Delta Shelter by Olson Kundig Architects

With more than 50 percent of the world's population now living in cities, it's inevitable that we are going to see more and more demand for 'retreats' and weekend homes out in the wild. This particular example lies in Mazama, WA, USA, and offers great views to surrounding trees and mountains. Although it appears small in comparison to its surroundings, it's a 300 square meter living space spread over three floors, the kitching and living room being on top. The perhaps most interesting feature of the house is the way it can be closed up when the owner isn't there using a manual crank, seen on the pictures above.