Luxury Living: Contemporary architecture

This contemporary residence by multi-award-winning Belzberg Architects was designed to take full advantage of its setting above Hollywood’s Sunset Strip. The minimalist interiors abound with state-of-the-art amenities, such as smart-home automation, a movie screening room and gym, and quality finishes including frameless glass doors and designer bathrooms. The home’s five bedrooms include a master suite cantilevered above the pool that features a spa bathroom with spectacular views of Los Angeles.

This sleek contemporary villa is set against a bucolic landscape in the tranquil village of Bosch en Duin, near Utrecht. Nearly 10 years in the making, the residence takes inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater in rural Pennsylvania, offering 23,000 square feet of exquisite craftsmanship across seven levels. It also boasts amenities including a wellness centre, swimming pool, gym and movie theatre.

On the finest site in Dalkey, south of Dublin City and overlooking Dublin Bay and the Wicklow Mountains, Mount Alverno is the recent creation of renowned Irish architectural firm de Blacam and Meagher. The home’s two-story layout balances the reception areas, five bedroom suites and manicured one-acre gardens, and maximises the property’s spectacular elevated position, resulting in a seamless integration with the natural topography of the Dublin coastline.

This elegant waterfront mansion commands two acres on the shores of Vhay Lake in the exclusive Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills. The 6,653-square-foot main house is arrayed with luxury and high-tech features such as granite floors, geothermal heating and an elevator. There are five bedrooms, including a master wing with two spa bathrooms, a separate guest house, and a lower-level recreation area with a wine cellar and gym. The wooded two-acre grounds include terraced patios, a putting green and a lakefront swimming pool.

At one with its sublime desert setting, this contemporary residence is characterised by unique rooflines and large walls of glass that frame panoramic views of Phoenix and the Salt River Valley. The great room, boasting 30-foot-high ceilings and limestone floors, opens to an extensive terrace with a pool and spa, while the second-floor master suite has its own viewing deck. Other features include Crestron home automation and a solar-panelled roof.