The annual Dwell Design Awards recognize the most exceptional homes and products that we have featured throughout the year. Our 2021 jury judged the functionality and beauty of each project, taking into account the complex demands placed on the modern home. Together, the winners present an optimistic vision for how we can live more thoughtfully, sustainably, and beautifully.

Mesura designed a retreat for a family of five in the Catalonian countryside, utilizing regional and artisanal building techniques and local materials for a sustainable home that blends with the landscape. 

 "This environmentally conscious design celebrates the use of local materials and blends naturally into the landscape."

—Tosin Oshinowo, founder and principal of cmDesign Atelier 

Designed by Daniela Bucio Sistos, this brick-and-concrete residence on the outskirts of Morelia, Mexico, is anchored by a central open-air foyer that frames a library displaying the owners’ collection of more than 15,000 works.

In a remote Norwegian forest, a family home sprouts inside a luminous greenhouse.

On Bainbridge Island in Washington, Charlie Hellstern Interior Design and the Miller Hull Partnership created the first residential remodel to achieve Living Building Challenge certification. 

 "A great example of how sustainable systems are integrated into the design to make a beautiful living space in a stunning context."

—Chris Cornelius, founding principal of Studio:Indigenous

In a nature preserve outside Paris, two creative directors turned an 1892 residence into a colorful country home as an escape for their young family.

Undecorated and Studio Detroit sliced up a prefab Quonset hut to create a series of light-filled dwellings in Detroit, Michigan.

To turn a home into a permanent residence for a family of four, Rama Estudio attached a prefab glass-and-steel box that extends into the surrounding wilderness. 

With a prefab structure near Hudson, LOT-EK—the pioneers of shipping container architecture—make a new case for the genre.

This micro-house in East Austin’s Community First! Village, a development of permanent, affordable housing, was designed by Jobe Corral Architects with input from its occupant, Jesse Brown, who had previously spent 30 years without a home.

"This tiny house finds a way to not sacrifice the spaces of social interface other homes have, like a screen porch. These kinds of spaces not only raise the quality of living for the inhabitant, they create important spaces for engaging others."

Minwook Choi of Smaller Architects designed his own family home on a 355-square-foot lot in Seoul, South Korea. The project’s name, Seroro, means "vertical" in Korean—and the home consists of a tower of sunlit rooms stacked five stories high.

Thanks to their savvy with salvaged materials and knack for bartering, Nathalie and Greg Kupfer constructed this micro-cabin for less than $50 in net costs.

In Bangkok, this family residence by Looklen Architects features four different courtyards with trees that stretch beyond its double-height interiors. 

"Lovely—it gives the feeling of being elevated among the trees."

In the Roma district of Mexico City, Vertebral designed a four-unit apartment building that grants its residents access to verdant terraces.

Miró Rivera Architects celebrated this century-old home’s history while introducing a breezy addition with charismatic courtyards.

Feldman Architecture reimagined a 1960s residence for a Los Altos family, placing a circular kitchen with an oculus at the center of the home.

"This kitchen is literally the hub of the house. Brilliantly detailed and intentionally programmed."

In redesigning a Melbourne Victorian, designer Kim Kneipp used recycled wood to create a curvy, custom kitchen.

Ben Allen renovated this old Victorian in London using a rainbow of colored concrete. One of the new bathrooms is cast in mossy green with an arch motif that appears throughout the home.

"This bathroom looks like a work of art."

—Jared Blake, founder of Lichen

In designing a holiday home for a client in Hokkaido, Japan, SAAD created a bathroom with an onsen that frames views of the lush landscape.

"The easy-to-assemble Sidekick! Everyone needs this in their home."

"We love a light that looks great on or off, and this fits the bill."

"A beautifully minimalist yet functional item."

See the full list of 2021 Dwell Design Awards nominees here.

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