This "local prefab" home on the Isle of Skye is made mostly from materials sourced in northern Scotland. The timber-framed model, meant to evoke the simple agrarian barns of the area, can be constructed on-site in as little as a day and is designed for affordability.

Built in the late 1950s, the National Art Museum of China is a typical example of Soviet-style architecture with a Chinese-style roof. French architect Jean Nouvel has designed a second location scheduled to be built near the Olympic Park.

Black and white kitchen cabinets painted with a triangular pattern add a whimsical touch to this funky kitchen.

Donghai Bridge, China-For two years after its completion in late 2005, the Donghai Bridge was the longest cross-sea bridge in the world. Photo by: Wikipedia

Runyang Bridge, China-Part of the Beijing-Shanghai Expressway, crossing the Yangtze River. Fourth-longest span in the world. Photo: sjiong

When Abbie and Bill Burton hired Marmol Radziner to design their prefab weekend home, their two requests were “simple-simple, replaceable materials,” says Abbie—such as concrete floors (poured offsite in Marmol Radziner's factory) and metal panel siding—and “the ability to be indoors or outdoors with ease.” Deep overhangs provide shade and protection from rain, so the Burtons can leave their doors open year-round and hang out on their 70-foot-long deck even in inclement weather. They visit the house once a month, usually for a week at a time, with Vinnie and Stella, their rescue Bernese Mountain dogs. Their two adult children occasionally join them. The couple hopes to one day retire here.

WFH House (Wuxi, China) Copenhagen-based Arcgency made something special out of a rigid skeleton of shipping containers—a gorgeous, bamboo-clad modular home that offers stylish customization options and environmental features (solar cells, water cistern, green roof) that push this project beyond mere recycling. Photo by Arcgenvy

A full-service kitchen is nestled under the dome’s loft. Clad in stainless steel, its custom-made cabinets match the appliances and the wine glass holder that hangs over the island. The kitchen’s black marble countertops echo the surface of the dining table.

The developer of Three on the Bund gallery gives us a behind-the-scenes tour of the creative side of Shanghai. Photo by: Andrew Rowat

Temple Restaurant does European fine dining on the grounds of a 600-year-old temple that was used as a television factory during the Cultural Revolution. The beautiful lot is also home to a boutique hotel and gallery.

This exhibition space in Chengdu, China features numerous interior courtyards to let light enter.

The CCTV tower designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas was meant to be the headquarters for China Central Television when builders broke ground in 2004, but it was only over the past year that CCTV staff started moving into the building in significant numbers.

Ray Kappe, now 80, sits in the master bedroom. He says he's as busy now as he was 40 years ago.

The concrete wall mimics the slope of the hill outside as a reference to early Maori structures that were dug into the land. The simple kitchen has strandboard cabinetry and an MDF island that conceals a fireplace at one end. The ceramic works on the built-in seat at right are by Raewyn Atkinson and Robyn Lewis.

After living on and studying a woodsy acre of land in North Zealand, Denmark, architect Jesper Brask cleared a stand of pine trees and, from the timber, built a getaway open to its surroundings. The house, which Brask shares with his wife, Lene, and sons, Kristian, Jens, and Niels, is used mainly in summer, when the weather is optimal for throwing open the glass doors.

Mami and Goo the Kishu dog return from a frolic in the forest, which the couple, along with Hideaki, has thinned and trimmed back over many weekends. It’s an idyllic escape and a world away from the concrete expanse of Tokyo.

In Seattle's rapidly developing South Lake Union neighborhood, the Art Stable is a classic example of urban infill. Built on the site of a former horse stable, the seven-story mixed-use building carries its history into the future with highly adaptable live/work units.

Cho relaxes in the first-floor living room, where paintings by up-and-coming Germany-based Chinese artist Ruo Bing Chen play off a sofa and coffee table designed by the architect himself.

Japanese showers are usually set low down so the bather can sit on a stool and scrub, then pour cedar buckets of hot water over their heads for a refreshing rinse. This homeowner in Venice, California mounted a handheld shower head on the wall for added flexibility. The drain is under the removable cedar floor slats, keeping the room design uncluttered. Wood tubs are cleaned with a simple rinse and last for decades, as the antiseptic properties of cedar guard against mold and rot. This ofuro was designed by Santiago Ortiz and fabricated by Bartok Design.

Jade Screen Peak, taken at Heavenly Capital Peak in 1979

Choosing a kitchen or bathroom countertop can be nerve-wracking, and we understand why—they can be one of the most expensive aspects of a renovation, with the added responsibility of impacting the aesthetics of a space. Read on as we work our way through the pros and cons of seven of the most common countertop materials.

Tanya, Chris, Jackson, and Zeke spend much of their day outside.

Because the house is narrow and long (16 by 68 feet), the design team decided to create a huge open-air space to light the interior naturally. Two retractable motor-driven canvas canopies shelter the space during Singapore’s frequent rains.

Eujin: Justin Cogley for NOWNESS's Instagram Justin Cogley, Executive Chef at Aubergine, a modern California cuisine restaurant in Carmel-by-the-Sea, recently took over NOWNESS's Instagram. His beautiful gastro snaps such as a silvery starfish seen while foraging for sea lettuce, mussels with yuzu, and porous sea urchins (seen here) instantly take me back to the ocean and gives me a taste of his exquisite menu.

A sweeping spiral staircase occupies the center of the self-supporting dome. Its reclaimed pine treads echo the dome’s ceiling and contrast pleasantly with the raw steel railing. PAK LED lights installed in the floor add an extra touch of drama to the home’s showpiece.

Linked Hybrid Beijing, China Steven Holl Architects Eight bridges totaling 1,004 feet The Linked Hybrid bridges harness color and under-lighting to animate and reflect off the pool below. The eight enclosed bridges connect eight buildings at slightly differing levels and with varying interactions—including a swimming pool, auditorium, and cafe.

The Pinch, a library and community center in Shuanghe Village, Yunnan Province, China, is notable for a series of trusses that drop down from the ceiling to double as a set of suspended bookshelves.

On the outskirts of Austin, Texas, author Chris Brown and his dog Katsu head to the river; the path was once a dumping ground on top of a long-defunct underground oil pipeline. The green roof was conceptualized by John Hart Asher of the Ecosystem Design Group at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.

The library as seen from atop the 13-foot retaining wall.

'Poetic Plastic' by Zhuo Wang, China

Road Building I took this photograph of some kids I came across who were working on the road that will connect Lower Mustang all the way through Upper Mustang into China. A lot of the older people I spoke to seemed to be very concerned about the road and the access it will allow for modernity to flow through Mustang. The younger generation, though, were caught between the desires to be a part of the modernizing world and to preserve their Tibetan traditions.

Beijing, China-With thousands of years of history, China has paved the way for many artistic styles and expressions in the Eastern world. China has contributed historical and structural wonders such as the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City, and Tianning Temple. The recent construction of the Bejing National Stadium, also known as the “Bird’s Nest”, garnered worldwide attention not only for its modern design, but also for its hefty price tag. Photo by: sHzaam!.