Larco sits on the soft green hills above Piegaro, Italy, reworked by Special Italy – Special Umbria as a compact yet open country house. The two-bedroom retreat keeps the bones of a 16th century farmhouse while leaning into 21st century comfort, from heated pool to covered terrace. Guests move between cotto floors, resin surfaces and wide garden views that anchor daily life in the Umbrian landscape.

Long Flat unfolds inside a former office apartment in Barcelona, Spain, reworked by MIEL Arquitectos for a Boston family with roots in Shanghai. The project stretches between the lively Rambla de Catalunya and a quiet inner courtyard, tying together social life, retreat, and long-term plans for retirement. Materials, rescued fragments, and tailored joinery carry the story of an Eixample property updated for many chapters of family use.

Podere Sirolo sits just outside Città della Pieve, Italy, a country house conceived by Special Italy – Special Umbria as a calm base in the Umbrian hills. The team replaces an old farmhouse with a new rural retreat that leans into natural materials, soft color and an easy connection to the landscape. Guests step into a villa for eight where comfort, handmade craft and long views set the rhythm of each day.

Casa Salvaje stands in El Salvaje, Chacras Marítimas, Argentina, as a vacation house where Sol Galliano draws family life into direct contact with sea air and rural quiet. Conceived for large gatherings, the concrete and stone structure pivots around a central courtyard and rooftop terrace, guiding movement through light, water, and planted ground. Large and small moments of encounter shape how the family shares time across seasons.

Falcon Ledge Residence sits at the edge of a neglected ravine in Austin, United States, by Alterstudio Architecture. The compact house rises above the tree canopy while staying closely tied to the ground, turning a steeply falling lot once dismissed as unbuildable into a quiet perch. In this vertical home, daily life unfolds against layered views of foliage, suburban roofs, and sky.

Passo Passo turns an early 20th-century gatehouse in Como, Italy into a compact house by Parentesi Studio for a young couple who joined the work on site. The project keeps the villa entrance intact while reworking interiors step by step, pairing restored elements with measured contemporary interventions. Across basement, two main floors, and a newly usable attic, it traces a precise balance between memory and present-day living.

The Periphery rests on a high desert rise outside Boulder, UT, United States, where Locus.studio draws a measured line between refuge and exposure. This two-bedroom house unfolds above slickrock and wetlands, treating the vast Grand Staircase-Escalante boundary as both subject and partner. Sun, wind, and long views shape its concrete, steel, and oak shell, while a craft-led approach keeps the building tuned to the rhythms of its remote setting.

Concrete Harmony House sets a calm yet expressive tone in Shilat, Israel, where Narkis Rubin Barazani shapes a contemporary family house around light and color. Large panes slide open to a shaded terrace while concrete, deep blues, and warm timber ground the interiors. Each room reads as part of a single narrative, from the crisp black kitchen to the gentle children’s rooms and the quietly composed main bedroom suite.