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Tuesday 17 December 2013

17 HOUSES THAT DEFY GRAVITY


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17 houses that defy gravity
By
Mother Nature Network, 13 December 2013.

Inhabited or not, these inventive designs throw caution to the wind.

1. Dalston House in London, England

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Photo: Jellybeanz/Flickr

Created by Leandro Erlich, this public art installation uses an optical illusion to make it appear like people are climbing the walls of the house.

2. Single Hauz, designed by Frontarchitects

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Image courtesy of Frontarchitects

Single Hauz is an inhabitable billboard-style home that takes up very little space and can be built virtually anywhere. Perfect for a single tenant, Single Hauz embraces minimalist living.

3. Villa Kogelhof in Kamperland, The Netherlands

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Photo: © Jeroen Musch/Paul de Ruiter Architects

Villa Kogelhof doesn't just balance in the literal sense; this energy neutral house was designed by Paul de Ruiter Architects to balance its energy input and output.

4. Heliotrope in Freiburg, Germany

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The solar-powered Heliotrope goes beyond energy neutral as the world's first energy positive home: it actually creates its own renewable energy, without emissions. Designed by German architect Rolf Disch, the structure rotates for the most efficient exposure to the sun.

5. The Berman House in Joadja, Australia

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Photo: leaaaah/Flickr

Designed by Harry Seidler, the Berman House stretches out on a rocky cliff over a valley.

6. Cube houses (Kubuswoningen) in Rotterdam, The Netherlands

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Dutch architect Piet Blom’s cube houses used trees as an inspiration for this village of sorts, perfect for high-density, mixed-use living.

7. Residences in Glyfada, Greece

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Photo courtesy of 314 Architecture Studio

A product of 314 Architecture Studio, this building that lines the Glyfada Golf Course is another energy efficient model, containing three 3-bedroom residences.

8. Korowai tree houses

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Photo: Markus Fleute/Flickr

The Korowai people of southeastern Papua live in treehouses among the canopy of the dense vegetation.

9. The Mushroom House in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

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Photo: Kevin Trotman/Flickr

This one-bedroom Mushroom House was created by architect Terry Brown. It's also known as the TreeHouse.

10. Steel House in Ransom Canyon, Texas, USA

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The cavernous look of architectural sculptor Robert Bruno's Steel House almost makes it seem as though it belongs to the natural scenery. But from the outside, viewers wonder about its stability.

11. Sutyagin House in Arkhangelsk, Russia

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Also known as the Gangster House, the Sutyagin House stood 13 stories tall and was completely made out of wood. Its precarious structure challenged the laws of gravity until it was demolished in 2008.

12. Terunobu Fujimori's Tea Houses

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Photo: Kenta Mabuchi'/Flickr; Takato Murui/Flickr; Jacomejp/Flickr

The imagination of architect Terunobu Fujimori comes alive in his suspended and perched tea houses, which sit in perfect balance among the treetops.

13. Upside Down House in Szymbark, Poland

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Photo: Ken Gordon/Flickr

Visitors can walk inside the roof's window and see a house furnished 1970s-style, with socialist propaganda displayed on the old television.

"This house is a warning about the path we are taking," designer Daniel Czapiewski said in a YouTube video. "Mankind is spoiling this world and only mankind can fix it."

14. H3 House in Athens, Greece

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Photo courtesy of 314 Architecture Studio

Another 314 Architecture Studio design, this house uses the elements to create an environmentally-friendly abode.

15. Free Spirit Spheres in British Columbia, Canada

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Photo: agata/Flickr

Similar to sailboats in design and tree nuts in shape, Free Spirit Spheres can be rented for less than a hotel room in the city, with the added bonus of being rocked to sleep with gently blowing wind.

16. Hospedería del Errante in Chile

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Photo: Sue W/Flickr

Though it may look like it has suffered from some kind of natural disaster, this house is actually inhabitable.

17. Pod House in Perinton, New York, USA

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This structure was created in the early 1970s and stands today as both a town landmark and a private residence. Each of the four pods has a specific purpose, and altogether they form a 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom house.

Top image: Villa Kogelhof. Credit: © Jeroen Musch/Paul de Ruiter Architects.

[Source: Mother Nature Network. Edited. Top image and links added.]


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