5 Extraordinary Houses (Which Are Also A Bit Scary)
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We all love getting a glimpse into the luxury and glamour of both cosmopolitan and isolated living - especially through films which capture just how crazy a lifestyle wealth can buy you. But living on the 67th floor in a precariously balanced glass box doesn’t appeal to everyone! Sometimes an amazing city view can come at the cost of your sanity - or stomach. Here are 5 gorgeous apartment and house designs which might not prove the most relaxing living spaces but are still pretty darn incredible.
A twisted lifestyle
Where
Malmö, Sweden
Why it will make you feel queasy
At 190 metres and 54 storeys, the Turning Torso is the highest skyscraper in Scandinavia - which may not sound too bad, until you notice the bizarre design of Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava who constructed the building in 2005 as a series of twisting pentagons. As you ascend higher, and the view keeps changing and recycling itself, you may begin to feel a little bewildered, like you’re living inside a Dr Suess creation.
Flying high
Where
Manhattan, New York City
Why it will make you feel queasy
For one thing, the rent tops 60,000 USD a month! The tallest residential building in the US, this skyscaper on Spruce Street is luxurious beyond belief. The ‘New York by Gehry’ is about 265 metres tall and boasts 3 amazing penthouses on the 76th floor with 360 degree views of the Hudson and East river. This really is the high life - demonstrably high, so outrageously high that you wonder how anybody living here can deal with the nerves on a daily basis.
Look ma, no hands
Where
Fairhaven, Victoria
Why it will make you feel queasy
Apparently the most photographed house on the Great Ocean Road, the Pole House takes the notion of beach house to a whole new level - the structure is suspended 40 metres in the air above the sand. And it’s available for rent! The stormy winds and crashing waves at some times of year will satisfy even the most adventurous of spirits.
Windswept paradise
Where
Nova Scotia, Canada
Why it will make you feel queasy
Speaking of scenic yet turbulent coastline - and houses which seem to define the laws of physics and are perched to tumble down the cliffside at any moment - here’s the stunningly minimalist ‘Cliffside house’ of the Atlantic coast. With two storeys, the home walks the line perfectly between creativity and functionality and it is not an overbearing imposition on the landscape. Built by MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, the wood-and-steel property has won many design awards and the rationale behind its position is that the residents can feel like they are floating on the sea.
Talk about insulation
Where
Brooklyn, New York City
Why it will make you feel queasy
This Snarkitecture-designed bizarre apartment is both tiny and strangely attired! It’s estimated that owner Daniel Arsham shares his home with over 25,000 ping pong balls - but everything else is kept at a bare minimum and apparently the area was put together on the cheap in only two months. But, despite its intrigue, surely moving around too quickly in such a space would be very, very disorientating, as your depth perception struggles to comprehend the changes in shadow and distance. Plus, there’s the whole living-in-constant-fear-of-fire thing since ping pong balls are known to be especially flammable.
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