In the 21st century, Bangkok, Jakarta and Manila will be among the 20 mega-cities in the world, each with a population of over 10 million. Now more than ever, urban houses in Asia need to meet the challenges of space constraints, the high cost of land, heat and humidity, pollution and privacy. The urban house must do "more with less" and show how small can be beautiful. Using examples from India, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, this book is a showcase for solutions to urban and suburban living in the tropics. There are sections on row or terrace houses, detached houses, courtyard houses, family compounds asnd cluster houses. Demonstrating that courtyards, air wells and terraces are all features that can bring a sense of oasis and calm to city dwellers, the book illustrates houses which reinterpret vernacular traditions and others which have been influenced by the international architecture scene.