007

I enjoy a good thriller but I've never been a huge fan of bond movies. The script is too chauvinistic. Not that I've anything against half-naked buff guys and girls in bikinis, but it seems too centred around these things that I can guess when Bond will strip or when the femme fatale will enter with her seduction skills. But no matter.
I'm still pretty intrigued by this 007 themed hotel that pays homage to Bond.

Hotel Le Seven, Paris, France

It is a pity that no femme fatale or a Bond look alike is included. It'll seriously up the excitement of this hotel by 5 levels.



Credits here

Still Stuck on Architecture

Continuing on with hotel wonders, now it is become home wonders!

The many interesting designs all around the world make me feel like flying over to where they are so I can see them with my own two eyes.

Casa Folha, Angra dos Reis, Brazil (Aerial View)

Casa Folha

Casa Folha, otherwise known as "leaf house" appears to be made out of six huge leaves, and is not just eye candy, but also environmentally friendly. The unique design of the roof apparently shelters the home's interiors and outdoor spaces between them. The ceilings were designed to be high to allow the southeast trade wind to pass through, naturally cooling down the house  (reducing the need for air conditioning). The roof is also designed in such a way where rainwater can be collected and used for gardening and toilets, and is made of materials that are locally sourced and reused.

Villa Due Mari, Costa Smeralda, Sardinia, Italy

While Casa Folha was inspired by leaves, Villa Due Mari (or known as the "villa of two seas") appears to be inspired by branches. Designed with organic shapes and rough hewned materials, its sculptural curvilinear walls and ceiling beams look like giant branches.

Which do you prefer?



Credits to CNBC, Google Images

Hotel Wonders

While I was looking at pictures of hotels around the globe, this caught my eye. 

Axis Viana Hotel, Viana do Castelo, Portugal

The exterior is made up of reflective aluminum, black glass, and green stone, and the cantilevered design changes the shape of the hotel depending upon your vantage point, edged by an outdoor pool with views of the Lima River and Mount St. Luzia.


The rooms however, doesn't particularly appeal to me.

Room of Axis Viana Hotel, Portugal

Leveraging on the interesting sliding and dimensional effect of the building would be way more exciting. At least, for me.




Image credits to Axis Viana

Steps to Wonderland

It was quite some time ago that I posted pictures about wonderful staircases within a house.

Here's one more!

The Gray

Can this handle the weight of a 100kg man?


...


We can't forget stairways outside the confines of our house too!

This is simply mindboggling.

Tiger and Turtle

I'm gonna have wonderful dreams tonight.




Credits to Yahoo! Travel

Oh my, oh my.

I'm not sure whether I've ever mentioned my fascination with trains? Or cars? Or planes?

Well... I'm basically fascinated with engines and modes of transportation.

So imagine my immense delight when I found out that some cool people built a 300-foot zip lime and chugging train that resembles the Santa Fe railway in their backyard! Apparently there is also a rope tied to a tree so that we can all channel our inner-Tarzan and swing into the infinity pool. 

Sonoran Desert Home, Scottsdale-Arizona

A train! In a backyard!

I so need to remodel my house.


Credits here

Green Fingers

Let me introduce to you, Mr Takanori Aiba's bonsai creations.

Hawaiian Pineapple Resort

He has incredibly adept fingers and amazing imagination, crafting lilliputian like architecture on bonsai.

Amazing.

Credits to here

Stairways

My fascination with houses has ventured indoors.

These amazing stairways just make me want to have them in my house!

I'll be dreaming of them tonight.

Bookcase Stairway
Designed by Levitate

Stairway Slide
Designed by Alex Michaelis

Ribbon Stairway
Designed by HSH Architects

My dream house seems to be evolving as time passes...



Images credits to Yahoo

Self-Assemble Your Own Home

I am seriously speechless.

I need these.

Can I order these from abroad?

Does my country allow homes to be built this way?

Argh.

Too many questions in my head.

Caroline from Gastineau Log Homes

Kit cost: $95,000
Turnkey cost: approx. $275,000
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2 full, 1 half
Square Footage: 2,086

Gastineau kits consist of the complete exterior (logs, roof, windows, doors, porches, dormers) plus the interior structure (floors, walls, doors). They do not include finished items like cabinets or electrical, plumbing or HVAC systems. The home is built by either the homeowner or builder over the course of six to eight weeks, depending on size. It usually takes about four months to move in after delivery.

Luminhaus by Rocio Romero

Kit cost: approx. $24,000 in 2004
Turnkey cost: under $100,000, excluding land
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 1
Square Footage: 1,152

These are highly customizable and environmentally friendly. The home arrives as a kit of parts, and should be assembled onsite by a general contractor. Windows are not included, since requirements vary by location; Romero’s website cites estimates for window packages ranging from $15,000 to $30,000. Cabinetry and interior walls and finishes are not included with the kit.

weeHouse by Alchemy Architecture

Kit cost: kits range from $79,000 – $270,000+
Turnkey cost: pictured house cost $200,000
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 2
Square Footage: 1,200

The weeHouse line of modular homes from Alchemy Architecture is built to withstand the strains of winds and earthquakes. They’re made with sustainable materials like bamboo flooring and energy efficient features like passive solar design. This year-round structure is made of one horizontal and one vertical module, each 14 feet wide. It’s constructed from stained pine “corn crib” siding and oxidized copper green painted “Container” siding, red pine interiors, IKEA cabinets and Andersen windows.




And as my jaw drops, I dream of the possibilities.


Credits to here

Reasons for my continued enthrallment with

ARCHITECTURE.

Bart Prince

Seymour Residence, Los Altos, California.

Bubble House by Antti Lovage

Tourrettes-sur-loup, France

Stone house

Nas Montanhas de Fafe, Portugal

Tree house by Robert Harvey Oshatz

Wilkinson Residence, Portland, Oregon

Yellow Treehouse Restaurant by Pacific Environments Architects

Auckland, New Zealand

The Upside Down House by Daniel Czapiewski

Szymbark, Poland

Introducing...

Sanaa.


Winners of the 2010 Pritzer Architecture Award.

Rolex Centre (Above, below)

Influence from China

After a few months in China, I'm regretting that I wasn't able to visit this place:

The Tea Museum (Meitan Museum)

Picture from viahouse.com

Grandiose

These columns are composed of 16 million computer generated faces. German architect Michael Hansmeyer, plans to build an entire forest of this sci-fi gothic like columns. Can you imagine how grand and breathtaking that will be?


Website link here

Sleek wonder

The Ring House, outside Tokyo

I've always been amazed by modern, minimalist architecture but this, is just epic. A description of this house:

Takei-Nabeshima-Architects (TNA) architects have designed a striking mini-tower on spec for a planned community in the town of Karuizawa, some 185 miles northwest of the Japanese capital. The Ring House is wrapped in rings of glass and wood and has an uninterrupted 360-degree view of the forest.

Image and description courtesy of this website

Embrace Your Inner Geek

Although I was not a TRON movie fan, I absolutely thought that this hotel room was absolutely brilliant. Yngve Bergqvist’s Ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi (near Swedish Lapland) is apparently, the only ice hotel that has embraced geekdom.

Images courtesy of google

When designs becomes..

A bit dangerous?

Floating Stairs by Jordi Vayreda

... what if someone accidentally sits on one of these?

Fireplace by Vauni

Googling images is good for my soul.

Eco-house

Woodland house!

I think I am quite hung up over the entire "place of seclusion" thing. The best thing about this house? Its like the hobbit's world!! Except that the interior is so amazingly beautiful.

Credits to THE google

I WANT TO...

Glass Pavilion - Santa Barbara, CA

Live in a house like this. All glass? Who cares! Its in a secluded area, surrounded by trees and shrubs.