Though there may be distinctions between a house and a home, the fact remains that the fundamental ideas of shelter, life and death are intertwined with the architecture of the commonplace in every dwelling, from cave to castle. The house can be a measure of civilization, wealth, or, indeed, intelligence; it is a barometer of existence. Depending on the architect and the client, a house can be at the very cutting edge of architecture, casting aside notions of the past in search of a new paradigm; it can accept the rules of urbanism while standing them on their head. It can float in the air or emerge from the depths of the earth. Where factors of cost may limit civic architecture to tried and trusted methods, some houses break all the rules, and help architecture to move forward.

This book is not about decoration, nor is it a practical guide to building one's own house. It is, rather, a search that may lead the willing reader from Patagonia in Argentina to the cliffs of Dover Heights, Australia to see some of the most remarkable houses built in the past five years.

Philip Jodidio studied art history and economics at Harvard University, and was editor in chief of the leading French art journal Connaissance des Arts for over two decades. He has published numerous articles and books on contemporary architecture, including TASCHEN's Architecture Now! series, Building a New Millennium, and monographs on Tadao Ando, Santiago Calatrava, Norman Foster, Richard Meier, Jean Nouvel, and Álvaro Siza.