Purple thistles, California poppies, clover, and dandelions have all taken root in the roughly 10-inch-deep, lightweight humus and grape-husk soil in this 580-square-foot green roof. Designer Peter Liang says that he "wanted to plant a green roof for its thermal mass, but I wanted it to be as natural as possible."

Suzanne and Brooks Kelley at the back of their 1,100-square-foot guest cottage.

In keeping with Hayon’s goal of creating a serene and airy home, the master bedroom and sticks to a mostly neutral palette of whites and grays. The bench by the bed is a custom piece designed by Hayon and Klunder and fabricated by their carpenter friend Josep Joffre.

Exposed beams continue into the kitchen ceiling, where minimal details and contrasting dark shades emphasize the natural materials. The window frames are positioned as “fins” to draw in just enough southern-facing light to keep the room comfortable.

The owners toured this home, which surrounds a mature tipu tipu tree, while visiting relatives for the day. The brick is original to the 1947 construction.

Sliding doors by Quantum were made to look like the original panes that couldn't be saved, and they lead to a fire pit outside.

Triangular–, square–, and diamond-shaped wooden boxes have magnets embedded into the sides so that they can join together to create endless geometric patterns that function as a super beautiful desktop organizer. Made by Japanese brand Colors, the MagContainers are available in Walnut, Japanese quince, and Tamo wood.

At the top of the stairwell, a sitting area is outfitted with a vintage Eames lounge, a large Jack Goldstein painting, and a 1970s light fixture found by Marcovitz in Paris.

The view!

The kitchen features a concrete island topped with marble. Deja-Vu stools by Naoto Fukasawa surround the island. A print by Guy Gormley, as well as a painting bought during holiday in St. Tropez, hang on the walls.

The communication between interior and exterior is unmistakable. The polished steel that surrounds the fireplace and the concrete floor’s dark finish recall the home’s exterior, while the contrasting stark white walls create a visual language as striking as the building’s black facade.

Take a look at some of the most exciting, sustainable buildings around the world, and you may notice something they have in common: green roofs, or rooftops covered with a thin layer of soil to allow for grasses and other low-lying plants to grow.

New Depths Inspired by a local winery, George Kyprianou wanted a glass top on his subterranean wine cellar. The interior is lit, casting soft light into the living space at night and revealing the 132-year-old stone foundation. The three-quarter-inch glass lid sits flush with the floorboards; it opens with an ingenious device that Kyprianou devised using a 12-volt air compressor and a remote-controlled switch. When you push the button, the glass lifts just enough to be removed by hand.

Light Box Peter created a simple uplight at the top of the wood box by wiring together energy-efficient fluorescent fixtures typically used under cabinets and countertops. “The cheaper magnetic models hum unacceptably loudly, so make sure you get the electronic ballast types,” he warns. He then painted the cavity white to reflect light and covered them with quarter-inch-thick acrylic from TAP Plastics. homedepot.com tapplastics.com

The view of Kapiti Island is fully revealed from the tower.

With its four rods, the Tube Chandelier casts a striking shadow when lit. Available in either satin brass or black plated stainless steel.

The circularly arranged fluorescent bulbs have been reclaimed from architecturally significant buildings in Canada—like the Mies van der Rohe’s TD Tower, Toronto’s Old City Hall and the University of Toronto. Photo courtesy of Matter.

Made from recycled fluorescent bulbs, steel, rubber and hardware, the Recycled Tube Light measures 8” x 69” and is a great example of creative upcycling. Photo courtesy of Matter.

HAY Tube Chair by KiBiSi. Designed in 2008 for the 8 House. In stores in 2010. Photo courtesy of KiBiSi

The fluorescent tubes are lit from the inside, using centrally placed (functioning) bulbs, giving off a soft, warm light. Photo courtesy of Matter.

The top container contains Wardell's office—and a "napping nook" above that.

In the dining area, a one-of-a-kind table with a reclaimed Carrara marble top by NET—themultidisciplinary design firm of architect Alejandro Sticotti, with whom Nicolas works—is surrounded by prototypes of the company’s Board chair. The family dog, China, sits on a floor made of travertine tiles.

The architects added a small circular skylight to serve as a vertical focal point in the center of the fifth floor. The quarter-sawn white oak risers produce a beautiful rippled grain highlighted by the abundant natural light.

In the apartment’s new incarnation, the main living area is a family room that morphs—after the boys go to sleep in the back bedroom—into the parents’ lair. As Krastev puts it, “During the day it’s a one-bedroom apartment, at night, a studio.”

One of the models Parfett designs is the Tube, a slender room that can be built off site. Mellen says the company wants to do more "off-the-peg" designs like the Tube and Pod, to add more affordable and easily integrated models. Each tree house is assembled in pieces via sophisticated computer technology in a warehouse to maximize control and minimize waste and on-site disturbance.

The plexiglass tube's reverse lighting scheme emulates a starry sky above the patio when the interior is lit up at night.

The Kelleys furnished the cottage with help from Suzanne’s daughter Betsy Burbank of Betsy Burbank Interiors. Classic modernist icons, such as a Saarinen Womb chair for Knoll, a Herman Miller Eames lounge chair, and an Eileen Grey E1027 side table look at home alongside present-day pieces such as an Encore sofa (which handily folds down into a sleeping surface) from Room & Board and a Doka rug designed and produced by Stephanie Odegard. The Wohlert pendant lights from Louis Poulsen were designed by Vilhelm Wohlert in 1959, but grouped as such, they appear distinctly contemporary.

The Terrazzo Platter from Serax is a sophisticated kitchenware accent, and can be used as a serving tray, board for cheese and charcuterie, or even as a centerpiece on a dining room table—it can present tea lights, a vase of flowers, or center another accent. Terrazzo is a composite material that is available in a range of colors and tones and features a distinctive speckling. The material is both striking and simple, making it an excellent choice for different decors. On a wood table, the platter will provide material interest, while on a stone counter, the platter creates a subtle contrast. Available in two sizes and tones, the Terrazzo Platter is a simple and refined serveware piece.

Lee Broom’s Tube light is made from a singular piece of milled marble and a strip of LED bulbs, giving the illusion of glowing stone.

As the sun angle changes throughout the day, the aperture of the facade tubing changes with it, sometimes projecting an array of individual spotlights around the living room and gallery.

An elongated BoConcept sofa in many colors and fabrics.

The yellow North Face tent looms over the top of the main building.

Yvette, Adrian, and their son Julian survey the view from the top-floor terrace. “I’ve never been fond of modernism—I find it cold,” Adrian admits. “But having this house, I have to say, it’s growing on me.”

Still, it’s possible to remove or relocate non-structural walls in a home with good bones.

Vignettes of contrasting colors, materials, and shapes frame every corner. A one-of-a-kind chair by Peter Shire sits in the hallway; near the sculptural staircase is a sconce for Yamagiwa and a sterling silver centerpiece for Memphis, both by Sottsass.