We really like the relationships between interior and exterior spaces at work in the Courtyard House in Peach Garden by Takeru Shoji Architects in Niigata, Japan.  The introverted scheme manages to have a strong connection to the natural context while still screening the home from the noisy adjacent roadway.  The black siding is a take on 'Yakisugi' carbonized Japanese cedar boards which beautifully blends the modern with the traditional.  Read more about the project here.