Although societies have transformed through the ages, wealth never truly seems to go out of style. That said, the manner in which it is expressed continually adapts to each successive cultural epoch. As a consequence of evolving social mores and emerging technologies, the ideal of ?luxury? and ?splendour? sees priorities shift from opulence to subtlety, from tradition to innovation, and from visual ornamentation to physical comfort.

© Kazunori Fujimoto

Although societies have transformed through the ages, wealth never truly seems to go out of style. That said, the manner in which it is expressed continually adapts to each successive cultural epoch. As a consequence of evolving social mores and emerging technologies, the ideal of ?luxury? and ?splendour? sees priorities shift from opulence to subtlety, from tradition to innovation, and from visual ornamentation to physical comfort.AD Classics are ArchDaily's continually updated collection of longer-form building studies of the world's most significant architectural projects. In these ten examples of "high-end" residences, which represent centuries of history across three separate continents, the ever-changing nature of status, power and fine living is revealed.
Palazzo Santa Sofia / Giovanni Bon (1430)AD Classics: Palazzo Santa Sofia / The Ca d?Oro
Built during a time of unprecedented prosperity in the Venetian Republic, the Pa...