Full Width 
FOCUS MODE
Shortcuts 
Sign Up 
Log In 
Articles 
Reading List More from Contemporist Newsletter
What began as a small repair job turned into a complete architectural reinvention. Designed by boutique Northern California firm Medium Plenty, this three-story family home reflects a deep collaboration between the architects and a creative couple with two young kids. Originally initiated to address structural water damage, the project evolved into a fully custom rebuild with one goal: create a “forever home” that balances soulful materials, family life, and refined design.
In the green hills of Ibiúna, a quiet rural town about 90 minutes from São Paulo, architect Rodrigo Ohtake has built a family retreat unlike any other. Designed for weekends away with his wife Ana Carolina and their three children, the home is both a restful hideaway and a bold experiment in modular, eco-conscious design. The result? A prefabricated house that feels anything but prefabricated, joyful, fluid, and in sync with nature.
Blatto Boat is a newly constructed Floating On Water Residence (FOWR) located on the north end of Seattle’s Lake Union. Designed by Seattle studio GO'C, the houseboat is built within the exact footprint of an existing 12-by-40-foot vessel, making efficient use of every available inch.
Just off the coast of Seattle, a young family found their rhythm on Orcas Island, a lush, bluffside site in Deer Harbor where the forest meets the horizon. With the help of Syndicate Smith, a Washington-based architecture firm known for its sensitive, site-specific work, they built a grounded retreat that’s both elemental and modern. Designed to be built efficiently by the homeowner himself, a general contractor, this house reflects a deep connection to nature, family, and the quiet rituals of island life.
In Montreal’s lush Outremont district, a 1950s home by architects Morin & Cinq-Mars has undergone a transformative expansion. Atelier Chardonnat and Salem Architecture led the renovation, preserving its Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired heritage while introducing Japanese and Scandinavian influences. The result is a warm, modern sanctuary on Mount Royal, where every detail connects to nature and calm.
More in architecture
Archinect City Guide takes on Brooklyn today with the help of Quilian Riano, dean of Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture, founder of DSGN AGNC, Architectural League of New York board member, Architecture Lobby activist, and former senior editor for Archinect in its early days, among many other hats he wears in the design and academic community. Riano shares with us his favorite Brooklyn spots for the city's best donuts (he recommends trying the pistachio), a hot bowl of salmon ramen, and a selection of must-visit sites for architecture and design aficionados visiting the borough. Using the handy Google Map he prepared for us makes finding all these places a breeze! Are you a Brooklyn local with your own go-to spots? Or have a city you think we should cover next? Share your thoughts, suggestions, and favorite places in the comments. For Manhattan tips, check out our recent City Guide with Julia Gamolina of Madame Architect.
This new film delivers a penetrating message about the built world we’ve created.
But there are also some issues with how the Berkeley Lab report is estimating it.
The many ways residents and local institutions worked to bring the Crescent City back after a historic natural disaster.
Railway stations, bus stations and… filling stations? The first two have made frequent appearances on the pages of this website, the third far less often. Filling stations, and their close cousins garages and car showrooms, only occasionally attract significant architectural attention. Although it can happen from time to time (there’s a list of filling stations […]
