BUILD YOU OWN HOME From Around The World

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Ever heard the phrase “make a house a home?” We wanted to explore what truly makes up the home by deconstructing different houses from around the world, paper model style.

Think back to your childhood. Did you ever cut out your own little village? Bring back those memories with our series of photo manipulations, and get inspired by these unique architectural styles.

Minka, Japan

The hooded, thatched roofs and cedar walls of traditional Japanese homes are real works of craftsmanship. Japanese and international buyers alike are rediscovering the charm of these once-unfashionable homes.

Batak House, Indonesia

Batak housing is mostly focused on the art of sleeping. The full-length thatched roofs make for dark, cozy spaces inside while daily life is led outside. This style of house is mostly used by the Batak tribe who ascribe a philosophical value to each part of the house. The roof, for example, is considered the realm of the Gods, while the base floor is the human realm.

Cape Cod Revival House, USA

Cape Cod style homes were introduced in the 17th Century by English settlers who created a weatherproof version of their English cottage. During the 1920’s, the style made a comeback with a few adaptations. The symmetrical, Cape Cod style home is often the image of the typical house we conjure up in our minds, with the steep roof and paneled windows. Matched with wooden picket fences, the home feels quintessentially American.

Mar-del-Plata style House, Argentina

Famous for their orthoquartzite stone facades, Argentina’s coastal chalets sprung up to cater to the aspiring classes in the first half of the 20th century. Materials would be brought from all the corners of Europe to give the home a sense of sophistication and wealth.

Tico House, Costa Rica

While Tico homes can be a range of sizes to serve different people, there are a number of features that make them unmistakably “Tico.” In general terms, the rooms have low, peaked ceilings, the walls are made from cinder blocks covered in plaster and each Tico house is painted in its own bright color.

Semi-Detached Victorian House, England

The Victorian house is quintessentially British, accounting for one in six homes in the country. During the British Industrial Revolution, factory owners built these accommodations specifically for their workers. Today, the Victorian house appeals to buyers looking for something with a bit of history.

Musgum Mud Hut, Cameroon

These elegant homes are built by laying compressed, sun-dried mud over a beehive-shape of thatched reeds. Their creators work carefully with geometric forms, structuring the house around a strong catenary arch and adding exterior patterns which double as ladder-like access routes.

Queenslander, Australia

The proud Queenslander house has evolved to complement the local conditions, which makes for a large, cool and expansive detached home. Built from timber and corrugated iron around a central corridor with one or more outdoor verandas, the Queenslander is a sociable, nature-facing space.

Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station, South Korea

If you’re looking for a truly unique home that works to save the environment, we recommend taking inspiration from the living spaces of Korean climate-change researchers in Antarctica.