For beekeepers looking to add a little architecture to their urban or rural back yards, enter Bubees, a top-bar system that is sustainable, functional, and attractive. Designed by Steve Steere, a commercial artist and beekeeper from Malibu, California, top bar systems mimic the ways bees behave in nature.

The hive features 24 bars under which bees build combs. To harvest honey, simply lift out a bar and cut off the comb. Bubees are made almost entirely of reclaimed wood, and painted with a non-toxic milk finish. They have an observation window and are 4-feet-tall, which makes working comfortable and keeps vermin away.  -Lynn Felici-Gallant