If the greatest trick of the devil is to convince the world that he does not exist, then perhaps the cleverest trick of the architect is to make a building disappear.

This small house by Satoshi Kurosaki is a masterclass on how to maximise light and openness in a hemmed-in urban plot. 

Japan has long been a playground for residential architects, who have to be extra creative in order to squeeze the maximum amount of space into restricted plots.  

The residents of this house in the Anhui province of China may think of themselves as recluses, but there is no chance of staying out of the spotlight with a home as beautifully harmonious as this.

If cleanliness is next to godliness then simplicity must be the favourite companion of the design gods.

Clerkenwell may now be synonymous with architects and furniture showrooms, but beneath this genteel veneer lies a deep industrial heritage with brewers, jewellers and printers once jostling for space around its narrow streets.

It is a dream of many to have an urban abode surrounded by nature, a circle which is squared beautifully by Melbourne-based Zen Architects.

If architecture is about creating grand design statements, this extraordinary family house in Vienna certainly succeeds in projecting its style and personality.  

The shores of Lake Michigan are not part of the prairies, but this distinctive house designed by Desai Chia Architecture and Environment Architects certainly evoke the spirit and grandeur of the great plains.

Container conversions are nothing new, but few are as stylish and luxurious as the ones from Australia-based Contained.

Fantasy homes require architects with imagination and daring, qualities which French architect Cyril Lancelin clearly has in abundance.

Seatle-based architects Olson Kundig is renowned for their designs of palatial residences.