mick said...

why.. WHY does he only call when he wants something?!?! i am rethinking Feb3's and my relationship. *nod*

chris said...the swimming pool is just the other side of the sandbags, right?

Sanzhi UFO Houses

From what I can gather online, this place was built in the 70s as a resort but was later abandoned. I couldn't find any definitive explanation about why exactly it was abandoned, however. There's some talks about failed partnerships and/or real estate bubbles. Apparently the location is too hot in the summers and too cold in the winters. The fiberglass shells of these houses certainly don't help with insulation. I also couldn't find out whether they were ever occupied in any capacity.

If you are in Taiwan, it's definitely worth a visit. From Taipei, head towards Danshui, get on Route 2 and follow the direction for Sanzhi. It will be on the left side of the road, along the coast. You can't miss it.

nicko said...Klein Bottle House by McBride Charles Ryan
etc.

Sunset Cabin, Lake Simcoe, Ontario

The owner couple of this beautiful pre-fabricated cabin on the shores of Lake Simcoe in Ontario, Canada, has been coming to their large recreational property for a quarter-century. But the big property in a great recreational location translated into lots of overnight guests and no privacy for the owners.

They felt they needed a “getaway,” a place at their own property where they could capture the peace and serenity of the surrounding four-season nature without disturbing any of the existing trees or structures. They needed a place that remembers what the Simcoe cottage-country is all about.

The brilliant, award-winning solution by Toronto-based Taylor Smyth Architects is the one-room Sunset Cabin, a real cabin with a decidedly contemporary feel. The wonderful cabin has won several architectural and design awards and met the clients’ needs perfectly.

It is a one-room (190 square feet in size), self-contained box that was built by furniture craftsmen in four weeks in a Toronto parking lot and installed on site in 10 days.

Three of the exterior walls are floor-to-ceiling glass and of those, two are encased in horizontal cedar-screens for privacy, shade and light effects inside. One of the cedar screens has a large opening providing a direct view of the sunset from the built-in bed. The rest of the screen has random smaller gaps to allow various vignettes of the surrounding nature and to create fantastic light patterns inside. The slats are positioned so that there is no direct view in from the outside, but at the same time, it the inside feels almost wall-less.

The untreated cedar of the outer structure will turn silvery grey over time, helping the cabin blend in with its natural surroundings. In addition, the roof, visible from the existing main building, is a green roof planted with native plants of the area, further ensuring that the building mixes in with the landscape rather than sticks out in it.

All interior surfaces are unpainted birch veneer plywood, including the built-in storage cabinets. Doors at both ends of the cabin allow for cross ventilation. The interior floor extends outside to form a deck where the rustic feel continues with the screened-off outdoor shower.