The Nest rises from the crest of Keats Island, BC, Canada, as an off-grid retreat by DSS | Daria Sheina Studio. This compact, three-level escape leans on prefabrication and mass timber craft to negotiate rugged topography and dense Pacific Northwest forest while keeping a light footprint. Inside and out, the project turns its tight footprint into a vertical sequence of rooms tuned to mossy ground, filtered canopy light, and views out to Howe Sound.
Forest Edge House lands in Roscoe, United States, as a compact, solar-powered house by Marc Thorpe. Set on a wooded slope in the western Catskills, the 1,500-square-foot, two-story home pairs an open living core with a 25-foot cantilevered steel deck reaching into the trees. Built by Edifice Upstate and furnished by Ligne Roset, it balances self-reliant systems with a measured, rural clarity.
Thornton Hasegawa House sits in Wellington, New Zealand, a compact two-bedroom house by Bonnifait + Associates: Atelierworkshop. The project presses into a steep site yet reads light and open, with off-grid muscle tucked into a 50 square meter (538 square foot) footprint. Built as a modest tower, it threads utility through warm interiors and a careful plan. The result feels agile, resilient, and quietly joyful.
Armstrong Cottage sits in Peterborough, Canada, as a family retreat by Peter Braithwaite Studio. Two slender pavilions rise within a lakeside canopy, set lightly on the land yet engineered for a tough island site. The off-grid house ties childhood summers to a future-facing build, trading heavy foundations for bedrock-fixed steel and a kit-of-parts structure. It’s a modern escape with pragmatic grit.
EAG Studio has designed the Contemporary View home in Glen Ellen, California. Completed in 2021, this resort-style, off-the-grid house captures panoramic views of Sonoma Valley and features state-of-the-art sustainable features across its three-acre lot.
Ideal for both small and large-scale entertainment, the home emphasizes self-sufficiency and durability with systems for producing its own water, food, and energy, using smart home technologies and noble materials. Thoughtfully designed gathering spaces and tiered gardens complement the dynamic landscape, enhancing indoor-outdoor living.
Tucked away in the picturesque Liverpool Plains of regional New South Wales, Australia, Gilay Estate offers a unique off-grid farm stay experience. Designed by the acclaimed Cameron Anderson Architects in 2024, this 40-square-meter luxury accommodation building blends seamlessly into the undulating landscape, featuring a wraparound sheet metal roof and extensive double glazing to maximize the stunning Southern views. Incorporating a state-of-the-art off-grid solar system and rainwater harvesting, Gilay Estate embodies sustainable living, while its charred timber cladding pays homage to traditional burning and regeneration practices.
Esca Blewitt Springs, a luxurious off-grid retreat designed by Das Studio, offers guests an immersive experience in South Australia’s renowned wine region. This premium accommodation, completed in 2019, seamlessly integrates with the surrounding landscape, showcasing breathtaking views through its floor-to-ceiling glazing. The retreat, part of a private working vineyard, provides a serene and exclusive getaway, blending high-end amenities with a harmonious connection to nature.
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