Book excerpt: This book contains new photographs of some of the most significant Scandinavian private houses from the 1930s to the present day. The houses featured vary greatly in plan, materials and construction, but are all strikingly modern. Nordic architecture is highly distinctive, characterised by a sensitivity to the tonal qualities of light, in particular the conscious use of light as the most important form-producing and space-defining element. This selection of fourteen of the most beautiful houses in Scandinavia showcases the best in Nordic architecture and the spirit of Nordic light.