Toby Orton

Designed by architects Studio Mai Mai for a client who had purchased a fixer-upper only to discover it needed a little more fixing up than first anticipated, the Umong House is a compact home built on the bones of the original building that came before it. Retaining the charm of the structure, the architects opted for a minimalist renovation that would focus only on the essential changes needed to open up the ground floor to create a space suitable to meet the client’s brief.

Stood on stilts high above the ground, with a series of volumes interconnected by raised walkways, Falcon House by PAT. Architetti Associati was designed to protect the precious landscape of the island oasis on which it was built. An off-grid home on the tiny Manda Island, which sits off the coast of Kenya overlooking the ancient city of Lamu, the Falcon home produces all of its electricity via a series of photovoltaic panels and its system to convert seawater and rain for domestic use, harnessing the island’s environmental features for its own benefit.

Beautifully transforming the traditional structure of a 1930s home without altering its bones, Madam Architectuur, a studio based in Brussels, added an extension that enhanced the whole and added a new element. Located in Dilbeek, Belgium, the house

A house in the Netherlands incorporates prefab elements to enable its movement from site to site. The design, by Amsterdam-based studio Woonpioniers

On a junction in a condensed residential area of Kanazawa, Japan, the Hokuriku Residence uses voids to create the illusion of space. Designed by Chidori Studio

Renowned designer Samuel Ross stirs things up, challenging the conventional notions of the overly familiar features of bathroom fixtures with his new design, a bright orange, sculptural toilet, created in collaboration with American brand, Kohler. Having questioned the evolution – or lack thereof – of toilet design

What do you do when you love the classic arts and crafts house you live in but become sick and tired of cracking your head on the low ceilings and doors? You renovate, is the answer, which is how this Melbourne renovation project by Kuzman Architecture was commissioned. Aware that the home they loved was too small to accommodate first, the husband’s height, and second, the impending arrival of a new baby, the clients requested the architects match the perfect location with the perfect home that would balance a sense of warmth with increased light and functionality to fit their lifestyles.

Designed to stand out from the crowd, the TD House by architect Jordi Veciana bucks the trends of the surrounding architecture to deliver something new to the neighborhood. Nestled within a residential enclave in L’Ampolla, a coastal town in Catalonia mid-way between Barcelona and Valencia, the home pays heed to the client brief that desired bold volumes that created a distinct impression against the surrounding houses. So, rather than blending in, the three-volume house grates against its surroundings, attempting to establish its contemporary heritage against the historic homes around it.

Indonesia is responsible for roughly 1.3 million of the more than eight million tonnes of plastic waste that end up in the oceans every year. As a response to this, the non-profit Sungai Watch, in collaboration with Sungai Design, has launched a brand-new furniture collection that uses modern technology to repurpose the plastic waste collected from Bali’s rivers and turn it into something useful.

Designed by ButtonDesign as both an atelier and a family home for an artistic couple and their two children, the House in Umanose, in Kobe Japan, is a blend of creativity and comfort. The home serves as a front-facing display of the couples’ work. On the first floor, the open-plan atelier doubles as the entrance, seamlessly integrating work and home life. Visitors and clients arrive at the home regularly to see work on display and the open-plan nature of the layout works for the family too, creating a room in which everybody can gather, create, and work side by side.