Undoubtedly one of the world's most awesome off-grid homes, this incredible property lies on the tiny, remote island of Skjulskäret in Finland, where temperatures are almost constantly around or below freezing from mid-November to late March. Because of the challenging climate, the hideaway needed to be designed to withstand whatever Mother Nature threw at it.
Known as the Ō Island Hideaway, the eco home was inspired by Finland’s traditional gabled cottages and the forests they’re built from. Designed by Kontio, makers of Scandinavian cabins, the home's construction had minimal impact on the environment and on the rocky outcrop upon which it sits. Formed from wood sourced from sustainably managed PEFC-certified forests and clad with Thermowood planks, the house is extremely thermally efficient so it can naturally regulate its own internal temperature.
Inside the holiday home is chic and stripped-back, with a modern Scandi aesthetic. The property offers an open-plan living room, a recyclable kitchen made by Puustelli Miinus, a double bedroom and a mezzanine master suite that floats above the living area. There's also a natural hot tub and sauna, and an alfresco kitchen with a grill and pizza oven.
Huge picture windows frame the serene woodland landscape outside, while Arctic pine cladding adds a feeling of cosiness. Completely off-grid, the home is powered by solar panels in the summer, with a back-up generator for the winter months. What's more, the property can only be reached via boat or helicopter, making it super secluded and perfect for escaping the rat race.
Teetering on the edge of a hillside, the Catuçaba Hideaway can be found overlooking a lush valley in the UNESCO-protected Serra do Mar mountain range in Brazil. Considered to be the country’s first eco villa, the award-winning holiday home was designed by architects from Studio mk27 and was the inaugural project for Brazil’s Green Building Council.
The ultra-thin wilderness home sits on a floating platform, which is tied to the hillside by supporting pillars and a giant boulder. The amazing stilt house was constructed from 100% sustainable building materials, including responsibly sourced Amazon hardwoods and thermal insulation made from recycled plastic fibres.
Partially submerged below the ground, the eco home is powered by rooftop solar panels, photovoltaic panels and a small wind turbine. It also has natural ventilation that harnesses the cool winds that rise from the valley, and a spring-fed water supply supplemented by a rainwater collection system. That means that residents of the house have access to drinking water and electricity without being reliant on the grid. There's enough land for growing food, too!
This unique round house is both structurally beautiful and life-saving. The hurricane-resistant property was designed by the team at Deltec Homes, who've spent the past 50 years constructing dwellings that fight the effects of climate change. In fact, this pad can withstand even the harshest of weather conditions. Thanks to its circular shape, wind can’t build up enough pressure to cause a structural failure, while an optimum roof pitch allows for wind deflection and reduced lift.
Designed to have a low impact on the environment, this 4,340-square-foot property is spacious as well as strong. Spanning two floors, it features a mud room, a study, several bathrooms, four bedrooms, and a huge open-plan living area with a dining zone and kitchen. There's even a music room, a gym and a movie theatre located in the basement. Every single room seems to flow around the home's rotund form, while floor-to-ceiling glass only enhances the impression of space.
Every Deltec house also boasts factory-installed windows, which create a tighter wind and water resistant connection. Light-filled and rustic, the modern home also offers solar-powered hot water, enhanced insulation and a reflective metal roof that allows the interior to maintain a constant temperature. Plus, just look at that stunning statement ceiling – talk about wow-factor!
With several models and house sizes to choose from, each Deltec home comes with a protection guarantee. In fact, the company's buildings have so far survived some of the most detrimental storms in US history, including direct hits from Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina. Shell prices begin at just $311,000 (£251k), while a full turnkey home will set you back around $1 million (£808k) – but you can't put a price on safety.
Positioned in an extreme flood zone on Camano Island in Washington, USA, Tsunami House is perfectly suited to its environment. Crafted by the team at Designs Northwest Architects, the property can withstand high-velocity tsunami waves, 85 mph winds and Zone D earthquakes. As far as impenetrable properties go, this house is hard to beat.
The waterfront residence might be ultra-tough, but its interior is cosy and inviting. Inside, Tsunami House is modern and bright, thanks to whitewashed walls, pops of colour and endless glass. Covering three floors, the house features a lower level with walls and windows that break away in the event of a storm surge. Consequently, the flexible, multi-use space is known as the 'Flood Room'.
The sturdy modernist structure comes with an open-plan great room with a kitchen, living area and dining space, as well as two bedrooms – one of which is located on a 198-square-foot sleeping loft that faces the water. Durable and low-maintenance, the exterior is clad in metal and Vivix siding that can stand up to the elements, while across the living spaces you can find a palette of polished concrete, porcelain tiles, milled steel and western red cedar for a warm industrial feel.
The 'Flood Room' not only offers spectacular coastal views, but also features a cool indoor-outdoor atmosphere, thanks to a set of industrial garage doors that neatly tuck up into the ceiling. There to protect the main residence from deadly flooding, this airy space fuses skillful design with stylish finishes.
Designed by architects Ian Weir and Kylie Feher, this modernist masterpiece was carefully curated to survive the extreme bushfires that regularly sweep across Western Australia.
Industrial-grade materials were carefully used to withstand a Bushfire Attack Level of BAL-40, one of the highest measures possible. The modern house also has extra-robust shutters, which can be used throughout the year to manage the levels of sunlight and glare that enter through the windows.
The property is also highly energy-efficient and features fireproof masonry walls, a suspended concrete floor and fire-retardant insulation. As well as being extremely safe, the home has an attractive contemporary aesthetic, offering the perfect balance between practicality and kerb appeal.
Designed to suit even the most inhospitable parts of North America, this attractive round house has more to offer than style. Designed by Deltec Homes, the single-storey dwelling offers 1,496 square feet of inside space and an exterior that's capable of surviving extreme storms and even hurricane-force winds.
Open-plan and filled with natural light, the house features a lounge, a dining area, a kitchen, three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms. Fives times more airtight than a regular home, the storm-resistant property is also extremely insulated to make it as energy-efficient as possible. Plus, every single aspect of the house, from the painted siding to the windows, can be customised to suit the individual owner and their chosen plot.
Every single space in this chic home is bright and airy, thanks to a subtle colour scheme, natural building materials and ample windows. Starting from just $163,000 (£132k) for a shell, you can get your hands on one of these round retreats in a matter of months, thanks to Deltec Homes' custom prefabrication process.
Yet that's not all. Each Deltec home is constructed in a controlled environment and manufactured using 100% renewable energy. The company also follows a unique building method that means they can greatly reduce their construction waste, with 80% of their excess materials being reused, recycled or donated to other projects. How's that for eco-friendly?
Known as The Arctic Hideaway, or Fordypningsrommet Fleinvaer to the locals, these tiny cabin retreats can be found on the wild island of Fleinvær, in the northern-most region of Norway. Positioned in the heart of the Arctic Circle, building here presented numerous challenges for the project's designers, TYIN Tegnestue Architects.
Surrounded by the Lofoten mountain range, the hideaway sits on the very edge of the sea and is exposed to extreme weather all year round. Such a harsh environment led the architects to design raised huts that could withstand the brutality of the wild and windswept island.
The hideaway was designed for a jazz musician, who wanted to create a beautiful workspace where artists could meet, escape and be inspired by the landscape. The cluster of cabins offers pared-back design with Scandinavian touches and plenty of exposed natural materials, including timber and cork. Extensive picture windows frame incredible views across Fleinvær that are sure to inspire residents.
Positioned in one of Europe's most severe and ruthless environments, the Glass Pavilion finds itself in the midst of the Gorafe Desert, in the enchanting Spanish region of Andalusia.
The impressive glass structure was designed by Slovenian studio OFIS Arhitekti to withstand extreme heat and solar glare, with the temperature in this part of the world peaking at over 40°c. With no means of protection or shade, the building uses insulated Guardian SunGuard glass, which cleverly filters solar radiation to protect the pavilion's residents.
The desert house boasts 360-degree floor-to-ceiling windows instead of walls, offering incredible views across the barren landscape beyond. The glass walls are also extremely tough, meaning the building can easily withstand the area's ferocious winds.
The property's roof is made from timber and clad in mirrored panels to reflect the sunlight. Comprising three internal spaces, the glass retreat offers separate rooms for sleeping, eating and bathing and also boasts a sunken hot tub – the perfect spot for stargazing!
Designed to be erected in a similar way to IKEA furniture, this petite property lies in the rugged wilderness of Vancouver, Canada. With a distinctive black façade, the structure blends into the surrounding rocks and woodlands.
Designed by The Backcountry Hut Company, the sleek flat-pack home is both affordable and sustainable, so it won't take a toll on the environment. It was specifically created to offer an efficient housing solution for locations that are wild or difficult to reach.
Premade in a factory and assembled on-site in less than 24 hours, the forest hut benefits from a modular, prefabricated shell that's highly energy-efficient and airtight – meaning the intense Canadian winds are kept firmly outside!
The exterior of the hut is clad in metal, making it extremely durable no matter the weather. The cabin's elegant timber shell is crafted from FSC-certified lumber, while the interior features 100% recyclable materials for a zero-waste finish.
This gorgeous wooden cabin in the idyllic landscape of Kanji Dol, Slovenia, is the perfect woodland retreat to escape the rat race. Designed by Studio PIKAPLUS architects, the property was created as a shelter to withstand the region's harsh weather conditions.
The cabin features a highly durable outer shell formed from prefabricated larch wood, which blends seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. A sheet of metal across the roof helps to further stabilise the structure, while a biomass boiler and electric panels power the home.
Inside, the cabin is effortlessly modern with bare timber walls, parquet flooring and elegant finishes. Every inch of the home's interior is utilised, including compact corners and angular roof voids, where a small bedroom can be found. Sleeping up to four people, the idyllic woodland cabin proves that an all-weather home can be pretty stylish too!
These unique weather-proof cabins lie on the picture-perfect Rogaland hiking trail in Soddatjørn, Norway. This wild environment welcomes thousands of visitors each year, with its breathtaking scenery and versatile mountaineering routes. Offering the perfect respite for hikers, these lodges sit alongside the idyllic waters of Lysefjord and the Soddatjørn Mountain Lake.
Designed by KOKO Architects, the weather-proof lodges were commissioned by the Stavanger Trekking Association as self-catering accommodation for walkers embarking on this gorgeous mountain pass.
The contemporary cabins needed to be easy to maintain and quick to erect in an unpredictable environment. Each hut is built from rolled zinc, which helps the homes to resist both wind and snow, requiring very little upkeep.
Inside, the wooden cabins incorporate plenty of natural materials for a warm and cosy vibe. Scandinavian furnishings offer a pared-back, contemporary finish, while extensive glass allows for incredible panoramic vistas. Water is supplied from the lake and solar-powered lighting allows hikers to find their way back in the dark.
Built in a stark rural landscape overlooking the Rocky Mountains, this prefabricated home proves that style needn't take a backseat when you're designing a tough and durable building.
This sustainable home offers insulated timber walls, with overlapping eaves to protect the property from extreme weather. Ultra-thick windows and doors plus a heat-insulated basement mean that the home can withstand virtually anything Mother Nature throws its way.
Custom-built by WeberHaus, the eco home has a rainwater harvesting system, which recycles rain for domestic use and uses solar power to produce hot water. Best of all, the home is topped by an enchanting roof terrace, framing uninterrupted views across the mountains.
Perched on Storfjellet mountain in the wilds of southwestern Norway, this breathtaking hiking cabin was designed by Spinn Arkitekter for The Norwegian Trekking Association. Featuring a faceted wooden façade, the domed structure reflects the surrounding Arctic landscape, camouflaging it within the rocky terrain.
To protect the snug mountain cabin from snow, the front door is recessed, accessed via a small deck tucked beneath the roof. The distinctive design was tested against a wind simulator to ensure it could withstand the weather conditions on the mountain before being transported to the site.
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