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

The stairs are one of the best parts of the renovation and were assembled on-site, stretching from basement to the top floor.

The Premaydena House by Misho+Associates was designed as a "box within a box," in which two interior structures—an open-plan living space and two en suite bedrooms—sit within an exterior envelope. Inspired by the region’s fiery orange lichen and the indigenous waratah shrub’s bright flowers, the colorful exterior panels are made of heavy-duty galvanized steel to guard from Tasmanian winds, which can reach up to 60 miles per hour.

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.

Ryan McLaughlin watches the sunset from the deck of the 160-square-foot tiny home he built, with no prior experience, at his parents’ horse ranch in Georgetown, Texas. Soon, the trailer-mounted cabin will be moved to a vineyard, where it will operate grid-free and be available to rent for short stays.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Stack also dispels the myth that prefabrication limits the size and shape of the final product: The building’s 28 apartments, which come in a variety of configurations and span multiple modules, optimize the infill site’s small footprint.

Super size sculpture of "Blowfish", "28 Moons", "Cow" by Robert Israel

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.

The stair’s ceiling, delicately inscribed with the grain of its wooden formwork, direct views toward the path below and the backyard beyond. The steps on each flight are carefully widened or shortened to change your pace; here they double as you walk, slowing your pace, playing with the perception of your surroundings, and reducing the sense you are descending.

The communal entry has a large house number, 28 in the case of the Bouwmeester/Blokius family, to distinguish it from its neighbors.

The architects designed a picturesque texture for the hillside that provides a stimulating visual landscape. The recinto stone—seen left—is rhythmically divided by small ridges that also mark the passage of time with their shadows.

The curvaceous Bibliothèque U bookshelf designed by Pierre Paulin doubles as a room divider.

Earthenware Pinstripe bowl from the U.K. ($28).

Arbel’s projects—both products and architectural commissions—follow a chronological numbering system. The house itself is his 23rd design, while the one-of-a-kind glass pendants that accent nearly every room like a starscape are called “28.”

Thirty vertical feet of glass constantly face the stairwell, providing framed views of the sky, trees, and backyard. Materia Arquitectónica co-founder Gustavo Carmona describes it as an “interior façade” that blurs the barrier between interior and exterior.

The home's materials are organized vertically: white exteriors towards the lighter sky, dark recinto stone close the earth and the foundations, and a moderating concrete in between.

Walking across the pedestrian walkway, residents first glimpse the vestibule leading to the main stairwell. Rectangular patterns mark the concrete garage’s exterior and create a visual rhythm for the 50 foot-long walk to the vestibule.

Bocci 28.16 Pendant

Lafayette Park's two-story townhouses are configured in a U-shaped formation.