The Garden House, Battersea

This stark white garden house in South London features a minimal exterior and interior. This dazzling building was designed to accommodate a large family - the sunken concrete courtyard houses the open living areas and the first floor features the bedrooms. Interestingly, the windows for the first floor are fairly hidden with a few located on the side and most being located on the ceiling to allow for an extra flow of natural light.

M House (Catalonia, Spain)

Architects: MDBA Architects and Guallart Architects

Stunning three bedroom 21st century villa in Spain, combines modernity and tradition through revealing exposed steel as a striking characteristic (steel handrails and columns provide an industrial and powerful feel) while still blending with it's modest village environment. The use of heavy, old stone walls adds a contrasting textured style to the fluid use of concrete and steel and provides a sense of honouring historical architectural details. All of the house's main openings are towards the back so that its owners can enjoy the picturesque views out over the Catalonian fields and hillside.

Coopers Beach (Northland, New Zealand)

Architects: Dorrington Architects

The house consists of four main elements - a bedroom block, a living pavilion, a garage and a corridor linking those elements. Due to the suburban location of the house, incorporating privacy into the design was an important task without compromising the views or amount of natural light.

White Collage (Sapporo, Japan)

Architects: Keikichi Yamauchi Architect and Associates

The house stands on a small wedge-shaped site overlooking a busy road on one side and a green park on the other side. The house was developed in relationship with its environment - to blend in with the existing green park scenery. In order to capture the surrounding greenery, thick stainless steel sheets are placed on the inside and outside of the house to create distorted reflections that change as seasons go by.

U-House (Ericeira, Portugal)

Architects: Jorge Graca Costa

The house occupies a big lot surrounded by a mass of trees on top of a hill, overlooking Saint Lorenzo Bay. It combines modern design with elements of sustainability. The central design was based on the reinterpretation of ancient Mediterranean patio houses.