This modern villa in southern France combines textured concrete and warm wood to create harmony between the house and its surroundings. A considerable portion of the ground plan is dedicated to a covered concrete patio that’s accessed via swivelling floor-to-ceiling glass panels in the living room.

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A circular skylight carved into the patio canopy allows occupants to dine under the sky, whilst being shielded from direct sunlight. It also opens up the living room and kitchen to natural daylight, which is especially beneficial during the darker winter months. Designed by Pascual Architecte, this unique feature gives the house an unexpected twist, accentuating its modern minimalist feel.

Inside, a minimalist aesthetic is accentuated with the use of concrete, weathered hardwood and glass as the main building materials. Built by Join Constructions, polished concrete floors create a smooth finish that brightens up the interior, while sliding glass panels allow access to the pool area.

An open-plan kitchen/dining room with a pale concrete ceiling elegantly slopes towards the ocean, while a combination of polished concrete and hardwood furnishings enhance the overall minimalist feel of the property. More full-length glass opens the kitchen out onto a concrete terrace. 

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Created by Buenos Aires architect studio Luciano Kruk, this one-storey concrete house on the coastline of Costa Esmeralda combines wood board-imprinted concrete with wood, glass panels and a metal frame to form a quick-build home that's as cost-effective as it is beautiful. 

This compact modern home was designed by architects Terra e Tuma for an elderly lady living in the Vila Matilde community in São Paulo, Brazil. Built on a budget, affordable blocks and slabs of concrete were used as the primary building material to construct this home in a particularly narrow space.

A small green courtyard provides welcome light, ventilation and a private shaded area for residents to enjoy the outdoors. The property’s upper level offers a guest room and rooftop terrace where a flourishing vegetable garden currently grows. 

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With its distinctive striped facade, this two-storey house on the leafy outskirts of Icheon-si, South Korea, proves that concrete can be used in a playful and creative way. Stretching 2,239 square feet, this unique residence was the work of innovative architects STPMJ.

Wood-framed windows and sliding glass doors allow in sunlight while giving access to the private courtyard. Solid timber elements in the kitchen, living room and bathroom create a connection between the house and the surrounding forest landscape, softening and warming its cool concrete walls and floors. 

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Designed by 35a Studio, the house contains two mezzanine sleeping areas, both of which overlook the living room below. An abundance of natural light filters each room with a little help from thoughtfully-spaced loft windows.

Designed by NOARQ, the property contains three bedrooms, a master suite and two smaller rooms. All bedrooms have been kept minimal in design with raw concrete slab walls and wooden floors. Wood-framed glass panels lift the concrete walls, flooding each room with natural light.

This single-storey house in Vietnam was constructed out of concrete blocks that were moulded and cast by its owners. A cost-effective solution to saving energy was created by constructing a perforated concrete facade which ventilates the property, keeping it cool in Vietnam's sun-drenched climate. 

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Just 246 square feet long, the property packs plenty of clever features into a small space. Using over 1300 square blocks, the geometric screen at the front of the house flanks a wall of windows that can be opened up to allow a cool breeze to flow through the main living space. This was particularly important to Khuon Studio, the project's architects, given the home's tropical location which suffers from harsh sunlight. 

Thanks to the help of S-AR Architects and the Comunidad Vitex housing project, a family of five in Monterrey, Mexico have finally realised their dream of owning their first home. Constructed out of concrete blocks, the two-storey house was as affordable to build as it is stylish.

Large glass panels create the illusion of space while allowing light to stream into the property. Charitable aid and help with construction from the local community brought the total cost of building Casa Caja down to £7,400 ($10k), making this an exceptionally cost-effective home that could pave the way for affordable housing projects in the future. 

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Designed by Wright Architects, the dwelling's interior is equally as impressive. A large open-plan living room houses the kitchen, dining zone, lounge and gym, sheltered beneath a vaulted concrete-beamed ceiling. Bedrooms flank this area in secluded wings, offering private spaces to relax and slumber.

The residence functions completely off-grid, with solar panels generating electricity and a rainwater harvesting system recycling household water. Our favourite feature, however, has to be the swimming pool, which is nestled in the internal courtyard. Just imagine taking a dip beneath the stars!

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