RSS
 

Posts Tagged ‘Cliff’

Cantilevered Cabin: Dizzying Alpine Shelter Hangs Off the Edge of a Cliff

28 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Travel. ]

cantilevered-cabin

Even someone brave enough to overcome fears of heights and climb a mountain may not have the stomach to spend the night in this suspended shelter on the edge of a vertigo-inducing abyss.

cabin-on-cliff

mountain-cabin-prefab-view

Designed by OFIS Arhitekti (images by Janez Martincic), this precariously-perched space sits on Slovenian-Italian border and boasts 360-degree views over the landscapes of both countries. Inside, a series of resting platforms and a few pieces of minimalist rustic decor are the extent of the amenities provided.

cabin-at-night

Despite its fragile appearance, the cabin was (of course) constructed to deal with the extreme conditions of the location’s altitude and weather exposure on Mount Kanin. Indeed, it took multiple attempts for a helicoptered construction crew to get the prefab structure in place and tether it to the surrounding stone.

sleeping-spaces-wood

cabin-interior

The cozy refuge from wind, snug and landslides (overnight guests may not want to know) is intended in part as a test of the materials, to see how they will stand up over time.

extreme-mountain-cabin

“The challenge is to install real objects remote sites … and study their response to extreme weather, radical temperature shifts, snow and rugged terrain” say the designers. “The harsh conditions of wind, snow, landslides, terrain, and weather require a response of specific architectural forms, structures and concept.” Despite those daunting challenges, the space is intended to “become a destination for hikers, climbers, cavers, mountaineers, nature lovers and romantics.”

Share on Facebook





[ By WebUrbanist in Boutique & Art Hotels & Travel. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Cantilevered Cabin: Dizzying Alpine Shelter Hangs Off the Edge of a Cliff

Posted in Creativity

 

Split Level: Segmented Russian Rock Dwelling Bridges Lake & Cliff

02 Nov

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

lake front

Steep sites with limited buildable areas have always proved challenging for architects, but this home aims to navigate rocky terrain by breaking up a single dwelling into stair-connected segments.

lake rock residence

russian home above

Designed by Igor Sirotov, the PS1 House is a private residence to be built onto a series of stone lips that span from the lake’s surface below to access points above.

lake stone buildings

rrussian house detail

Weathered steel and concrete blend the buildings into the landscape while physically linking them via steps and railings as well.

russian interior spaces

The idea was driven in part by a desire to minimize the building’s footprint and need to alter the natural landscape, taking advantage of existing natural formations.

russian fireplace modernist brutalist

The design borrows from Modernist and Brutalist camps, austere but materially rich with aging in mind.

stone building segments

Steel frames and stone floors match the color and pattern palettes of surrounding site elements, providing semi-permeable shelters for bedrooms, kitchens and dining spaces at intervals between the top and bottom.

Share on Facebook





[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Split Level: Segmented Russian Rock Dwelling Bridges Lake & Cliff

Posted in Creativity

 

Scary Skylodge: Geometric Glass Hotel Pod Clings to a Cliff

09 Jul

[ By Steph in Destinations & Sights & Travel. ]

skylodge 1

Clinging to a craggy cliff like an oversized artificial barnacle, this pod is only accessible to those willing to scale the 400-foot rock face from the base of a Peruvian mountain. If you’re brave and hardy enough to pull off that feat, you’ll probably do just fine taking up residence in a hotel room that the rest of us will only ever have nightmares about. In addition to its precarious location, the Natura Vive Skylodge is completely transparent, so you can’t exactly forget that you’re hundreds of feet in the air while inside.

skylodge 2

skylodge 5

As fragile as they look, these three pods are made of aerospace aluminum and weather-resistant polycarbonate, so they’re not likely to be blown down or punctured in a storm. At 25 feet long and 8 feet wide, each one is spacious enough to accommodate eight guests, offering comfortable beds, a dining room and even a private bathroom.

skylodge 4

 

The journey to the pod is actually safer than it looks, as climbers can be tied to a steel cable as they traverse the trails, with ladders and bridges helping them to the top. This zipline route offers alternate access for those who aren’t experienced enough to make the climb. You can even hook yourself to the cables as you perch on a wooden observation deck positioned atop each pod, looking out over the valley.

 

skylodge 6

Solar panels capture energy to power four interior lamps and a reading light, and the ‘sink’ and toilet are dry. The roughly $ 300-per-person-per-night fee includes transportation to and from your hotel, guides, equipment, snacks, a gourmet dinner with a bottle of wine and an al fresco breakfast.

Share on Facebook





[ By Steph in Destinations & Sights & Travel. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Scary Skylodge: Geometric Glass Hotel Pod Clings to a Cliff

Posted in Creativity

 

Cliff Diving: Dramatic Concrete Home & Pool Cut into Precipice

07 Jul

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

casa brutale main

File this dramatic cliff-hanging, swimming-pool-topped home called Casa Brutale under ‘fit for a villain in every possible way.’ Practically begging to be used as a base for unsavory characters in a film, this concrete residence set into the craggy hills overlooking the Aegean Sea is surprisingly modest and spare, free of flashy luxuries.

cas brutale 6

casa brutale 2

It doesn’t need to show off, really, when its very existence in this location packs such a powerful visual impact. You enter the home from a stairway on the ground level, descending into an interior that’s shielded from the sky only by the glass-bottomed swimming pool.

casa brutale 3

casa brutale 4

casa brutal 10

Anyone who swims in the pool is instantly turned into entertainment for the people watching from below, and the watery reflections cast over every surface are the main defining characteristic of the simple, open interior spaces. The entire cliff-facing facade is also made of glass further opens the home to the shimmer of water, this time from the sea.

casa brutale 9

casa brutale 7

OPA (Open Platform for Architecture) clearly heard the cries of ‘James Bond villain lair’ when their initial drawings were released, so they’ve worked a nod or two into the new renderings, including a requisite Ferrari.

casa brutale 5

“Case Brutale is a geometrical translation of the landscape,” say the architects. “It is an unclad statement on the simplicity and harmony of contemporary architecture. It is a chameleonic living space, created to serve its owner and respect the environment… in literal groundbreaking integration, Casa Brutal penetrates the landscape.”

Share on Facebook





[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Cliff Diving: Dramatic Concrete Home & Pool Cut into Precipice

Posted in Creativity

 

Extreme Cliff Living: Modular House Dangles Precariously

06 Sep

[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

Modscape Cliff House Main

Only the uppermost portion of this ambitious five-level home is visible when approaching from land, preserving the views for others and making for one dramatic way to live adjacent to the sea. Cliff House by Modscape Concept is a response to the demand in Australia for residences to be built along extreme parcels of rocky land on the coast.

Modscape Cliff House 2

Modscale Cliff House 3

The clients approached Modscape to explore options for a vacation home on the southwest coast of Victoria, where they own a piece of land that could prove a challenge for more conventional architectural solutions.

Modscape Cliff House 4

The architects took inspiration from the way barnacles cling to the hull of a ship, hanging the home off the side of the cliff instead of perching it at the edge. This configuration makes it feel like an extension of the cliff face, opening up incredible views of the water.

Modscape Cliff House 1

The prefabricated, modular house would be anchored to the cliff using engineered steel pins, with entrance through a carport on the top floor.

Share on Facebook





[ By Steph in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

[ WebUrbanist | Archives | Galleries | Privacy | TOS ]


WebUrbanist

 
Comments Off on Extreme Cliff Living: Modular House Dangles Precariously

Posted in Creativity