Budgets aren't what they used to be, houses are smaller, and lifestyles are changing rapidly. Clients today want flexible space, and when climate allows, even the distinctions between indoors and out are dissolving.

How to make the most of a narrow lot, how to use every square foot of living space, while also responding to rising ecological concerns, and skyrocketing energy bills – the answer is clearly the small, innovative house, as examples from Chile to Tokyo show. This truly unique compendium presents cutting-edge ideas for small residences from the world of international architecture and interiors built within the past five years.

Featuring the world's most innovative traditional and nontraditional tree houses and beach houses, city residences and experimental structures, this handy format contains concise text that puts the homes into architectural contexts and provides further insight into their various styles, from modern to classic. Today, with reduced budgets many architects have turned in a more focused way to create works that may be diminutive in their dimensions but are definitely big when it comes to trendsetting ideas.

All of these share the effort to make the most of space, to innovate and to offer clients more for their money. From world-famous names (Steven Holl, Todd Saunders, and Tadao Ando) to the freshest new talent, this book discovers architectural invention on a whole, new small scale.

Small Innovative Houses is international in scope and covers stunning places in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.