Tough restrictions on how much the building’s facade could be changed were not a problem for the renovators of this home in Singapore. Architects Ong & Ong managed to keep the building’s historic facade intact while creating an entirely new, updated interior.

Perhaps the most striking single feature of the residence is the interior courtyard, complete with a swimming pool. Stepping stones lead between the living room and dining area on the first floor. This thoroughly modern space is delightfully bisected with a mature frangipani tree, creating a comfortable contrast between man-made and natural materials.

This space not only serves to define the interior spaces of the home; it adds some much-needed light and ventilation throughout the house. Partitions on either side of the pool can be closed to segment the space or opened to create one continuous room.

Lining the courtyard is aluminum wall cladding. These lightweight bands add a lovely modern touch to the courtyard, but they also serve the very practical purpose of reflecting light into the interior living spaces. The contrast between the building’s traditional ornate facade and these modern metallic bands sets the tone for this home full of dualities.

The entire second floor of the home’s main section is devoted to a massive combined master bedroom, office and en suite bathroom. Although full of light, this section of the house is softer and much more subdued than the first floor public areas.

Contrasting dark and light materials are used throughout the space, creating a comfortable retreat.

Dark walnut plank flooring leads to the en suite bathroom, which is contained in a sort of box which is cantilevered over the pool area. Directly across the courtyard from the bathroom, a rooftop deck adorns the other half of the home – allowing for a daring look right into the glass-walled room. A stunning sculpted stone bathtub is undoubtedly the crowning glory of the second floor.

Each element of this home renovation was carefully selected both for functionality and for looks. The natural elements perfectly offset the man-made modern elements. The twisted trunk of the frangipani tree echoes the curves of the dual spiral staircases. Glass and aluminum are balanced with natural wood and grasses.

The public living areas in the front of the home contain well-hidden electronics concealed by large pieces of art. Putting these distracting electronic toys behind a movable partition helps to preserve the serene modernity of the home.

The rear part of the home, which houses the kitchen and other service areas, is similarly smooth, modern, and free from clutter. The home’s overall effect is one of relaxation and a complete escape from the pressures of the outside world.

This stunning home on Seattle’s Lake Union from Vandeventer + Carlander Architects is an unconventional take on the well-loved Seattle floating home. Offering spectacular views on all sides – downtown to the south, Gas Works Park to the north, Queen Anne Hill to the west and the lovely Lake Union all around – the home is in an indisputably desirable location.

But what really makes the home stand out is its upside-down floor plan. The private spaces – that is, those usually reserved only for the residents – are on the first floor and encased in huge, glittering windows.

The public spaces – those normally shared with guests – are located on the second floor. This unusual layout offers incredible views from the living room, dining room and open kitchen.

Outdoor living spaces are incorporated into the home’s design to further strengthen its connection to the beautiful location. Dual terraces and a rooftop deck let residents and visitors enjoy the spectacular views at any time.

The modern architecture of this floating home is perfectly offset by its luxurious setting and a few elaborate appointments, such as the spiral staircase leading to the rooftop deck. It is a home that is uniquely Seattle, through and through.

It starts with a fluid central volume with operable circular windows and skylights for seasonal weather-based temperature flexibility, then spawns a series of additional indoor and outdoor spaces.

Scheduled to be constructed on the coast of South Korea by 2015, Planning Korea let each sub-structure reflect its function with respect to the whole, including party rooms, work spaces, bedrooms and lounges that jut out at angles in each direction.

A green roof also varies in height, rising toward one end of the site and sinking into a swimming pool with a view toward the ocean, reinforcing a sense of motion and creating additional views at various points along the way.

There is certainly a joke in here somewhere about being scared into going to the bathroom, but you can certainly sort that out for yourself having seen this death-defying floor.

Hernandez Silva Arquitecto saw an opportunity in a strangely-unused secondary elevator shaft when updating this top-floor residence, illuminating the void below and situating it (oddly) square with the bathroom above.

Nearly as remarkable as the downward view is the lack of pizzazz in the space itself – a simple red-and-white color scheme is almost comically ordinary when compared to the jaw-dropping glass floor.