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National Congress of Brazil, Brasilia, Brazil Oscar Niemeyer

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YTL Residence, Kuala Lampur Jouin Manku

“The house was to appear very light, as if tethered to the ground like a balloon rather than crushing the earth,” Jouin says. “Throughout the project, custom elements run the gamut from high-tech to rough-hewn. Jouin and Manku collaborated with local and international artists and craftsmen on many of them, including a massive kitchen island carved from a single hulk of Carrara marble; a circular stair with petal-shape teak treads, constructed by elderly woodworkers who put off retirement for this project; a sculptural free-standing Corian bar in the living area; 10-foot-tall teak lanterns hanging in the atrium linking the bedroom wings; and the stunning ballroom chandelier comprising 13,000 porcelain petals, produced by young French designer Roseline Pailheret and ceramists in her native Limoges, France. “We created a brand-new architecture for the house,” continues Jouin. “New shapes, new ways of connecting spaces, and new combinations of cutting-edge technology and traditional local practices.”

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Casa CC, Lima, Peru Longhi Architects

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Madisonhouse, La Quinta, California XTEN Architecture

The house—organized as two rectangular wings made of locally quarried stone, concrete, and wood—straddles a central courtyard that opens along an east-west axis. A pair of concrete slabs bridge the two volumes, cantilevering out to form a terrace on the second story and a broad roof above that. While the house opens in every direction, four-foot-thick stone-and-concrete walls, deeply recessed glazing, and large cantilevered overhangs together protect the house from desert solar gain. The courtyard reflecting pool and swimming pool provide evaporative cooling on the first floor, while the chimney draws out heat from both floors. High performance glass and efficient mechanical systems and fixtures reduce energy use, while photovoltaic panels provide an alternative source of energy.