Architect Indra Janda hand-cut sheets of polycarbonate into 15¾-inch square shingles and clad the entire timber structure—a gabled roof and walls—with them.

The unusually tall shingles on the original house give it some of that Eastern feel, and Simonen, Parco, and Kaefer nodded to Esherick by giving the siding on the pavilion a similar horizontal orientation.

A variety of factors—the site, the topography, the dramatic cantilever above the water—led to the home’s specific square shape and position on the site.

Metal shingles cut from scraps of sheet metal mix with new material as well as odds and ends, such as a road sign Baker bought at the Alameda Flea market. Baker designed stainless steel clips that allow any tile to be easily moved or replaced without the use of tools. Planter box panels add functionality to the facade and can be swapped out or relocated throughout the year.

The couple behind Field Theory help their brother reimagine a dreary 1890s estate as the irresistibly chic Hotel Lilien.

The cedar shingles on the exterior will naturally weather and change color from the ocean air.

A few years before we visited his remodeled Edwardian home in 2008, architect David Baker planted an outdoor screen of bamboo that, thanks to diverted rainwater and greywater, now towers over and even obscures some of his handiwork on the rear facade—a colorful patchwork of recycled shingles.

In 2010 his partner, Yosh Asato, moved in, and in 2013 he finished a net zero guest cottage on the property.

Sitting jauntily on its block, this renovated residence in Seattle’s Mount Baker neighborhood retained the original home’s footprint. The architect (and daughter of the homeowner) opened up the living spaces inside and overhauled the exterior and landscaping to give it a more contemporary presence. Cambium Landscape created the outdoor spaces which perfectly balance hardscape with greenery.

The total cost of the build, including all appliances, plumbing fixtures, and lighting, as well as the milling of trees that were cleared, came to $514,500.

After being buried under layers of haphazard renovations, a 1959 Seattle ranch finally reaches its maximum potential.

A view of the connecting vestibule for which the house is named. The exterior is clad entirely in tiles made from recycled rubber and plastic—technically a roofing material—giving the eaveless home a tightly wrapped skin. “Although we used a traditional gabled form, we wanted to clean it up quite a bit,” says Bruns.

Because of its irregular, otherworldly form, and how it seems to be suspended in midair, the cabin was named "Ufogel," which is a melding of the acronym UFO and "vogel," meaning bird in German.

The bright orange tone of the front door matches the color of the accent wall in the living room, connecting the exterior and the interior of the ADU.

Fittingly, the brick was painted "Country Living

While located on the beach, this home offers enough functionality to act as a second family home any time of the year.

The cabins have a uniform sculptural look that the clients dubbed "Heritage Modern."

The 1969 summer house needed a gut remodel—so Carisa Salerno and Aaron Levin rebuilt it piece by piece: “In the end, we feel like we built a sculpture, not a house.”

The Alerce shingles change color when it rains, moving from red to grey. “It’s alive,” says Marambio.

A family of cost-conscious Hamburgers converted a kitschy turn-of-the-century villa into a high-design home with a strict budget in place. To unite the quaint masonry of the original villa with the squat, ugly add-on built flush against it, the architects decided to paint the old-fashioned facade graphite gray and then covered the box next door in plain, light-colored larch. Photo by Mark Seelen.

The Dr. Richard Davis House, also known as "Woodside," is situated on a wooded two-acre lot in an established and conveniently located neighborhood in Woodside, Indiana. This unique home, which is on the National Registry of Historic Places, was built in 1952 and has been completely renovated by the current owner.

The property is just a short stroll from a network of interconnected trails.

HR Design Department refurbished the original wood siding and painted it in Sherwin Williams Snowbound. New flagstone pavers and gravel make the yard more drought tolerant.

The couple were attracted to the home's location on a corner lot in a sleepy area of Morongo Valley, along with its proximity to the mountain range behind the home.

The original owners of the 1969 glass house had converted an existing barn on site into an art studio. The new homeowners wanted to update it to function as a guest house and at-home work studio.

The deck was reconfigured to open on to the garden, as one enlarged and connected space.

When the team presented the plans to the neighborhood historical society for approval, “everyone was thrilled,” says Martin Locraft, a member of the architecture team.

The house is set within an expansive meadow.

A sweeping, arc roof that slopes steeply on one side.

The home now features an elegant, brick side extension with a rounded form that elevates the view of the home from the garden. “I really wanted a curved wall,” says client Nicola Kendall. “It all began with an image of a house on a mood board I put together on Pinterest.”

The designers introduced new Alaskan yellow cedar glulam beams for the updated roofline and windows by Pella. The front door is painted in Sherwin Williams "Rose Colored."

The Lofthouse is built one of the many hills separating it from the couple’s main residence. "Excavation was a challenge, as we wanted to maintain as much of the existing landscape as possible, but needed to clear out trees for the foundation," says Tarah.

With the owners requesting something "adventurous but subtle," architect Elijah Huge set out to find a cladding material that was both eye-catching and cost-effective. “I thought the shingles would be a good choice because they would echo the texture of the existing house without trying to imitate it.” Even better, the stamped recycled aluminum shingles cost just two dollars per square foot.