Blurring Boundaries: 14 Modern Houses That Open to the Air

Tropical House, Maui, Hawaii
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When you live in a place like Hawaii, you might as well spend as much time outdoors when you can, even when you’re watching television. ‘Tropical House’ in Maui by Pete Bossley Architects employees a combination of glazed walls, sliding glass doors and indoor/outdoor courtyards to make it feel as if the entire home blurs right into the surrounding landscape.

Tropical Box House, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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A gridded concrete ‘egg crate’ protects the interior spaces of this Kuala Lumpur home by WHBC Architects from the sun while allowing the forest to penetrate the interiors. “The project was envisioned as an inward looking abode that safeguards its interior from the tropical sun and rain while at the same time, embraces the dense, natural floral enclave that the house sits within.”

Green Display House, Japan
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A curtain of ivy stretch down from the curved roof of this house in Saitama, Japan, angling toward the lawn to shade the interiors from the sun. When the glass doors are open, the patio becomes part of the living area, bringing in filtered air and cooling the house in the summertime.

Camping-Inspired House, Telluride, Colorado
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Inspired by the area’s indigenous mining camps, the Laybourne House in Telluride, Colorado features a master bed that rolls right out onto a balcony overlooking a two-thousand-foot canyon.

F Residence, Tokyo
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Each level of the F Residence in Tokyo by Suzuki Architecture looks down onto a central circular courtyard, concealed by the building’s rectangular exterior.