Tucked into the misty, rain-soaked windward side of Maui, the Kailua Residence by Hawaii Off Grid turns its dramatic roofline and streamlined form into functional elements for the island’s climate. More than a striking silhouette, it’s a model for how architecture can embrace the extremes of its location – capturing water, channeling wind, and thriving in the very conditions that shape it.
Photo: Casey Dunn
The Westview Residence by Alterstudio Architecture stands out for its thoughtful negotiation of a challenging West Austin site. Built along a steep slope and wrapped by protected live oaks and a seasonal creek, the home turns what could have been constraints into defining strengths. By spanning the ravine with a dramatic cantilevered living space and nestling masonry volumes into the terrain, the design forms a quiet but powerful dialogue with the land – proving that architecture can be both bold and deeply responsive to its environment.
Photo: Andrew Giammarco
The Pura Vida Floating Home brings a fresh sense of calm and craft to Seattle’s Portage Bay. Designed by Hoshide Wanzer Architects and built by Dyna Builders, the residence channels simplicity, smart engineering, and an immersive connection to the water. With its streamlined form, glass-wrapped main level, and expansive rooftop deck, the home maximizes both efficiency and experience – transforming a tight canal slip into a serene perch for enjoying life on the water.
Photo: Ishi Sitwala
The Coimbatore Hacienda by MuseLAB weaves Vastu Shastra principles into a richly contextual, contemporary sanctuary. Set on a sprawling urban plot, the residence reinterprets hacienda typology through a Chettinad lens, creating a tranquil, courtyard-centered refuge where architecture, energy, and emotion align. With its expansive program and fluid connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, the home becomes a dwelling designed to support harmony, movement, and meaning.
Photo: Art-Milan Mazaud
This micro-studio renovation in Paris by BETH X EPISTĒMĒ STUDIO stands out for its ingenious approach to extreme small-space living. Within just 248 square feet, the designers crafted a warm, minimalist retreat anchored by a multifunctional okoumé wood platform that serves as bed, desk, dining area, and storage all in one. Thoughtful details – like the Japanese-inspired table that allows for relaxed, feet-free seating – show how even the tiniest footprint can feel serene, adaptable, and unmistakably refined.
Photo: TakeIn Studios
The Maurpankhi residence by House & Beyond is a serene, nature-led retreat in the midst of bustling Gurugram. Designed as an emotional sanctuary for a busy family, the 3,230-square-foot home leans into openness, warmth, and a deep connection to the outdoors rather than ornamentation. Its defining feature – a curved zinc exterior wall that frames an existing old tree – sets the tone for a residence where architecture adapts to the landscape, becoming a living backdrop for the family’s everyday life.
Photo: Denys Vinson
Studio IDA’s Garibaldi renovation turns a once-triangular Parisian stable into a surprisingly airy, design-forward home. Within just 172 square feet, the team unearthed the building’s equine history and transformed it into a minimalist, modern short-term rental that still carries the soul of its past. By carving out a mezzanine beneath the soaring 20-foot-tall ceiling and thoughtfully restoring the structure, the project proves how even the most unconventional footprint can be reimagined into a warm, efficient, and captivating living space.
Photo: Doublespace, courtesy of v2com
This Muskoka cottage by Barbora Vokac Taylor Architect stands out for the way it quietly immerses a multi-generational family in the region’s rugged beauty. Tucked into the steep contours of the Canadian Shield and wrapped in Shou Sugi Ban cedar with a low black zinc roof, the residence respects the land while opening to both the surrounding forest and lake. With its split volumes and dramatic open-air Muskoka Room, the design creates a sequence of spaces that feel intimate, elemental, and deeply attuned to cottage life.
Photo: Ethan Gordon
The Cupertino Courtyard House by SHED Architecture & Design distinguishes itself through a calm, contemporary elegance rooted in local tradition. Balancing Mediterranean-inspired stucco facade with a striking shou sugi ban upper volume, the home uses a sequence of intimate courtyards to blur boundaries between inside and out. Its thoughtful transitions – from a secluded entry path to sunlit communal spaces framed in oak – create a serene, modern refuge that quietly redefines suburban living in Silicon Valley.
And the top architecture post of 2025 is…
Photo: Michael Moran
Designed by Khanna Schultz, the House for a Collector stands out for the bold way it reframes suburban living around passion and display. Instead of a single imposing volume, the home is broken into a series of balanced forms arranged around a central courtyard – an open stage where rare Porsches, bourbon rituals, and daily life intersect. By pulling the garages into the heart of the plan rather than hiding them away, the design elevates the client’s collections, creating a residence that is both deeply personal and refreshingly unconventional.
