Housing

With concerns about rising sea levels and attractive land always in demand, there's something to be said for a house that floats on water. With this in mind, we highlight the best examples of floating homes we've seen so far – from classic prefabricated houseboat to luxury models for the ultra-rich.

Like many major cities, London can be a very expensive place to live. However, PUP Architects has a novel idea for low-cost housing in the form of a micro-house disguised as an air duct unit. The project, called H-VAC, skirts planning laws and could be installed atop existing rooftops.

UK-based company Ten Fold Engineering has developed a series of modular, self-deploying structures that can be instantly unfolded in under ten minutes without the need for builders, cranes or foundations.

MVRDV has plenty of form for coming up with unusual building designs and its latest project is no exception. Planned to sit between Rotterdam's New Luxor Theater and Boston and Seattle residential areas, The Sax consists of two novel Jenga-like mixed-use towers joined by a skybridge.

Architects of Invention has drawn inspiration from the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, for its latest project. Garden Hill consists of two wooden residential towers with an interesting stepped design and some sustainable features.

ODA New York has designed an unusual apartment building in Long Island City, Queens, NYC. Named 2222 Jackson, its brutalist-like pixelated design isn't purely aesthetic, but serves a practical purpose too, providing generous outdoor living space for residents in the form of terraces. 

The American Institute of Architects has selected the winners of its 2017 Housing Awards. Whether a luxury lake house for the well-heeled or rehabilitative housing for disabled veterans, each project represents the best residential architecture the USA currently has to offer.

Stéphane Malka has unveiled a novel project that involves renovating an aging Paris apartment building by attaching wooden boxes to the facade. The "guerrilla architect" says that the boxes will increase living space for the residents and improve energy-efficiency.

Panoramic Interests has designed a self-contained stackable tiny apartment that it it feels could be a viable home for the homeless. MicroPAD modular dwellings comprise a floorspace of just 160 sq ft (14 sq m), but include a kitchenette, sleeping area, and bathroom.

Join us as we take a look at the 10 best buildings we've reported on in 2016, including ​the world's second-tallest skyscraper, an out-of-this-world opera house, the world's first 3D-printed office, and floating student housing.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has announced the winners of the 2016 Housing Awards. As was the case with last year's selection, it's a varied bunch and includes a group of cabins, some beautiful high-end homes, and affordable housing for homeless veterans.

We've featured some small apartments on Gizmag before, but they've typically been borne of physical constraints. The University of British Columbia's (UBC) planned 140 sq ft (13 sq m) student "Nano" suites, however, are purpose-designed to be affordable.​