House O, designed by Jun Igarashi, forgoes hallways and interior doors in favor of casually interconnected rooms.

An old mango tree, welcoming visitors to the grounds, inspired the arrangement of this Semarang home designed by architect Tamara Wibowo for her family of five. Three volumes—living, service, and office and garage—are clad in concrete to alleviate solar gain and maximize cross-breezes through large openings lined with teak. Floor-to-ceiling glass opens the dining room, marked by geometric Tegel Kunci tiles, onto greenery.

Sleeping nooks that look like the grooves in a block of cheese.

by Schreiber Starling & Lane Architects.

A passage between the walls for hide and seek.

The addition’s two stories of cedar-framed sliding doors and window provide generous views of the house’s prized jacaranda tree. The addition’s polished concrete floor and white cladding extend into the garden, drawing occupants to the serene rear porch. There, they can relax on stools designed by Alvar Aalto and Charles Wilson while admiring the luscious greenery.

Situated on a sloped-site, each renovated space provides a unique perspective and vista to the dramatic natural surroundings. The office, with its stark modern furnishings and subtle artwork, allows the large window to serve as perhaps the most dramatic, singular frame to the foliage beyond.

This living/bedroom space showcases neutral tones and shades of white to contrast the continued use of natural, treated wood surfaces.