Mirror Houses, South Tyrol, Italy

Holding a mirror up to nature are these twin holiday homes, situated on the doorstep of Europe’s largest Alpine plateau, Alpe di Siusi. Designed by local architect Peter Pichler, the exteriors are an optical masterstroke: UV-coated mirrored glass cloaks the western façades, reflecting the dramatic contours of the Mendel mountains. Inside each house, Pichler has wrought a living room-kitchen, bedroom and bathroom out of just 25 sq m, introducing light and air via skylights. Furniture from Italian company Plank, nut wood screens and a Gervasoni Ghost sofa bed add to the sleek flexibility, while cantilevered terraces and gardens further break the boundary between dwelling and setting. A retreat firmly for outdoor types, in summer trek or bike the grasslands and pine copses of the plateau, while in winter head south-east to the ski slopes of Obereggen.