The most inspiring abodes from a book, Houses: Extraordinary Living by Phaidon Editors

House in Itsuura, Japan (Photo by Life Photo Works Osamu Abe)
A single-storey angled house in Japan’s Ibaraki Prefecture is perched on two organically formed pillars, which allow the rest of the structure to be embedded in the hill. The interiors are timber-clad with wood from the native area, and the facade features external angled sticks that regulate temperature, letting the light in and provide privacy. Living spaces are in the longer wing, while the shorter wing has spaces for sleeping.

Kirsch Residence, United States ( Photo by Errol Jay Kirsch Architects)
 Built in 1982 by Errol J Kirsch this massive bunker in the suburb of Oak Park, Illinois resembles the kind of structure seen in science-fiction movies.
The Kirsch residence’s  geometric form gives a sense of security and the sharply pitched roofs, ziggurat form and slit windows were designed for energy efficiency by inhibiting temperature changes and windows that maximise solar gain.

Dragspel House, Sweden ( Photo by Christian Richters)
This cedarwood shingles extension to an original cabin from the late 19th Century, located on the shore of the lake Övre Gla and is designed to have a minimal visual impact, with the windows hidden within the skin of the structure.
Another feature: during the summer, the front part of the cabin can be extended to cantilever over a stream, with the windows opening wide to listen to the murmur of the water, and can then be retracted in the winter or on rainy days – adjusting itself to its environment depending on the season or number of guests.

Bakkaflöt 1, Iceland ( Photo by Íris Ann)
A simple modern turf hut for a family in a suburban street south of Reykjavík by Högna Sigurðardóttir had incorporated three mounds to protect the low house from the harsh Icelandic elements. The house is made of exposed concrete using Brutalist style, as is much of the furniture – such as the sofa and the bathtub – creating a connection between inside and out.

Edgeland House, United States ( Photo by Paul Bardagjy)
Completed in 2012, the turf roof and sunken excavation provides both privacy from the street side and insulative properties to keep the building warm in winter and cool in summer. The lack of any connecting hallway between the living and sleeping quarters is intentional – encouraging its owners to spend more time outside. Also Edgeland House is an attempt to restore the land of a former brownfield site which had been scarred by industry in Austin, Texas.

Malator house, Wales ( Photo by Architecture UK/Alamy)
Converted from old military barracks by Future Systems husband-and-wife architects Jan Kaplický and Amanda Levete, the Malator House – or the ‘Tellytubby house’, as locals have dubbed it – is a two-bedroom holiday retreat sunk into an artificial hill overlooking the Pembrokeshire coastline.
Built in 1998 in the Earth-house style, its plywood roof is camouflaged with grass, making it practically invisible. The inside space is divided by multicoloured service pods containing the bathroom and kitchen, and the living room with a large sofa and fireplace. The only clue that there is habitation inside the hill is an elliptical window, like an eye looking out to sea.

Desert House, United States ( Photo by Jim Jennings Architecture)
Rather than opening to the outdoors, the space subverts Desert Modernism’s tradition of the post-and-beam glass box by enclosing the living area in a 2.4m concrete wall of horizontal blocks, supporting a steel roof and two courtyards. From inside, views of the surroundings – palm trees, the San Jacinto Mountains, and molten blue sky – are framed by the floating flat roof, with overhangs providing much-needed shade.

The House on the Cliff, Spain ( Photo by Jesús Granada)
 Completed in 2015, the two-storey residence uses the natural cooling of the earth to maintain a constant temperature of 19.5C. Covered with a curved double shell of reinforced concrete upon a metal frame, its rolling zinc-tiled, handcrafted roof resembles a dragon’s scaly skin, with its pool and cantilevering terrace framing views over the Mediterranean sea. 

Till House, Chile ( Photo by Sergio Pirrone) 
Invisible from the road, its open-plan terrace is perfect for lounging with panoramic views, while the rest of the space is for sleeping and eating. Individual rooms are sectioned off with shelving units to provide privacy, and the entire roof is a massive open deck which is reached by the cliffside walkway. If that wasn’t enough for relaxation, there is also a wooden jacuzzi called a cuba, where the water is warmed with a fire. 

Graham House, Canada ( Photo by Ezra Stoller/Esto, Courtesy F2 Architecture)
Canadian architect Arthur Erickson designed this west coast Modernist house on an incredibly steep site in West Vancouver, alongside long-time collaborator Geoffrey Massey. Building on the difficult, rugged cliff face was completed in 1963 with a design of hovering horizontal beams and glass which enclosed the major living areas, as a multi-storey structure descending the slope in four levels, from the carport to the rocky bluff over the Pacific.
Each area opened onto a roof terrace over the floor below, to achieve maximum access to the stunning views. Despite its prestige, sadly the Graham house was demolished in 2007.

Source: 10 dream homes from the past - BBC news; Phaidon Editors