Modern Home Designs in the Spotlight

There's been some interesting chatter about home designs lately, with this article in The Age featuring the Grattan Institutes call for a modern day 'Small Home Service':

A modern-day version of the service, the Institute proposes, would create a think tank of architects, builders and planners to produce innovative designs for Australia's builder-developers. "This will bring together expertise from different groups," the report said, "enabling them to share innovations and to pool resources, further reducing the risk and expenditure of innovating."

And another issue, the affects of overshadowing on the booming solar trade being looked at here in this article in the Age, which notes:

More and more people are installing solar panels and solar hot water systems, growing their own vegies and adapting their houses for passive solar gain. But as they do so, they may find their desire for direct sunlight overshadowed by bigger buildings next door.

Kim Dovey, professor of architecture and urban design at The University of Melbourne, says the right to sunlight is a growing issue. 

But for a little inspiration, how would you feel about some of these ultra-modern homes in your street.