Built to Inspire: Contemporary Homes by the World’s Great Architects

Despite the number of areas in which architecture impacts our lives — from office to museum to recreational facility — the home remains endlessly compelling, much like the chair to a designer. Here, respected architecture writer Philip Jodidio gathers 26 homes he believes exemplify the way architecture can meet the needs of a resident and pay attention to context. They are drawn from all over the world: a cave-like edifice in Portugal, a compact refuge on the windswept Isle of Skye, a scifi-inspired villa in Moscow and more besides. Almost all continents are represented, with masters such as Shigeru Ban and Marcio Kogan figuring alongside more emerging practices.

Jodidio’s analysis of each project’s site and context, as well as its critical design features, combine with ample photography, plans and diagrams in a thorough and diverting work.