Called the “Pump House”, this compact off-the-grid home was designed by Branch Studio Architects and built by the carpenter client in rural Victoria, Australia. While it may be self-sustaining now, it was originally designed as storage space for a water pump and farm equipment. They used simple materials, like Colorbond iron, low-grade plywood, and rough sawn timber to keep construction costs low. Continue reading for more awesome homes with designs that think outside the box.

5. La Luge

Located in Quebec forest, YH2 Architects’ “La Luge” is a minimalistic winter escape that comes complete with a private spa isolated in the picturesque northern Canadian landscape. It’s lined with floor to ceiling windows and has darker volume, made from rich dark woods, that caps the back of the home and extends into the children’s bedroom.

4. Casa Abierta

Photo credit: Inhabitat

Argentina-based architect Rosario Talevi created a gorgeous beachside summerhouse for her mom in Uruguay. Nested in a small fishing village called Punta Rubia, Casa Abierta (Open House), it was inspired by both Japanese and Nordic aesthetics. Featuring functional and well organized minimal interiors with plenty of hidden storage and objects, such as Noguchi’s flat pack lamp brought back from a trip to NYC.

3. Port X

Unlike other homes, Port X is an innovative modular home that can pop up on both land and water. Designed by architects Jerry Koza and Adam Jirkal, along with engineer Tomas Kalhaus from Atelier SAD, the sleek C-shaped dwelling sits on the Vltava River in Prague and features a flexible design that can be extended or reduced to provide the perfect amount of space for its owners.

2. Green Zero

Sleek and futuristic. “Green Zero” by Studio di Architettura Daniele Menichini was constructed using a wooden prefab exterior built on top of a natural stone foundation. The sleek, thin film solar-powered home in Italy also boasts an integrative rainwater management and drainage system.

1. Soleta ZeroEnergy One

This zero energy modular home concept, Soleta ZeroEnergy One. is essentially a prototype developed by the Justin Capra Foundation for Invention and Sustainable Technologies (FITS). It’s powered entirely by clean energy and it can even be remote-controlled via smartphone.

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