Company's creative director Gitanjali Maharaj says that the demand for note cards continues unabated. "We only use imagery of flora and fauna that's endemic to the area. It's all about reflecting where we're based. We don't want the imagery to be clichéd," says Maharaj.

Blooms pop-up card by Artecnica

Blooms pop-up card by Artecnica

Play the River rests on a few different pillars. First, the organization will hand out 5,000 decks of cards to spur play and discovery, with each card showcasing one of 56 sites along the river. Selected after extensive research, the sites showcase the river’s diversity, from gritty underpasses to lush wetlands, covering four geographic suites (Valley, Glendale Narrows, Downtown and South).

Blooms pop-up card by Artecnica

The Peacock card in an earthier color range.

Designed for an artist and entrepreneur client, this guest house features lots of light, access to the outdoors, and an industrial vibe.

At the base of the first floor landing, black recinto volcanic stones divide the first floor’s informal dining area from the living room. This floor also features a bedroom and kitchen while the floor above holds a master bedroom, master bath, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an entertainment room, and patio. The stairs—which are all-oak—descend to a ground-floor playroom and outdoor deck.

A design and production service provider to the food industry, Helsinki Food Company's pastel colored business card leans against a trio of macaroons.

Card design for Lagom Design.

The Iconic Architecture Card Game is a set of cards that feature the greatest modern architectural icons that are separated into seven groups including events, house, tower, culture, religion, housing, museum. Including 44 black and white cards, the game spans architecture all over the world that have been carefully selected because of their diversity, architectural aspects, technical details, and cultural value. Each card is also selected because it can be easily identified by fans of modern architecture. The deck is unified by its simple drawings, typography, and bold black and white backings.

The Big U is the firm’s ambitious plan to protect Manhattan from a Sandy-like hurricane by ringing the lower half of the island with 10-foot, sculptural berms.

Hatchet Design Build fabricated missing components to complete the casework around a bay window.

The three-by-12-inch porcelain pieces are inspired by the industrial wood floors of the 1970s, but are of the moment thanks to their subtle grain pattern and versatile applications.

The tiles are ink-jet and cold-glazed porcelain, and are meant to weather slightly over time, like wood.

The tiles range from $10 to $22 per square foot.