Smartdome

Easy assembled and taken down, the Smartdome is a new take on prefab shelters for non-urban areas. Their modular design uses welded galvanized steel elements for the dome, letting you connect multiple domes as necessary. Double floors allow for the running of electric, water, and any other utilities, and the transparent polycarbonate can be layered for added insulation while letting you enjoy the views. Designed and manufactured in Slovenia, they come in several guises for different locales.

Flahalo Office

Housed in the former site for Nanxing Glass Manufacturing, the Flahalo Office integrates its former function into its new design. The workspace navigates its ill-proportioned structure by dividing it up into three areas. The spaces are connected by a pair of raw iron tunnels, creating a single exit and entrance route, encouraging exploration and interaction between coworkers. The existing concrete ceilings and raw brick walls were left exposed, while the addition of glass in the corridor and over rough-cut openings in the walls are a nod to the building's factory heritage.

Photos: Kevin Ho / Narration

Tree Pavilion

Extending on an existing 90s structure, the Tree Pavilion incorporates the landscape into its design. The new addition serves as a master en-suite made up of three pavilions at varying heights. The first level houses the master bathroom featuring an indoor/outdoor shower and soaking tub. This leads to his and hers closets, followed by the master bedroom on the uppermost level. Each platform is connected to the outdoors with a series of glazed walls, maximizing sunlight and views, while some wrap around the plot's mature trees to create private courtyards.

Photos: Peter Clarke / Branch Studio Architects

Be Tulum Hotel

Located where the jungle meets the sea, Be Tulum Hotel offers beachfront accommodations on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. The resort's 44 suites inherit the local atmosphere with private gardens, plunge pools, native decor, and views of the Caribbean Sea. There's no need to leave the property thanks to a handful of restaurants serving a unique range of fare including raw seafood, exotic small plates, and open fire specialties. While snorkeling, biking, and horseback riding are available, the jungle side houses a wellness spa specializing in indigenous treatments performed with herbs and plants grown on the rooftop garden.

LC Ranch

Located in Montana's Gallatin River valley, the LC Ranch is a modern union of the primitive architecture of the region. The home's primary form is structured after a classic barn silhouette, housing the kitchen, living room, and dining area below a wood-planked gabled roof. The rusty external roofline extends out beyond the interior, flanking the main living area with a pair of covered terraces. Much of the interior is enclosed by sliding screens and glass doors, allowing for access to the outdoor spaces and surrounding views. Like the early sod homes, the bedrooms are burrowed into the hillside, hidden from view and keeping the prairie landscape intact.

Photos: Frank Ooms / Lake|Flato

Skyline House

Set atop the Eastbay mountain range, the Skyline House takes advantage of its location by offering sweeping views of Oakland, the Bay, and the Golden Gate. The home has an open plan that helps connect the main living spaces with the outdoors, via a large viewing deck and garden. Also located on the main level are two bedrooms, including the master with ensuite, while downstairs holds another two bedrooms, an office, and a media room, as well as a separate terrace to give both levels unrestricted access to the impressive view.

Photos: ​Bruce Damonte​ / Terry and Terry Architecture

Hide Out House

A complete reworking of an original Frank Gehry design, the Hide Out House pays homage to its originator in its details. The home's signature element is a handcrafted walnut staircase wall with undulating forms that recall both Gehry's angular work and the creations of the home's artist owner. A box-like structure, also made of wood, serves as a bookend to the staircase, while the rest of the open first floor is gallery white, with concrete flooring and natural light provided by a rectangular skylight held over from the home's former life.

Photos: Dan Brunn Architecture

Smoke-Lyster House

Designed in the mid-Seventies for a mathematics professor, the Smoke-Lyster House uses a hexagonal layout to maximize both space and the views. Offering quick access to Laguna Beach, the two bedroom, two bathroom home sits on a 1/4 acre site, and was built with a mix of materials — including pebble-seeded concrete, redwood, cedar, Douglas fir, Franciscan tile, and raw concrete — that give it a unique character. A wall of glass encases the main living and dining area and opens up a vista that stretches from Dana Point to the south to the Catalina Islands to the west.

Photos: Unique California Property

White Line House

Minimal in both its design and environmental impact, the White Line House is a striking addition to the town of Almaty, Kazakhstan. Set upon stilts, the home's frame is made from concrete, then coated in a flexible white lime plaster. The white motif continues inside, with white walls, white ceilings, hidden white lighting, and white marble floors. As a result, the majority of the home's color comes from the panoramic windows on both sides of the house that provide views to the outside from within, and reflections of the trees and clouds from the exterior.

Photos: Mussabekova Ulbossyn / Nravil Architects

Bugeilyn Moor 1,040-Acre Welsh Countryside

Lakes. Streams. Mountains. Wildlife. The Bugeilyn Moor 1,040-Acre Welsh Countryside offers all that and more. Set in the Pumlumon mountain range on the western side of Great Britain, this spectacular piece of land is home to a large variety of plants and animals, as well as a derelict shooting lodge and a 45-acre lake. Whether you want to do some hunting, bird-watching, or just get away from civilization for awhile, it's a fantastic spot to do it.

Photos: Baileys and Partners

Lightbox House

Located on the British Columbia side of the same peninsula that holds Point Roberts, the Lightbox House is a simple home and studio for a photographer and his family. Accessed via a boardwalk that bisects the home's pine tar-coated "dark" side, which holds the stairs, and the glass-covered "light" side, the house blends in well with the surrounding forest. By keeping the size manageable and using a system of exposed wood beams to support the prefab aluminum glazing system, the architects kept costs down while imbuing the home with a sense of simplicity appropriate for an owner who spends his time focused on fine details.

Photos: Nic Lehoux / Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Jean-Michel Basquiat's Untitled

"Untitled," a 1982 painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat, brought $110.5 million during a 10-minute bidding war at Sotheby's yesterday, making it the highest priced artwork sold at auction for any piece created after 1980. The graffiti-leaning skull masterpiece is also the sixth most expensive work ever sold at auction, putting him in the same league as Picasso and Francis Bacon. That also means that Basquiat, the brilliant Manhattan artist who died at only age 27 in 1988, has painted the most expensive piece by an American artist ever sold, breaking a record held by his good friend Andy Warhol.

Forester's House

Located on a plateau overlooking a small lake in Varberg, Sweden, the Forester's House blends in with its woodsy surroundings while also framing the views beyond. Built from cast-in-place concrete, it's comprised of two primary volumes joined by the entrance, with a tarred wood facade that folds underneath each form thanks to the open foundation. Inside, the fireplace and the exposed surfaces are made out of concrete, while the windows are trimmed in teak. Meant to age with grace, it should provide shelter for the forest's caretakers for generations.

Photos: Björn Lofterud / Petra Gipp Arkitektur

The Police Building

Set in the former NYPD gym, The Police Building is a fantastic four-bedroom apartment at one of Manhattan's most iconic addresses. Designed by Charles Gwathmey, it measures 6,600 square feet, much of that taken up by the great room. With 25-foot barrel-vaulted ceilings, three skylights, exposed steel trusses, and multiple sitting and dining areas, it's ideal for entertaining large groups. It shares the first floor with a chef-grade kitchen, wine cellar, the master bedroom with dual bathrooms, a sauna, and walk-in closets, and a private terrace. Upstairs lie the rest of the bedrooms, as well as an open library that sits above the master bedroom and looks over the great room below.

Longitude 131°

Inspired by traditional African safari camps, Longitude 131° offers luxury accommodations just a few miles from the natural wonder of Ayers Rock. The resort has 15 tented pavilions, each equipped with a bed, desk, ensuite bathroom with shower, artworks from local Indigenous artists, and a large balcony with a day bed for under-the-stars nighttime lounging, armchairs, and a fireplace. The heart of the property is the Dune House, which houses the main restaurant and service areas, and you can also grab dinner under the stars at Table 131°. And since it'd be a shame to be so close to natural beauty and not explore it, each all-inclusive package includes a variety of guided excursions to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Photos: Longitude 131°

11 Views House

Named for the many openings that frame the surrounding landscape, the 11 Views House makes the most of its waterside plot with a tall, wide, and shallow form. Each of the home's four floors has its purpose, with the basement acting as a boathouse and garage, the first housing the kitchen and living areas, the second containing the bedrooms, and the top floor serving as a study, playroom, and penthouse. The home's exterior is mostly unassuming, built using a prefab facade system, and is dominated by the home's many windows, which copy the proportions of famous Dutch landscape paintings from the 17th century as a nod to its country.

Photos: Filip Dujardin / Marc Koehler Architects

Foot's Cay Private Island

Comprised of 20 acres on the Sea of Abaco in the Bahamas, Foot's Cay Private Island is an ideal private getaway. Spread across the island are a four-suite main house with professional-grade appliances, limestone floors, and a modern aesthetic, a more traditional three bedroom cottage for guests nearby, and another two bedroom cottage tucked away on the end of the western beach. There's also a tennis court with a cabana, a cut-out limestone harbor, and plenty of pristine white sand. It's also just 30 minutes away from an international airport, making getting to and from the island a breeze.

Setouchi Aonagi Hotel

Located in the booming Matsuyama region of Japan, the Setouchi Aonagi Hotel is often notable for what it lacks. Designed by Tadao Ando, the property was formerly an art museum, but now holds a total of seven guestrooms, each offering a minimalist vibe that's seen the removal of all unnecessary elements. The grounds are also home to two pools — one of which juts out towards the sea — a hot spring jacuzzi, a sauna, a spa, a gallery, and a restaurant serving seasonal ingredients from the region. Plentiful glass lets you take in the views of both the water and the impressive concrete architecture.

Dream Dive Platform

Along the shores of Bob's Lake in Ontario sits the Dream Dive Platform. Conceived as a weekend project at a family cottage, this simple structure was designed to support two purposes: sleeping and swimming. It's built primarily from salvaged materials and is highly stripped down, with mesh providing protection from insects, a piece of waxed canvas that can be unrolled in wet weather, and a simple bed on the floor of the covered area.

Photos: Studio North

Comano Villa

Set on a hill overlooking Lake Lugano in Switzerland, the Comano Villa uses a vast expanse of second-floor glass to maximize the views. The main building is composed almost entirely of black-stained concrete, which was cased in rough-grained wooden boards to provide added texture. Wooden floors add a touch of warmth, both downstairs — where you'll find several bedrooms, baths, and a sitting area — and up. The latter holds the dining area, kitchen, living room, and master bedroom, all connected by a lake-facing terrace that runs the length of the dwelling.

Photos: Alessandro Crinari / Attilio Panzeri & Partners

Huguenot Physicians House

An award-winning renovation of a Spitalfields property, the Huguenot Physicians House restores this early Georgian home to its former glory. The changes start at the top, as the building received a new mansard roof that now holds the master bedroom. The facade turns back the clock to 1725, with a wooden entrance and decorative brickwork above. Inside, both found and reclaimed items help give the rooms the proper sense of character, while windows at the rear bring in natural light and allow views of the fern garden.

Photos: Alexander James / Chris Dyson Architects

False Bay Writer's Cabin

Whether it's sunny or snowy, Washington's San Juan Islands are almost always windy. This fact plays into the design of False Bay Writer's Cabin. Another gem from Tom Kundig, it uses a trio of wooden slat decks and a system of winches, rope, sheaves, and blocks to raise them, completely closing off the cabin. Three sides of the 500 square foot space are glass, with a small area in the back for a bathroom and kitchenette. A blackened steel floor inlay helps tie the rotating fireplace into the design and bisects the wooden floor, giving the open floorplan an added sense of order.

Photos: Olson Kundig

Rose House

Set high up in the Ukranian mountains, the Rose House is named for the patina of its weathered steel facade. The guesthouse is otherwise comprised of concrete and glass, with an artificial reflecting pool giving water equal prominence. Inside, the layout is fairly open, with a single bedroom, one and a half baths, and a combination living and dining area. The large floor-to-ceiling windows allow for natural lighting throughout the day, and three separate outdoor spaces help complete the seamless transition from indoors to out.

Photos: Makhno Workshop

Ood Mirrored Prefab Rooms

They're meant to be hotel accommodations, but judging by the design and quality of Ood Mirrored Prefab Rooms, they'd make fine getaways as well. The exterior is split between wood panel cladding and mirrored glazing, which provides spectacular views from inside. Steel makes up the roughly 18 square meter structure, which provides room for a custom made bed, desk, chair, sink, toilet, and shower, with functions such as the locks, lights, and temperature controlled remotely via an integrated router. Best of all, it can be installed in as little as eight hours, meaning you can start seeing a return on your investment — whether through guests or relaxation — immediately.

Avocado Acres House

Influenced by LA's Case Study homes and the work of Joseph Eichler, the Avocado Acres House is an environmentally-friendly mid-century throwback located just blocks from the California coast. Its dining, kitchen, and living areas are open to both each other and the central courtyard, made more dramatic by the sloped roof and semi-circular cutout. On the other side lies the master bedroom with ensuite, while the home's other two bedrooms share a bath and are located down the adjoining hallway. Natural wood ceilings, floors, and cabinets help offset the industrial feel of the bare concrete walls, and plentiful glazing lets in natural light while helping to merge the interior with the outside.

Photos: Surfside Projects

Watermill House

Located in a small village in The Hamptons, the Watermill House is a renovated and expanded traditional cottage. The extension is clad similarly to the existing building, yet strikes a far more bold impression, with a dramatic vaulted ceiling and generous glazing. It houses a new living area, dining area, and kitchen, which were removed from the cottage to make room for a family room, home office, and guest suite. Notably, the extension also created a new main entrance for the home and reoriented the entire structure to the garden, swimming pool, and the neighboring farm.

Photos: Paul Warchol / Desai Chia Architecture

Solar Egg Sauna

Located in Kiruna, Sweden's northernmost town — a village undergoing enormous change due to the needs of its economically-essential iron mining industry — the Solar Egg Sauna is meant to be a meeting place for townsfolk to discuss the future. It's clad in stainless golden mirror sheeting, with a multi-faceted form that lets it reflect all the elements that make up the town, like the land, mine, buildings, sky, sun, and snow. The interior is made of wood with pine panels for the walls and floor, a bench made from aspen, and a custom-made oven in the middle crafted from iron and stone.

Photos: Jean-Baptiste Béranger / Bigert & Bergström

Framed Tweets

Hundreds of millions of tweets are posted each day. Most are garbage. Some are gold. For the latter, there's Framed Tweets. Exactly what it says, they sell a curated selection of tweets from celebrities, politicians, comics, and just plain old interesting or funny people, all printed on high-quality paper with archival ink and placed in an ornate golden frame. Should you have a favorite 140 character blurb that's not on their site, they also have a custom service that will place any tweet you want inside a frame.