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Design Your Life

letters • My first response to the lead photo presenting a steel shell was “more desert nonsense” [“Joshua Tree Unplugged,” May/June]. My more considered response after exploring the article was,“This is thoughtful and cool.” It has an economy of means spatially. However, having water delivered to a tank seems an inconvenient anomaly with all the tech featured. But given how thoughtful the project is, I wouldn’t second-guess the designer.

Verbatim, what’s the most unusual question or command you’ve put to your voice assistant (Siri, Alexa, Google, • While it may seem like magic compared to the grind of regular construction, having a home delivered comes with its own headaches. We asked readers and experts for a prefab reality check.

Yellow Time Machine • A couple rework a ’60s house in London with loads of color.

Build the Future • In an age in which technology is touted as the answer to everything, the line between disruption and disarray—unicorns and mules—can be hard to discern. We take a hard look at the state of connectivity and innovation in the home and beyond.

Will algorithms be the new architects? • Architecture is the latest field to feel the double-edged sword of computerization.

Will we innovate a solution to water scarcity? • Ancient and emerging technologies promise sustainable answers to water shortages.

Will 3D printing solve the affordable housing crisis? • 3D printing’s impact on construction is slowly materializing.

Will smart cities make life easier … for everyone? • The Internet of Things has the power to make cities infinitely friendlier for seniors and people with disabilities.

Will your first smart home arrive on a flatbed? • Factory-made houses may have an advantage when it comes to automation.

Will we ever really own flying cars? • Our undying obsession soars into the 21st century.

Is Your Home Spying on You? • The smart home is the latest front in the battle over privacy and data rights.

Revolutionary New Paint Offers Unique Rich Color and Luxurious Feel

Naoto Fukasawa • The designer who (co)wrote the book on “super normal” talks Muji minimalism, and Jasper Morrison,.

Sound Clout • In a world awash with cheap electronics, Grado Labs is in its seventh decade of crafting top-flight headphones largely by hand.

Land Before Time • On an undulating stretch of California coastline, a hidden guesthouse runs free of the grid.

Come From Away • A Manhattan pied-à-terre provides a homey retreat for Canadians who frequently visit New York

Twice Burned • In a clearing in a Maryland forest, a sanctuary emerges from the chaos of a fire, supported by charred wood walls.

LIFE MIMICS ART • IN RENO, TWO ART WORLD VETERANS MAKE A HOME WITHIN AN ABSTRACT SCULPTURE MADE OF CONCRETE, GLASS, AND METAL.

The Great Northern • A Washington family breaks free from suburbia, resettling in a sylvan valley outside of Seattle.

Learning by Doing • After a few stabs at realizing their dream home, a couple hit the mark with an exquisitely modern domicile in Palo Alto.

Bunker Mentality • Wearing a helmet of steel, a New Zealand home burrows into the ground to shield itself from the howling winds off Lake Wanaka.

Staying in Character • A Los Angeles bungalow keeps its roots while growing to accommodate three generations.

This Is Just the Beginning

Expansion Pack • An architect adds bookends to her childhood home in western Pennsylvania, becoming the third generation to make its mark.

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