Few homes are fit to host large parties complete with a costumed relay race, a water-balloon toss and a Jell-O eating contest, but for homeowners Lisa and Michael Rubenstein, it's precisely the kind of celebration their house was designed for. With its broad layout and views of a sleek pool set into a seemingly endless carpet of emerald grass, the house has the feeling of a vacation getaway. There's a full complement of resort activities, including a mini-golf green and paddle-tennis court for the kids and a bocce ball court for the adults.

Their son Ben, who uses a wheelchair, inspired the Rubensteins to think about a single-story home. Once they located the nearly two-acre property, a friend referred them to architect Randy Grange, the principal of TRG Architects. The Rubensteins' project was quite different from Grange's previous projects. Not only was contemporary architecture a better match for their casual sensibilities, the family also had a modern-day interest in green building.