Residential houses, villas, and retreats are increasingly being designed as places of pause—spaces where architecture supports rest, reflection, and stronger connections to nature. Rather than focusing solely on urban living or compact efficiency, these homes are set in remote, scenic, or rural locations, where the landscape becomes an essential part of daily life. Through careful siting, use of natural materials, and open layouts, they offer an elevated standard of living that is both intentional and grounded in place.
Across climates and contexts, from the forests of Germany to the riversides of Vietnam and the islands of Greece, these unbuilt projects propose new ways of shaping domestic space. Whether through courtyards, modular grids, or panoramic terraces, they explore how homes can balance privacy and openness, tradition and innovation, while staying closely tied to their natural surroundings. Each month, ArchDaily’s editors curate a selection of conceptual projects around a shared theme or program. Submitted by offices of all scales from around the world, these proposals reflect the diversity and creativity of our global architecture community, whether they are competition entries, early-stage designs, or purely conceptual studies. Submissions are open to everyone. If you wish to contribute, follow the instructions here.
Read on to discover 8 residential projects set in different landscapes around the world, with text descriptions provided by the architects.
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Discovering Remote Retreats: 20 Projects Showcasing the Appeal of Nature-Set Accommodations
House in La Moraleja / GilBartolome
Madrid, Spain
This house is located on a privileged plot densely populated with trees. The aim of the design is to integrate into the landscape and to promote an intimate family life linked to nature. It is also intended to offer a space for enjoying social life linked to the landscape. The house is organized as a courtyard house in which the rooms look at each other through the courtyard. The other part of the house opens onto the garden and landscape.
House, Some of This, Some of That / Kwong Von Glinow
United States
The starting point for the retreat begins with nine T-shaped volumes that house all the utility, storage, and wet spaces. Positioned on a grid, the nine T-shaped volumes rotate relative to each other to create uniquely shaped spaces for the family room, dining room, kitchen, office, library, reading room, and bedrooms, and give a sense of spatial differentiation for each within the open plan. At the same, the specific arrangement of the Ts allows for visual access across the house from one end to the other and out towards the surrounding forested view. This planar organization liberates the floorplan from a reliance on walls to define separate rooms and instead uses shapely elements that concentrate back of house spaces – the Ts – to internally organize a fully open space with soft divisions within.
Family Retreat / d15studio
Đong Nai, Viet Nam
Nestled in the picturesque landscape of La Nga commune, Dinh Quan district, Dong Nai province, Vietnam, Family Retreat is envisioned as a serene weekend resort—a place where nature, tradition, and contemporary design converge. This extraordinary destination, with its proximity to the meandering La Nga River and the expansive Tri An Lake, offers a rich tapestry of scenic beauty. The floating village of La Nga, with its rustic charm and dynamic life on the water, forms a poetic backdrop that seamlessly integrates with the architectural vision.
Villa Exomandria / Aristidis Dallas Architectural firm
Greek Islands, Greece
Villa Exomandria is a contemporary interpretation of Cycladic architecture, where minimalism meets functionality. Designed in collaboration with Magna Graeci and Aristidis Dallas Architecture, this property is crafted for those seeking both seclusion and island living. Nestled on 10 acres of a slope in the serene area of Monastiria, Antiparos, this villa offers breathtaking panoramic views of the islands of Sifnos and Paros, as well as the iconic Rooster Hotel. Available for acquisition or seasonal retreat, Villa Exomandria offers an elevated way of living — where design is not just seen, but felt, and where the essence of Mediterranean elegance is distilled into a pure and enduring form.
The Legend of Ubud / HIT Development
Ubud, Indonesia
The Legend of Ubud is a luxury villa complex nestled in the cultural heart of Bali, within Ubud’s Sayan area. Developed by HIT Development, the project offers a unique connection to the island’s natural and cultural heritage. Surrounded by rice fields safeguarded by preservation laws, the complex provides guests with an exclusive retreat that emphasizes privacy and the serene landscape of Bali.
Villa Tyasmin / ANGLE
Kyiv, Ukraine
Located on the banks of the Tiasmyn River in Smila, Ukraine, this four-level villa blends innovation, comfort, and nature. Designed for two generations, it features a smart home system, autonomous energy supply, a spa zone, and a Japanese garden on a green roof. Its monolithic concrete structure with expressive terraces and panoramic river views redefines private living with technological and environmental harmony.
Beyond Homestead / Cicerelli Architecture
New York, USA
The project islocated in Stanfordville, NY on a 53-acre property. Art was the main source ofinspiration from Winslow Homer, John Calvin Stevens andHudson River School. The planremains flexible for user control over the public and private spaces. The geography gives aguideto materials and colors. The goal is to craft a structure as it should be in its landscape and blurthe transition between landscape and home.
Forest Grid / Santiago Alonso
Hürtgen Forest, Germany
Forest Grid is a conceptual preliminary project developed in 2025, located in the Hürtgen Forest, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Its design is driven by two fundamental principles: connection with nature and spatial flexibility. The residence is structured around a precise structural grid, providing a strong functional and rational character. Its high-tech, industrial aesthetic creates a deliberate contrast with the visual homogeneity of the forest, establishing a dialogue between the artificial and the natural. One of the project’s defining features is the use of cellular polycarbonate on one of its façades, enabling a seamless relationship between interior and exterior. This materiality not only softens natural light but also conveys a sense of lightness and transparency, maximizing integration with the surrounding environment.
HOW TO SUBMIT AN UNBUILT PROJECT
We highly appreciate the input from our readers and are always happy to see more projects designed by them. If you have an Unbuilt project to submit, click here and follow the guidelines. Our curators will review your submission and get back to you in case it is selected for a feature.
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