Fresh Builds: 15 Awesome Houses You Need To See

2012 has been a good year for cool homes. From beach houses that look like waves to a serene glass pavillion on a lake, we've gone through the Complex archives to bring you the most awesome and inspiring homes built in 2012, so far.

Fresh Builds: 15 Awesome Houses You Need To See

Studio H:T's Shield House in Denver, Colorado, is a curved circulation space against a rectangular living space. The tall, curved metal wall provides privacy, but also acts as a sun catcher, making the house attractively glow at night. Click the thumbs to take a tour.

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The Wave House by Turkish designer Gunes Peksen simulates an actual wave. Consider it the perfect vacation home.

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Nitsche Arquitetos Associados' Iporanga House in Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a summer condominium in the Atlantic Rainforest. The design challenge was the client's request to occupy as little of the ground surface as possible, while still having a comfortable 5 suites. To do so, the architects split it into three balanced parts: a suspended volume, a plan, and a ground level. Built with the environment in mind, they made sure to reduce waste and efficiently use industrialized materials.

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Avanto Architects' modular garden greenhouse, designed by Linda Bergroth, occupies a Finnish island. The garden supply company, Kekkilä, commissioned the project in order to take photographs for the company.

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Unexpected is terrific way to describe the gorgeous Pierre on San Juan Island in Washington State. Conceived by Olson Kundig Architects, the home is neatly tucked into a rock, disappearing into the natural landscape and offering stunning views from large windows. Its nothing less than an awesome escape.

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Da Vinci said "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication," and the Coromandel Bach House in New Zealand is architectural proof of it. Designed by Crosson Clarke Architects, “The house was conceived as a container sitting lightly on the land for habitation or the dream of habitation." With an outdoor bathtub, tons of privacy, and a killer view, this house is a nature-loving minimalist's dream.

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Thanks to blogs on blogs on blogs, sparse interiors and minimalist homes form a hefty portion of our daily image intake. It is getting a little boring. However, sometimes experiments in minimalism are still rather exciting. This home in Okinawa, designed by Shinichi Ogawa & Associates, is a great example. Essentially, it is one long rectangle with a plate glass wall separating indoor and outdoor spaces. Rooms are defined by area and furniture, not by walls, and everything is blessed with a lot of natural light. Cool idea. But, is it too bare for most people?

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Italian architect Lanfranco Pollini's most recent design is a stunning home in Lignano Pineta. The exterior is clad in a gorgeous corten steel (which creates a stable, rust-like appearance) and the highlight is a pool raised from ground level punctuating a stunning deck. It is the type of house dreams from which dreams are made.

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We love Japanese houses, especially for inventive use of space. Anonymous Architects find inspiration in Tokyo too. Their latest home, a 4.5 meter wide residence in LA's Echo Parkis called Eel's Nest after the name given to very narrow lots in Japan. The home is a victory of compact urban living, made possible through employment of an open plan. Very, very smart architecture.

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Designed by architect Francois Perrin in collaboration with Yves Lefay, this newly built home occupies one of the last remaining lots in the Hollywood Hills. Note the glass paneling. And, then check the views of Los Angeles. Pretty sweet. Cool pool and staircase too. Built into a steep Bedrock, the building melds into natural surroundings and half the living space is essentially underground. Minimal impact on the Hills themselves is another big plus.

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Located in Aroeira, Portugal, this awesome house echos the shape of its plot twisting niftily around a grassy courtyard. The home is all about shapes and contrasts. The interiors are all crisp and clean, making them great for displaying Mid-Century modern classics. Click the thumbs for a full tour.

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Slides in homes seem to be a new trend. We're not complaining. The idea is pretty awesome.

The Rainbow House, located in West London, is one of the latest examples of a fun, family home equipped with slide. But, that is not all. Designed in collaborative by Ab Rodgers Design and DA Studio, the space has a surprise around every corner. For example, flanking the slide is a puzzle like sofa. And, all the floors are something special. The name of the house comes from the multi-color spiral staircase. Sweet digs.

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Japanese houses are awesome. Concepts are always killer. And, most impressively, integration with the land is regularly astonishing. Shigeru Ban Architects' recent creation, the Crescent House, doesn't fail to prove either points. Named after its shape, the home is located in South Hakone of Shizuoka, Japan. Entering via a glass-enclosed staircase, visitors are offered sweeping views to the north. It is unorthodox, for sure, but undeniably amazing.

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Unexpected is terrific way to describe the gorgeous Pierre on San Juan Island in Washington State. Conceived by Olson Kundig Architects, the home is neatly tucked into a rock, disappearing into the natural landscape and offering stunning views from large windows. Its nothing less than an awesome escape.

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Contemporary meets nature in this stunning Guatamala City home by PAZ Arquitectura. Located on a hillside, the Corallo house updates tree house dreams by surrounding existing trunks with concrete walls. The results are nothing short of beautiful. Click the thumbs to tour the home.

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