When you stand at the edge of a Nature House ( Naturhus , in Swedish), it’s not always clear whether you’re inside or out. These majestic glass-walled homes have existed in Sweden since 1976, when Swedish architect Bengt Warne debuted his first building in Stockholm. His idea: architecture that promotes and integrates with the environment while shielding people and plants from the harsh Scandinavian winter.

Nowadays, Fredrik Olsson of sustainable architecture firm Tailor Made Arkitekter collaborates with Greenhouse Living, a technology consultancy group, to make these striking structures. Each has a small, insulated core—the main living space—enclosed by glass, which protects the house from the elements, reduces ultraviolet radiation, minimizes outdoor maintenance, and provides a spectacular view.

In the sheltered indoor-outdoor greenhouses, Mediterranean crops—figs, peaches, grapes, kiwi, and roses—grow even when snow falls outside. Closed-loop sewage systems and solar panels further the relationship between nature and design. “My vision is to create self-sustainable housing that produces food instead of waste,” says Olsson.

Click through to explore a few of Tailor Made Arkitekter’s Nature Houses.