stuff we drool about

Casa de las Aves

Casa de las Aves is a three-bedroom jungle retreat in San Pancho, Mexico, designed to sit lightly within its tropical setting. Elevated above the natural slope, the house brings daily life up to canopy level while leaving the ground below largely undisturbed.

At the heart of the home, a mature Papelillo tree rises directly through the dining area, making the surrounding landscape part of the architecture rather than something viewed from a distance. Interior courtyards draw soft daylight and fresh air through the rooms, while the rear circulation path stays closer to the jungle floor, creating a constant shift between canopy views and shaded vegetation.

Natural materials reinforce that connection. Earth-toned concrete is paired with Tornillo hardwood from Peru and Oyamel wood from Michoacán, giving the interiors a warm, restrained character suited to the tropical climate. Three bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms sit alongside open living spaces that flow naturally outdoors.

An open-air dining courtyard, professional grill station, and heated saltwater infinity pool extend the house into the landscape. From the contemplation courtyard, glimpses of the Pacific appear through the trees during whale season, completing a retreat shaped around privacy, nature, and quiet observation.

> Explore more remarkable homes, cabins, and contemporary architecture.





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91 BRIDGE HOUSE - Image

91 BRIDGE HOUSE

Set within the rugged landscape of Canada’s Gulf Islands, 91 Bridge House is one of those rare projects that doesn’t sit on the land, it floats within it. Designed by Omer Arbel, the residence stretches like a suspended bridge between two rocky ridges, hovering above a lush fern-filled gully and blending seamlessly into the surrounding forest. The experience is carefully choreographed. You enter through a discreet, almost hidden path carved into the e...
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ABODU BACKYARD HOME - Image

ABODU BACKYARD HOME

The Abodu Backyard Home is the result of a collaboration by the UK based Koto Designs with San Francisco-based Abodu. Aimed for the US market, this beautifully designed prefab house is minimal looking, with a Nordic twist and around 500 square-feet of liveable space in which you get a bedroom, a kitchen, a bathroom and a mandatory living room too that opens up to a small porch. It may be fully loaded and ready to live in just under two weeks, it has a big list of eq...
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BLACK PINE CABIN - Image

BLACK PINE CABIN

Located by a lake in Seattle, the gorgeous Black Pine Cabin was designed to encourage enjoyment of the shoreline and movement between the interior and exterior. The weather resistant house is wrapped by a monochrome black-stained spruce cladding, that contrasts beautifully with the warm and light pine interior. The house serves as guest quarters, a small refuge for reflection, writing, reading, and garage – all while anchoring the west side of the property to form...
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