The top March 2018 eco architecture designs explore a range of forward-thinking ideas through small-space accommodations, dome-shaped structures, energy-neutral spaces, floating structures and the use of locally sourced materials.
Designers and architects are creating ultra-functional small spaces in tiny trailers and repurposed shipping containers, painting a picture for a sustainable living spaces—and lifestyles of the future. Within this theme, compact dome-shaped designs are being favored, as seen in egg-shaped Ecocapsules and the Ecocamp by Patagonia.
To further address concerns with limited land space, a number of designs are swapping traditional foundations for floating forms on water. Some of the most notable examples of this include the energy-neutral Haarlem Shuffle in Holland and the LAVIT hotel in France, both of which are situated on bodies of water.
Top 25 Eco Architecture Ideas in March
25
Interlocking Home Construction Kits
Brikawood Uses Eco-Friendly Wooden Bricks to Build Houses
24
Sustainable Ring-Shaped Arctic Hotels
The Svart Hotel in Norway is Designed to Be Energy-Positive
23
Sustainable Camping Domes
Ecocamp by Patagonia is an Eco-Friendly Camping Option in Chile
22
Traditionally Built Adventure Cabins
Troll's Peak Cabin Was Built to Withstand the Elements
21
Naturally-Inspired Artistic Boutiques
Zak Ik Boasts a Wonderful, Natural and Immersive Environment
20
Shipping Container Hotels
Studio Edwards Uses a Trio of Containers for Weekend Getaways
19
Egg-Shaped Micro Homes
The Ecocapsule Features Off-Grid Technology for Eco-Friendly Dwelling
18
Symmetrical Artistic Studios
Casa Ecs Boasts an Extremely Balanced Architectural Design in Italy
17
Energy-Neutral Floating Villas
Haarlem Shuffle is Located in the Spaarne River in North Holland
16
Modern Eco-Friendly Neighborhoods
Fabrica De Arhitectura Creatde an Eco-Friendly Community
15
Floating Eco-Friendly Hotel Suites
Atelier LAVIT's Hotel is Situated in Southeastern France
14
Pint-Sized Trailer Dwellings
This Tiny Trailer Home Befits an on-the-Go Outdoorsy Lifestyle
13
Extended Modern Cottages
Nick Deaver Architects Reinforce This Structure with Metal and Glass
12
Roof Garden Building Designs
Penda Conceptualizes a Self-Sufficient Home in Kassel, Germany
11
Nature-Focused Skyscrapers
A Large Eco-Skyscraper is Being Built with an Expansive Forest
10
Glass-Encapsulated Modern Offices
Second Home's Adaptable Design is a Unique Space for Innovators
9
Mountainous Eco-Resorts
This Massive Vietnamese Resort Respects the Local Ecosystem
8
Atrium-Incorporating Workspaces
Studio Rhe Revealed a 10-Storey Atrium in a London Office
7
Refurbished Treehouse Designs
This Treehouse in Aspen Was Remade for a Charity Auction
6
Multi-Use Green Buildings
The New Nordic Light Building Will Be Covered in Greenery
5
Weathered Steel House Exteriors
Faulkner Architects's Design is Shaded by Large Oak Trees
4
Environment-Accommodating Skyscrapers
The Symbiotic Towers are Designed for the Dubai Landscape
3
Locally Sourced School Buildings
This Texas Engineering School's Building is Beautifully Designed
2
Modern Education Hubs
The Emma and Georgina Bloomberg Center at Cornell Tech Has a High-End Design
1
Custom Net-Zero Homes
'Bone Structure' Builds Homes That Produce All the Energy They Need
Related Ideas
Turbine-Based Retreats
Blade-Made Uses Wind Turbine Nacelle to Create Compact Living
Modular Trailer-Free Tiny Homes
The Vagabond Haven Evergreen is Small Yet Spacious
Adaptable Prefab Tiny Homes
Tree Tents Birdhouse Modular is Highly Customizable
Terraced Tiny Living
The Park Tiny Home Elevates Compact Living with a Rooftop Terrace
Triple-Story Prefab Tiny Houses
The DQTower Maximizes Land Usage by Building Upwards
Senior-Friendly Single-Floor Tiny Homes
The Mark VI - VIC is Made from a Single Shipping Container
Recycled Tiny Houses
Shadow House by Matti Kuittinen Uses Waste Materials for Full-Scale Living
Floating Canopy Homes
The Holocene House Concept Integrates Water & Architectural Geometry
Shipping Container Villas
Backcountry Containers' Vermont Villa Has Modular a Sauna & Rooftop Deck
Modular Tiny Home Designs
The Vettel Haus Tiny Home Masters the Art of Living Large
Two-Trailer Compact Homes
The Bowerbird by Unplgd Tiny Homes is Luxe Small Living
Ethereal Feminine Tiny Homes
The Plume Botanical Hut Tiny House Prioritizes Stylish Versatility
Multifunctional Tiny Homes
Julia is a 290-Square-Foot Tiny House by with Convertible Living Zones
Ultra-Efficient Tiny Homes
The Hirondelle Tiny House Offers Remote Workers a Affordable Retreat
Disaster-Resilient Hospitality Concepts
Margot Krasojević Presents an Emergency Hotel Concept
Contemporary Rural Dwellings
StudioAC's South Bay House Reinterprets Rural Canadian Architecture
Climate-Responsive Prefab Homes
The Drop Pod House Adapts to Floods and Unexpected Guests
Affordable Timber Cabins
The Nature Pod Cabin Delivers Low-Cost Rustic Scandinavian Living
Container Workplace Complexes
Agrosemillas Offices by Impepinable Studio Reuse Shipping Containers
Off-Grid Tiny Houses
Duna is a Compact Off-Grid Tiny House Designed for Full-Time Living Comfort
Urban Ecological Design Projects
Henning Larsen Designs Bidadari Park in Singapore
Low Footprint Compact Houses
The Nano Micro House is an Affordable Living Solution
Greenhouse Office Pavilions
Office for Roundtable + JXY Studio Create Multifunctional Office
Modern Timber Lake Houses
nARCHITECTS Completes the CLT House Nestled in Hudson Valley Forests
Shape‑shifting Retreats
This Modular Off‑Grid House Adapts to Natural Sites with Expandable Walls
Solar Timber Residences
The Forest Edge House by Marc Thorpe Uses Off-Grid Systems
Floating Art Museums
Tadao Ando’s Dubai Museum of Art Embraces Light, Water and Heritage
Modern Prefabricated Residential Projects
Palette Architecture Designs the Sleek Shift House
Reimagined Minimal Parisian Apartments
The Minimalist Cocoon Apartment Maximizes Function in Paris
Ultra-Minimalist Compact Dwellings
ADRO Reimagines Compact Living in Hong Kong
Thoughtful Residential Architecture Projects
Hacienda Wabi by RA! is Situated in Tulum's Jungles
Pointy Modular Hospitality Architecture
Roman & Dmytro Seliuk Designs the Futuristic Namety Cabins
Contemporary Wooden Dwellings
MJARC Arquitectos Designs House Douro Wood in Portugal
Compact Modular Forest Cabins
The Digital House Showcases Plug‑in Construction in the Forest
Minimalist Stealthy Luxe Retreats
The Tiny Auro Cabin Offers Compact Luxury in Chile’s Wilderness
Eco Living Vertical Towers
The Eden Rise Vertical Eco Living Community Integrates Food Production
Hydro-Positive Microhomes
Living on Groundwater Rewires a 25 M² Residence to Recharge Aquifers
Coastal Timber Retreats
The Casa Guaecá Project Reinterprets Beach House Living Through Structure
Off-Grid Forest Retreats
The Nest Cabin by Daria Sheina Studio is Made with Stacked Volumes
Reimagined Micro Homes
The Mark VI Vic Tiny House Champions Comfort in Compact Form
Rest-Focused Golf Structures
Dubbeldam Architecture + Design Develops the Golf Pavilion
Curved Green Roof-Topped Museums
Atelier Alter Architects Designs the Sunner Museum in China
Sustainable Off-Grid Remote Retreats
Daria Sheina Studio Designs the Nest Home in Canada
Geodesic Bioceramic Dome Homes
Geoship Introduces Geodesic Dome Models for Human Living
Wooden Ship-Inspired Housing Complexes
Steven Holl Architects Present the Meander Housing
Eco‑tiny Sanctuarys
The TIGÍN Tiny Homes Reimagine Starter Living with a Hemp-Clad Design
Artistic Lakeside Retreats
Ely Retreat Blends Modern Cabin Living with a Serene Creative Studio
Minimalist Concrete Complexes
Ryuichi Sasaki Architecture Completes a Residential Project in Tokyo
Eco-Focused Family Housing
Rewild Homes Moves Environmental Design into Realistic Living
All-Glass Mesmerizing Compact Homes
Elsewhere Pods Designs the Tiny Beaufort Bushland Retreat
Compact Sustainable Homes
Quadrapol Introduces the Cabana as a Tiny Dwelling That Rethinks Space
Eco-Friendly Self-Care Community Centers
Space Available Creates the Self Care Community Center
Organically Printed Homes
The Lib Earth House Showcases Soil-Based 3d Printing Custom Living
Forest-Edge Timber Homes
Timbertop House by Atelier Kastelic Buffey Anchors in Canada’s Woods
Elevated Flood Refuge Homes
The Lift House Reimagines a Red Cottage That Rises with Flood Waters
Sustainable Canopy Pavilions
The Casa Solai Frames Ocean and Jungle Through a Dual-Pavilion Design
Compact Urban Dwellings
Miami Tiny House Applies Modern Design to a Small Residential Footprint
Modular Workplace Architecture Trends
DualSpace Studio Debuted the Adapatable 'ELIT Office'
Sustainable Educational Architecture Projects
CURA Architekten Presents a Project in Switzerland
Bamboo Forest Structures
This Amazon Rainforest Pavilion Explores Biomimicry in Architectural Form
Inversion Living Concepts
The Tiny Getaway Explores Upside-Down Living in Compact Spaces
Humanitarian Sleep Pod Designs
NapBox Highlights an Enclosed Sleep Pod Designed by Three Students
Nature-Shared A-Frame Homes
Kumiki Architects Designs a New Triangular Holiday Homes
Moon-Bound Architectural Installations
The Moonhouse Project Fuses Conceptual Art and Space Tech
Timber Alpine Shelters
Carlo Ratti Associati’s Self-Sufficient Bivouac for 2026 Winter Olympics
Elevated Budget-Friendly Hotel Designs
Ester Bruzkus Architekten Designs Münster Ibis Budget Hotel
Solar Powered Compact Homes
The E55000 Modular Off Grid Home Brings Expandable Living Upfront
Compact Shelter Designs
Zodiac Building Accommodation Uses Modular Pods for Flexible Living Space
Glowing Sphere Art Pavilions
RAU Architects and Tellart Preset the Netherlands Pavilion
Cost-Conscious Installation Competitions
The Tallinn Architecture Biennale Debuts Budget Bougie
Modern Scandinavian Compact Homes
Dragon Tiny Homes Unveils the Kemi 2025 Model
Modern Mobile Cabin Concepts
HYTTE Mobile Home Concept by RE:BURO Reimagines Rv Living
Rammed Earth Galleries
The Museum Ehrhardt by Kéré Architecture in Plüschow, Germany
Lightweight Timber Home Designs
Espiral Arquitectos Designs the Los Pinos House
Architecture Art Exhibitions
The Eames Houses Exhibition Presents Models and Full-Scale Structures
Sustainable Semi-Detached Homes
V8 Architects Presents the Villa Residu Design in the Netherlands
Hilltop Modern Retreats
The Cloud House Transforms a Hudson Valley Site into a Serene Eco Home
Organic Cliffside Retreats
The Intaaya Retreat by Pablo Luna Studio Draws on Oceanic Forms
Pool Reinvention Campuses
The Waltham Forest College Pool Chanfe Becomes a Flexible Teaching Hub
Nature-Rooted Family Retreats
The Haus Am Lagnesberg Blends Art, Family Life, and Natural Design
Organic Coastal Homes
Diachok Architects' Coastal Villa Brings Sculptural Living to Brisbane
Living Structure-Based Pavilions
The Picoplanktonics is This Year's Canada Pavilion
Segmented Lightflow Art Pavilions
Marine Tabassum Creates a Capsule in Time Pavilion
Forest-Treetop Retreats
The MORE Cabin Floats 60 Feet Above the Forest on a Single Post
Scenic Sustainable House Designs
ONUS Architecture Studio Presents the Breathtaking Horizon House
Climate-Adaptive Tropical Homes
The Ocean Eye House Influenced Today’s Climate-Responsive Design
Sustainable Dome Villas
The Belalu Dome Villa Offers Sustainable Charm Wrapped in Organic Form
Japanese-Inspired Recycled Pavilions
Second Edition's Love Shack is Made of Recycled Materials
Interactive Architectural Pavilions
The Folding Landscape Pavilion Turns Design into a Living Lens
Coastal Sculptural Events Spaces
TAO Introduces the Echo Hall Design in the Shandong Province
Eco-Friendly Rainforest Resorts
Wow Architects Reveals Design for Mandai Rainforest Resort
Lush Garden Housing Designs
Monadnock Unveils Vibrant Volante Social Housing in the Netherlands
Urban Food Ecosystems
This Living Sphere Presents a Self Contained Food Production System
Culinary Research Landmarks
The Gastronomy Open Ecosystem Unites Education and Innovation
Floating Sauna Pavilions
Watercave Floating Sauna by Rabagast Studio Responds to Norway’s Fjords
Sculptural Hostel Designs
VMA Design Studio Presents the Stunning Double B Hostel
Modern Vietnamese Dwellings
Tien Giang House by Tropical Space Honors Traditional Architecture
Mountain‑inspired Residences
The Echo Villa Home Channels Taiwan’s Mountains into Sculptural Form
Barcon-Negative Architecture
Living Bio‑cement Architecture's Picoplanktonics Captures Co₂
Floating Courtyard Homes
The BAAN O+O Home Floats Above Khao Yai on Steel Structure
Outdoor Living-Focused Tower Designs
OODA Designs the Miramar Tower in Porto, Portugal
Biomaterial Interior Design
Spring Studio Forms Sustainable Interiors for World Heritage Centre
Education Architecture Expansions
Rainbow International School Extends with Nature Spatial Design
Dome-Style School Designs
The Al Fanar School Blends Playful Form and Climate-Responsive Learning
Intimate High-Altitude Cottages
The AltiHut Cottages Expand Mountain Refuge Ecosystem
Adaptive Backyard Studios
Love Shack Adapts Reclaimed Materials into a Multifunctional Pavilion
Traditional Sailing-Inspired Pavilions
Kengo Kuma and Team Design From the Coastline We Progress
Net Zero Research Facilities
Koffler Scientific Reserve Research Building Supports Ecology Studies
Beachside Architectural Retreat
Caam Arquitectos Opens the Suuel Hotel as a Beach Escape
Adaptive Bunker Housing
The SAR Residence by OAD Converts Military Bunkers into a Coastal Home
Serene Waterfront Pavilions
The Lake House Life Experience Pavilion Blends Architecture and Nature
Sculptural Inverted Homes
Fala Atelier’s Porto House Flips a Roof for an Expressive Architecture
Pavilion-Style Art Homes
Casa Galeria by BLOCO Architects Merges Living and Gallery Space
Floating River Cabins
Serbia’s Drifting Weekend Getaway Fuse Modular Living with Waterborne Design
Green Roof-Topped Circular Villas
Sou Fujimoto Designed the EARTH Villa in Okinawa Prefecture
Wooden Compact Thoughtful Residences
Madeiguincho Designs the Compact Barca Home
Coastal Terraced Villas
Villa Boë in Indonesia Turns Steep Slope Constraints into Design Advantage
Sustainable Country Homes
The Three Oaks Farm Redefines Low-Impact Living in Sussex Countryside
Sun-Inspired Disc-Topped Museums
SMAR Architecture Studio Designs the Science Island Museum
Thatched Roof Wildlife Retreats
Ma+rs Serenity Retreat Anchors Hillside Residence in New Zealand
Balanced Industrial Building Designs
HA-HA Design & Development Presents the Aluned Hq Project
Building-Nestled Compact Cafes
A Triangular Prism Chapel Cafe Creates Calm in Bucharest
Reinvented Compact Living
An Affordable Housing Prototype Meets Modern Needs on a Micro Scale
Plant-Based Guesthouse Designs
Sara Martinsen Designs the Rooted Potential Pavilion Using Plants
Textured Glass Landmarks
Helsinki Design and Architecture Museum Designed as Clear Public Pavilion
Earthened Architecture Pavilions
Khalil Morad El Ghilali & El Mehdi Belyasmine Design a Pavilion
Domed Shelter-Like Holiday Homes
Anastasiya Dudik Designs the HATA Building in California
Upside-Down Tiny House Layouts
Lou Tiny House Unveiled the Véronique Tiny Home Model
Lakeside Lab Hub Designs
The Boathouse Zuka Lab Adapts a Heritage Boathouse as a Research HQ
Biodiverse Floating Housing Developments
MAST Creates a Floating Neighborhood in Europe
Waterside Retreat Designs
The Bora Boréal Floating Cabins Redefine Wilderness Retreats in Quebec
Slender Alley Dwelling Revivals
The Brown House Uses Ecological Materials to Redefine Urban Infill
Vibrant Tropical Guesthouses
The Bi Design House Guesthouse Blends Local Design with Modernity
Mud Clad Restaurants
Petti Restaurant by Wallmakers Uses Earth and Marine Waste Construction
Elliptical Mushroom Pavilions
Mushroom Pavilion by OMA Organizes Cultivation and Gathering Spaces
Minimal Retail Spatial Strategies
UP2DATE Architects Debuted Messa House In Almaty
Rounded Communal Pavilions
Casa Wabi Mushroom Pavilion by Oma Cultivates Fungi and Community
Wave-Inspired Civic Halls
The Sail Congress Centre in Big Normandy Curves into Public Architecture
Vertical Rooftop Tiny Homes
Craft House Introduced The Erica Scandinavian-Finished Tiny Home
Prefabricated Micro-Retreat Designs
Péter Kotek’s NestOff Cabin by Tajga-Depo Is Made of Timber