In many parts of the world, lanterns play major roles in celebrations. Their warm glow can be found across cultures, from the shining multi-colored lanterns of Asia’s Mid-Autumn Festival to Halloween’s iconic jack-o-lanterns. That cozy and festive glow has even been applied to some of our favorite lantern-like architecture projects featured on Inhabitat. Keep reading to see some of the most gorgeous glowing homes around.


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Cherry Tree House by Tom Hare

Acclaimed willow sculpture Tom Hare recently completed an enchanting glowing tree house built atop an old cherry tree. The spherical, nest-like structure is woven from willow sticks and lights up at night to cast an ethereal orange glow.

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Hus.Ett by Torsten Ottesjö

Inspired by the shape of a herring fish, the Hus.Ett is a single-room Swedish microstructure designed by Torsten Ottesjö. The beautiful forest retreat is clad in wood inside and out, and is bookended by floor-to-ceiling window, which give the tiny home its lantern-like appearance.

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Lucky Drops by Yasuhiro Yamashita

Architect Yasuhiro Yamashita designed and built the tiny “Lucky Drops” home on an extremely narrow lot in Japan. To bring in copious amounts of natural daylight, Yamashita built the micro home with curved translucent walls that frame the house like a paper lantern.

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4Treehouse by Lukasz Kos

Designed like a Japanese lantern suspended high in the air, the 4Treehouse by Lukasz Kos is a beautiful glowing structure built around the base of four existing trees. The glowing slatted treehouse appears to float among the fir trees near Lake Muskoka in Ontario, Canada.

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Writer’s Studio by WSD Architecture

This softly glowing writer’s studio is tucked away at the end of a London garden. WSD Architecture drew upon the client’s fondness for children’s books and myths and designed the tiny wooden retreat as a light-filled, fairytale-inspired sanctuary

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O2 Sustainability Treehouse by Dustin Fieder

Designer Dustin Fieder looked to the spherical Japanese paper lanterns for inspiration when he designed this glowing O2 Sustainability Treehouse. Built from 100 percent sustainable materials, the treehouse is a translucent geodesic sphere with a flexible design that can fit any tree type.

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Swamp Huts by Moskow Lin Architects

Moscow Lin Architects designed the prefabricated Swamp Huts; a series of four pitched-roof structures constructed from wooden trusses and transparent fiberglass that, when lit from within, evoke the imagery of glowing lanterns. Built with environmentally friendly practices, the huts are made from mostly locally sourced materials, and are outfitted with a composting toilet and solar shower.