Lets see, in the USA we started with cabins that lasted 50 years to stone constructions that lasted 300 years and now we have houses obsolete in 50 years.  Design HAS changed but progress is marginal.

There's been some progress in insulation, plumbing, electrical and other tech aspects but I can't really say design has progressed. It changes like fashion, what was old becomes new again as it is reinterpreted.

I think that because of cost we are more bland in many designs than years ago and that is fine

A lighthouse top?

I think they have.

I believe so

Yes. There is much better energy efficiency.

A roof over one's head...

Not as long as we still walk as bipeds.

Things go in cycles, just look at fashion.

There is a "sameness" to most of the homes I see where I live. Most are newer homes with many similar features. It takes a special house to really wow me.

 Modern materials and products have vastly changed the landscape of buildings. I have seen some very interesting ones pop up in this area. - M

Jack Lewitz advanced - yes. Longevity for these homes have gone down, though....

Not much here, but if you look at Dubai and Tokyo, those buildings wow anyone. 

I would say by design, architecture has changed significantly. It depends on which era you are referring to, for example do I believe the comparison between a log Cabin and a stick built home which were semi- insulated yes I would say a drastic improvement. Between a mid- century Eichler 60's home and today's typical tract home- digression in style and quality.

no

Yes I believe so

I think we have progressed a lot in design over the years.

Jack, great photo!  I'd love to see the floor plan.

i keep waiting for the houses of the future to come, since we are living in the future now.

as for overall deign features, we have progressed little. very little in the designers mind that wasnt planted there by past generations...but there are a few new and not so heavily used features that are different. you will see them more popular in 50 years :0

Progress is in the eyes of the beholder.

Not so much of the design. Rather it is the engineering, structure and thermal resistivity,..... Earth quake, automation ....

The design is like fashion. El Cheapo Eichler style homes are again very popular. People like open floor plan, natural lighting.... 

Those were buildings of the "future" just like cars were supposed to be flying by now. Modern architecture has progressed dramatically BUT builders like to keep building the same thing!

Having lived on both the East and West Coasts, I've seen many homes that keep the style of the area over the decades.  Southwestern homes where we now live are very, very different from Cape Cod homes in New England where I grew up, or Craftsmen homes in  So. CA.  The changes I see are on the interiors Jack Lewitz! 

I think the details have progressed but the overall designs keep coming back.

Home buyers will never accept one bath homes again or tiny closets. 

Indeed they have.  Just look at the work of Frank Gehry, buildings in Dubai, Qatar, London, , etc...lots of interesting designs and concepts

It isn't the bildings so much as the occupants therof. We're the ones who are relatively the same and until that changes the buildings will be surprisingly common in ergonomic design for the next couple of thousand years I presume.

I love the old style craftsman architecture!  

Slowly