Photo credit: LEAD
Nestled in Hokkaido’s northern mountain range, the cozy YEZO retreat aims to be both eco-friendly and comfortable at the same time. To accomplish this, it boasts a combination of wood, stone, water, and light in its construction to help visitors have a serene reflective experience during their stay. Whether it be the central concrete chimney or curved roof made from glue-laminated timber beams, its minimalist build earned it the 2020 Golden Pin Design Award. Read more for a video and additional pictures.
Latvia-based startup Brette Haus has created a tiny home for those who hate staying in one place, but still want their own home. Their line of origami-inspired cabins can bet setup just about anywhere with level ground, and can be unfolded in a maximum of 3-hours, complete with a 100 folding cycle guarantee. Whether it be a permanent residence, glamping lodge, backyard office, or even a pop-up store, their three models should cover them all. Read more for a video and additional pictures of their smallest tiny home, the Rustic.
Let’s face it, 3D printing technologies have not yet advanced to the point where builders are able to print modern homes that rival the ones built by hand from the ground up. Formwork firm PERI hopes to change that with their newest detached single-family property. Located in Beckum, Germany, this home is the first 3D-printed building to become certified with a national building accreditation in the country. When completed, it will become the largest 3D-printed multi-family house in Europe spanning 380 square meters of living space. Read more for a video and additional information.
Ever wanted to stay in a real Hobbit house? Well, now you can, and there’s no digging or building involved. Located in the Washington countryside, this Middle Earth-inspired living space can accommodate up to two people, complete with a small bedroom, full bathroom, and even a fireplace. Since the house is situated in the Columbia River Gorge, you’ll only have sweeping views of the rolling hills beside you, or an occasional deer, rabbit, bird, or other wildlife, for company. Read more for a video, additional pictures and information.
Startup company Jupe, founded by ex-IBM project manager Jeff Wilson, has just unveiled its futuristic-looking cosmos-inspired urban escape pods that was created by designers from Tesla, SpaceX, and Airbnb. At $17,500 USD, this minimalist prefab shelter can be setup just about anywhere and is made of interconnected aluminum masts support its geometric shape reminiscent of an interstellar shuttle. For added safety, the sides are all made from fire-resistant canvas. Read more for additional pictures and information.
Why bother with RVs, when you have a floating mansion? One entrepreneur from China had the same idea in mind, so he spent $61,000 USD building his own floating palace with panoramic sea views. This project was far too big to handle himself, and that’s why a friend joined in. The main issue that ran into was finding a way to stabilize the platform to prevent it from bobbing up and down with the currents. Next, they had to find a hydropower plant nearby for electricity. Read more for a video tour and additional information.
Photo credit: Luxram
Castles are a common sight throughout Europe, and by looking at this one, you’d think it’s somewhere in Bavaria, Germany. However, it’s actually the Jilong Castle Country Club, which was established back in 2011, located on a small island on Wanfeng Lake in southwestern China’s Guizhou Province. Even though it may look expensive, this four-star resort apparently only charges around $40 USD per night to stay in one of their basic rooms. Read more for two videos and additional information.
Photo credit: Whitaker Studio
Located just one mile from Joshua Tree National Park in California, the Starburst House by Whitaker Studio is made entirely from twenty one shipping containers. At $3.5-million, this unique living space spans 2,000-square-feet and features three en-suite bedrooms, a kitchen, and living room, each of which are in their own shipping containers. Power for the home comes from solar panels on the garage’s roof. Read more for a video, additional pictures and information.
Photo credit: Estunlar.fo
The Eysturoyar tunnel network is set to open in the remote Faroe Islands and it looks to be a set from a science fiction movie. Spanning 7-miles, it runs beneath Skálafjørður fjord, connecting the islands of Streymoy and Eysturoy. This tunnel network and its undersea roundabout will drastically reduce journey times to the Faroe Islands’ capital Torshavn from many locations, including the Torshavn to Runavik route. It will slice it from 34 miles to a mere 10.5 miles. Read more for a video and additional information.
Standalone music players are slowly vanishing due to smartphones and tablets, but Sleevenote aims to bring hi-definition, full fidelity album artwork to digital music. It enables the listener to fully appreciate and engage with an album’s sleeve and visuals. The artwork is presented using the entire display, creating focused experience for the albums you love. A retina-standard touchscreen brings the colors to life, while dedicated playback buttons up top keep the display uncluttered. Read more for a video and more information.