How square would you like you home to be? So square? Me too. Let’s talk about this house right here. It goes by the name of “Backyard House” and it’s designed by Thomas Schaer of SHED Architects. Sitting right up on the hill looking down over downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay. Spaces and finishes and big fat giant walls of glass for optimum in livability and having a really, really amazing time just sitting in the living room.

So you’re sitting over Seattle. It’s going to rain somewhat of a lot. That’s what Seattle does, it rains! So you’re going to want to have an amazing house to sit in. Unobstructed views all around, looking over the city, peeking at the people around you. It’s open wide, yet secluded enough to make you feel fabulously elite. The whole place is “Built Green” certified with environment, community, and one more thing in mind:

two and a half words,

rooftop deck.

TreeHugger favourite Andrew Maynard was on a budget with his Tattoo House in Fitzroy North, Australia, and writes “Every element needed to perform multiple functions for maximum return- hence the kitchen bench becomes part of the stair.”

I am not sure much money is saved by walking on the kitchen counter….

But it certainly is an economical use of materials, and very elegant.

Maynard solved another problem, a local rule that demanded that 75% of a second storey be opaque to minimize overlook into the neighbours’ yards, by putting stickers on the windows.

Daniel Libeskind does modern prefab with the first of the Studio Series, a 515 square metre (5,500 square foot) number that Libeskind claims is built to “the highest level of sustainability in the world.” It has solar power, “the maximum amount of insulation, and of course, is beautifully built to last hundreds of years- “that’s sustainability!”

Libeskind tells Kevin Brass in the IHT:

“this is really the first time I have taken on the issue of doing something which is a limited artistic edition of a new space, a new way of living….I did everything in reverse in my career.