The world's most unusual homes of 2017
lovemoney staff
17 November 2017
It's home... but not as we know it
From transparent Japanese houses to tiny homes shaped like giant eggs, we take a look at some of the ways in which architects are reshaping our understanding of residential architecture with creative and fantastical forms. One thing’s for sure, you won’t look at property in the same way again...
The Truffle, Costa da Morte, Spain
The Truffle is an experimental tiny house that looks like no other. A combination of concrete, earth and natural rock camouflages the property in its environment, blending it into the natural landscape. To enter there's a discreet opening at the back of the property, while a large picture window at the front frames stunning views of the ocean.
The Truffle, Costa da Morte, Spain
The property's interior is as minimalist as they come, consisting of a single open-plan space in which a double bed, fireplace and bathroom have been slotted into the rock. The natural stone surface protects the tiny house from the heat of the Spanish sun during the summer months.
Reversible Destiny Lofts, Tokyo, Japan
The Reversible Destiny Lofts in Tokyo were the first in a series of ‘procedural architecture’ works by Shusaku Arakawa and Madeline Gins. Inspired by the basic forms of the cube, sphere and tube, the bold multi-coloured blocks set out to challenge and stimulate the senses.
Reversible Destiny Lofts, Tokyo, Japan
Each apartment consists of a circular open-plan living area, which radiates out from a central kitchen space. Further rooms are connected by bulbous doorways and hanging ladders, which create a playhouse aesthetic that's brilliant for children.
Reversible Destiny Lofts, Tokyo, Japan
A combination of 14 colours are used to decorate each apartment, creating a bright and bold environment. A play with colour, texture and form heightens the senses, while unconventional design elements, such as circular rooms and hanging storage units challenge the way we move around conventional homes.
The Nautilus, Naucalpan, Mexico
Designed by pioneering organic architect Javier Senosiain, this giant shell-shaped structure was designed to complement the flow of the land.
The Nautilus, Naucalpan, Mexico
A stained-glass window marks the entrance to the house giving way to a fluid open-plan living space in which none of the walls, ceilings or floors are parallel. This creates a space that appears to float and morph around the property’s interior gardens.
The Nautilus, Naucalpan, Mexico
The origins of organic architecture lie in nature, with rooms that imitate natural structures. Here, the master bedroom appears to have been carved out of a natural rock surface, creating a warm environment that feels other-worldly and yet intimate.
The Nautilus, Naucalpan, Mexico
The core of the interior reflects its exterior shell-shaped form, with a TV room that looks as if it belongs under the sea. You won’t find a single sharp corner in the property’s interior, which harks back to clean lines and uncluttered space of the modernist design aesthetics of the 1960s.
The Pyramids, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Located in the trendy Westerpark neighbourhood of Amsterdam, these giant pyramidal structures imitate and exaggerate the traditional Dutch stepped gables.
18.36.54 - Connecticut, USA
This shiny brown vector of a home is the last thing you’d expect to find in the Connecticut countryside. Designed to combine the avant-garde with cosy living, the bronzed stainless steel structure challenges traditional and modern notions of “the house in the landscape” with its bold design.
18.36.54 - Connecticut, USA
Fractured to the point of abstraction, not a single exterior surface is the same and the house appears completely different from every angle and it's relatively low profile minimises its impact or the horizon.
18.36.54 - Connecticut, USA
The abstracted formula is repeated in its interior, with angled rooms that appear to morph into various geometric forms depending on where you stand. Sharp angular corners confuse the eye, blurring the lines between the end of floor-to-ceiling windows and the beginnings of interior wall space.
18.36.54 - Connecticut, USA
A seamless flow is created between the living, dining, kitchen and sleeping areas, with the only distinguishing factor between each space being subtle elevation changes in the uniform concrete flooring. Surrounding glass walls allow its inhabitants to enjoy the natural environment without stepping outside.
Blob VB3
Taking the mobile tiny homes concept to the very extreme, Belgian architectural firm dmvA Architekten designed this egg-shaped mobile unit as a multifunctional home that can be adapted to individual needs. The question is, how exactly do you fit a house inside a blob?
Blob VB3
The nose of the house can be opened up to function as a porch allowing heat, light and ventilation into the structure on warmer days. Constructed out of polyester, the Blob VB3 is light enough to be moved to any location you like.
Blob VB3
Inside, the open-plan living space functions as a bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom. Built into a compact area of 215 square feet, the blob can be adapted for use as a travelling tiny house, garden house and guest house.
Blob VB3
Maximising space is crucial in such a small home, which is why its interior walls are made of a lattice of shelving pods that can be used as a sleeping area and space to store personal belongings in.
Hill House, Melbourne, Australia
The Hill House in Melbourne is an exceptional example of a unique modern home that challenges the norms of architectural design. The concept of placing the property above and within a hill allows its inhabitants to block out the harshness of the sun during the summer while making the most of cool light during the winter.
Hill House, Melbourne, Australia
Inside, the south-facing structure is injected with light through a series of wall-to-wall windows, as well as its large, glass entrance portal. A winding staircase connects the lower ground open-plan living area to the upstairs bedrooms.
Hill House, Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne has experienced an increase in the number of high-rise builds in the past decade, which means gardens are a luxury commodity for most. For this reason, the architects of Hill House have extended the green space up onto the exterior walls.
Steel House, Texas, USA
A rusty steel ship looks over the desert plains of Texas. Part sculpture, part home, the throwback structure known as the “Steel House”, was designed and built by sculptor and architect Robert Bruno, who lived in the house throughout its construction period of 33 years.
Steel House, Texas, USA
Inside, the interior of the property is a far cry from its bulky exterior form, with supporting pillars that morph into organic curvilinear forms, imitating trees and Gothic vaults. The house is currently empty and unfurnished due to the architect’s unexpected death earlier this year.
Mirror House, Almere, Netherlands
Your eyes aren’t fooling you, that really is a reflection of a Dutch residential street scene and behind its reflective facade sits a very unusual home, known locally as the 'Mirror House'.
Mirror House, Almere, Netherlands
Once inside it's easy to understand why so much mirrored glass was incorporated into its design; with exterior walls that reflect the natural surroundings, this house and the forest merge in an optical illusion.
Mirror House, Almere, Netherlands
The minimalist interior consists of an open-plan living area, bordered by an office on one side and two bedrooms on the other. Floor-to-ceiling windows surround the structure, allowing plenty of light in, while its reflective glass exterior provides privacy and makes the structure almost seem to disappear.
Croft, Victoria, Australia
What appears to be some form of futuristic shelter is in fact a contemporary home. Unobtrusive and sleek, the house was designed to harmoniously blend into its surrounding landscape and was constructed out of local materials, concrete and corrugated iron.
Croft, Victoria, Australia
The property’s interior is surprisingly spacious, with minimalist furnishings and floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the surrounding landscape. The interior surfaces are primarily clad in a sustainable hardwood timber called Victorian Ash, while its flooring is set in bluestone, both of which are local materials to Victoria.
Capital Hill Residence, Moscow, Russia
The Capital Hill Residence in Moscow is well-known as being the holiday home of top model Naomi Campbell. Designed by world famous architect Zaha Hadid, the property looks more like an imagined spaceship from the 1960s than a home. With an impressive total area of 30,000 square foot, the property was designed to merge into the sloped landscape.
Capital Hill Residence, Moscow, Russia
Inside, the Capital Hill Residence looks like something out an episode of Star Trek, but don’t be fooled by its retro design, as the peculiar home is kitted out with a number of luxury features, including a sauna, hammam baths, indoor swimming pool and a fitness area.
Capital Hill Residence, Moscow, Russia
The property’s most notable feature is its upper level, which takes inspiration from ski jump towers. Inside, you’ll find two master bedrooms, a lounge area with a suspended fireplace-cum-table and a terrace that overlooks scenic views of the surrounding natural landscape.
S-House, Saitama, Japan
Prepare to be absolutely confused by this modern house from Yuusuke Karasawa Architects. Designed and constructed without walls, the crisscross skeletal home is set over two abstractly organised floors, which are connected to each other by multiple staircases.
S-House, Saitama, Japan
Inside the property looks like something out of an Escher drawing with the multiple staircases and levels all on view due to the lack of walls. The property’s four glazed facades allow passersby to peek into its interior- this is definitely not a house for introverts.
S-House, Saitama, Japan
An array of intertwining rooms creates the illusion of a floating space, with a dining room and kitchen that can only be reached by crossing over a mezzanine kitchen. Confused yet? The three-bedroom house boasts an additional living room, a set of bathrooms and a roof terrace.
The Sky House, New York, USA
Occupying the top floor of a 19th-century tower, this particular property looks like your average Manhattan apartment from the outside, but not all is as it seems...
The Sky House, New York, USA
Inside, a number of shape-shifting walls pop up and around at various angles, creating a multi-layered interior out of a previously restricted space. Incorporating the previously unused attic of the top-floor property has freed up enough space to create a quadruple-height living room.
The Sky House, New York, USA
A house for the young at heart, interior designers have added a number of fun and interactive features to the property. For example, a series of climbing walls have been created by utilising the structure’s multiple surface levels and support beams.
The Sky House, New York, USA
The climbing walls are impressive, but nothing beats this looping slide, which makes its way around the property’s three floors through a series of shiny tubes. If you don’t fancy taking the slide, there’s always a faceted staircase that stops at each floor.
Casa del Acantilado, Salobrena, Spain
Here’s a house that will never go unnoticed. Embedded into the face of a cliff, the Casa Acantilado (House on a Cliff) takes on the form of a scaly three-eyed monster. The property’s main feature would have to be its roof, which takes up the entirety of its exterior facade, reminding us of the fantastical architectural creations of Spain’s most renowned architect, Antoni Gaudi.
Casa del Acantilado, Salobrena, Spain
The property’s two-storey interior consists of a multi-tiered ground floor with a kitchen and living room that opens out to a terrace with a large swimming pool. Three bedrooms, each with its own private balcony, are situated on the upper floor.
The Floating Seahorse, Dubai, UAE
From cliff sides to the open ocean, you might have trouble receiving your Amazon delivery at this next home. The Floating Seahorse is a concept that's being developed as part of a series of offshore community homes located just off the coast of Dubai. The floating home has been designed with sustainability in mind, incorporating solar power and state-of-the-art technology to make the house as eco-friendly as possible.
The Floating Seahorse, Dubai, UAE
The Floating Seahorse consists of a ground-level open-plan living area with an outdoor terrace that brings its inhabitants in direct contact with the surrounding ocean. Above the living area is an additional rooftop terrace and below it lies the property's underground bedroom and bathroom.
The Floating Seahorse, Dubai, UAE
You'll quite literally be swimming with the fishes in the comfort of your own bathroom, as the property's floor-to-ceiling feature window looks out onto the surrounding underwater environment. Each home can be fully customised to contain multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as customised terraces. The project is set for release in 2018.
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