Most probably, you believe that Isaac Newtown’s law of gravity is an irrefutable truth – whatever goes up, simply must come down at some point right? Probably so, but while the laws of physics cannot be denied forever, we can always put them off for a few years, just as these rather precarious looking homes will demonstrate…
The Floating Castle, O’deska Oblast, Ukraine
Image courtesy Cyrill via Panoramio
This mysterious, levitating farmhouse in the middle of the Ukraine quite simply defies the laws of physics. Supported by a lone cantilever, this unique specimen wouldn’t look out of place in a sci-fi flick, yet there it is, standing tall and proud in the middle of some god-forsaken Ukrainian field.
Apparently, this “floating castle” is supposed to be an old storage facility of some sort. Or at least, that’s what they’d like you to believe. We’re sure that alien architects were involved somewhere along the line…
Wozoco Apartments, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Image courtesy yellow book via Flickr
Wozoco Apartments death-defying profile is the result of numerous obstacles faced by the architects during its construction. Zoning laws in the Netherlands limit the number of apartments per block to 87 units, and each tenant was promised good natural lighting.
However, the client insisted on having 100 units per block. It was clear that creating 13 more units per block would necessitate including another floor, which would further limit the green common space, yet another attitude the client wanted to fight. So the 13 additional units were suspended from the side of the main structure, added onto its northern façade. The ingenious design means that not only does the building save on floor space, but an appropriate amount of sunlight can enter the building, east or west of the façade.
Takasugi-an, Nagano, Japan
Image courtesy mab-ken via Flickr
The Takasugi-an tea house is normal in many ways – Terunobu Fujimori’s design lives up to the best of Japanese traditions as far as tranquility and simplicity go. It’s certainly a great spot in which to sit undisturbed and contemplate… well, until it falls out of the tree at any rate!
The name of the tea house, which Fujimori designed and built himself, translates into English as “a tea house too high”, and he wasn’t far off in his assessment. The house sits precariously on tall stilts, which sway with the wind, giving the home the appearance of some surreal Dali painting. However, Fujimori assures visitors that the home is perfectly balanced upon the two chestnut tree trunks which he cut down and transported here especially for the purpose.
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