Architecture Wednesday: The Rotation House

Yes, it’s a round house and yes, it spins. It’s like the Jetson’s condo building crash landed on Earth and it’s still inhabited.

This San Diego home, which rotates 360 degrees atop Mount Helix, was designed by owners Al and Janet Johnstone in 2004 to capture the panoramic vistas. The Rotating House is set across two levels and was a self-build project for the couple, who had no previous experience building or designing. After creating the blueprints, their design was reviewed by structural engineers, and the Johnstones set about constructing it.

A powerful motor drives wheels along a steel track, rotating the floor in a 360-degree motion. A full rotation takes between 33 minutes to 24 hours, depending on the speed preference of the inhabitant, and the house can move in both directions.

The circular volume is the primary living space, with floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, kitchen and four bedrooms with views that range from the Pacific Ocean to downtown San Diego, the Coronado Bridge, Cowles Mountain, Mount Palomar, and the Cuyamaca Mountains.

A kitchenette, two garages and guest accommodation are housed on the first level that does not move, and there’s also a finished basement, rounding out to 4,700 sq ft.

It’s not everyone’s taste. I like the idea but the finishings in this house aren’t for me and neither are some of the color choices. Peach? No.

And lastly, who needs a house that spins? After a few too many Bob-a-Ritas my rectangular house in Camden also spins … without a motor!

 The Spaces

Architecture Wednesday: Lawn Lane Loft

This sprawling London penthouse loft overlooks the wonderful gardens of Vauxhall Park, near the rejuvenated Nine Elms. It was created by the architects Foster Lomas as a contemporary celebration of the industrial, combining innovative steel elements, dramatic volume and swathes of windows for the current owner and offers two levels spanning almost 3,700 square feet, with four bedrooms, three substantial roof terraces and a weekday concierge.

The building is accessed through a gated front garden, leading to the secure office of the porters’ desk while the apartment itself is reached directly by coded lift or a private staircase from the concierge lobby.

An entrance hall leads an intriguing and suspenseful path from the private lift lobby past two guest bathrooms—one for the private guest suite located upstairs—a utility and a closet to a double-height atrium, lit from above and clad from floor to ceiling with concrete tiles.

Vaulted cathedral ceilings continue through double-height glass doors to an incredible open-plan reception; views of Vauxhall Park are framed within an enormous arched window across the southern façade with a living space to the left with French doors to one of the terraces.

The kitchen, like most of the apartment, is completely customized with dark granite countertops on the origami-esque island, a backdrop for the Shou Sugi Ban cabinetry—a traditional Japanese wood burning technique that chars wood to create a unique aesthetic—and a backlit backsplash. A weighted steel screen has been designed to conceal the kitchen while you entertain and a pantry and second kitchen are positioned behind the show kitchen and accesses in the event of entertaining and a preparation kitchen and pantry is positioned behind and accessed via a doorway on the left. The living room terrace is shared by a large guest bedroom with rough-render walls and porthole windows through to an en suite shower room.

Three further double bedrooms are spread across the upper level, all with direct access to terraces through sliding glass doors. The principal bedroom suite includes semi open plan bathroom and hidden Italian-tiled shower room arranged around a beautiful teak bath, which was handmade by a boatbuilder in Estonia. Its terrace has excellent views of the city across a protected skyline within the conservation area. The third bedroom has its own en suite bathroom and the fourth, the use of a shower room that is reached via an open-tread staircase to the lower-level entrance hallway.

The apartment is brilliantly insulated with two layers of acoustic protection and has air conditioning throughout.  Lighting is by Lutron and appliances are by Gaggenau. Underfloor-heated polished concrete flooring also extends throughout.

All worth the $10,583,834USD price tag I think …

As always click to emBIGGERate ...

The Modern House

Architecture Wednesday: Briar Hill Road MidCentury

This secluded bluff property, located near St. Louis, is the signature project of notable architect, Charles E. King and is recognized as one of the outstanding examples of Mid-century Modern residential design in the Midwest.

With spectacular views of the St. Louis skyline, the property attracted the attention of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright who designed and originally began construction before the project was finished by King to use as his primary residence. There are some elements of FLW design, but King changed up the plan to include very large bedrooms and two separate living areas.

Floor-to-ceiling windows and multiple outdoor spaces—including a sunken patio off the dining room, a floating gazebo and bluff side pool with unmatched sunset views—define the home. There are four bedrooms—including a mid-century modern take on a bunk room—each with ensuite bathrooms, and a unique open floor plan with multiple levels and a floating living room that make up the 7000+ square foot luxury compound.

A pole barn and 55 acres with a mix of pasture and woods give opportunity for those wanting space for additional buildings, horses, hunting, or private development. 

As always, click to emBIGGERate …

Dwell