Cover of Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture by Adam Kalkin. Image courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

Adriance House by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

Adriance House by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

Sections of the Adriance House by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

Boite en Valise by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

Sketches of the Boite en Valise by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

Images of the Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

Images of the Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

The living room, snuggled into a shipping container, in the Adriance House by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

The Illy coffee Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin in action. Page from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

Close up of the Illy coffee Push Button House 1 by Adam Kalkin. Photo from Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture. Courtesy of Adam Kalkin.

Illustration by David Galletly

Illustration by David Galletly

This prefabricated kit house by Adam Kalkin is designed from recycled shipping containers. Its 2,000-square-foot plan includes three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. The shell of the Quik House can be assembled in one day, and the entire home can be built in three months or less.

One of the fastest growing and richest American cities in the early 20th century, Buffalo’s remaining building stock from its boom times is hard to match. But a lengthy period of economic stagnation and suburbanization since has led to a scant collection of postwar architecture, particularly housing. A hopeful sign of more progressive times exists, however, in what’s called “Birdhouse,” a new residence by local architect Adam Sokol.

Kelly Milford helps son Adam out of the hot tub nestled on a wood deck in back of the house. The exterior paint is Wrought Iron by Benjamin Moore.

Raising the bed above floor level, architect Kyu Sung Woo converted this tiny studio into an open and comfortable home for Wonbo Woo. Photos by: Adam Friedberg

Joseph Coughlin is the founder and director of AgeLab, a research center dedicated to exploring quality of living for the elderly and those who care for them.

Fong has designed a range of interiors, including Michael Voltaggio’s Ink restaurant. In 2009, he opened Galerie Half in Los Angeles, which showcases 20th-century design, European antiques, architectural elements, and art.

The entry to Hills and Speake's London warehouse features solid teak doors rescued from an old army building.

The V tray by Cranbrook's Adam Shirley for Alessi.

The lower level contains a dining area, kitchenette, and single bedroom. The double-height space feels like an atrium upon entry, with a sculptural Noguchi light fixture drawing the eye upwards and a vintage dining table by Adam Martini grounding the room.

Rob Fissmer of the furniture company Vitsœ lives with his wife in a restored, A. Quincy Jones-designed house in Crestwood Hills. (Get a full tour of the space here!)

Roman Alonso founded L.A. based design collective Commune with Steven Johanknecht, Pamela Shamshiri, and Ramin Shamshiri in 2004. The group collaborates on commercial spaces, retail environments, restaurants, residences, packaging, corporate identities, and websites.

Angie Myung and Ted Vadakan founded the lifestyle design brand Poketo in 2003; they opened their flagship shop in Downtown Los Angeles in 2012.

Claudia & Harry Washington run an eponymous design studio in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Austere is retail, showroom, and event space celebrating Scandinavian design in Downtown Los Angeles.

Jamie Gray owns New York design shop Matter, which he founded in 2003. The store has its own in-house design line called MatterMade.