Correct me if I’m wrong, but when you’re looking for a new home, you’re probably looking for something with four walls and a roof. So, could you live in one of these houses? This Chinese architect was so strapped for money that he couldn’t afford to rent, let alone buy an apartment in Beijing. So he came up with the novel idea of building himself a capsule, taking inspiration from a concept called ‘City’s Egg’ that was exhibited at the 2010 Shanghai Biennale Exhibition.
His new home cost him just $964 to build. It has a bamboo frame insulated with wood chips and the outer siding is planted with grass seeds, making it green in every way. But it’s not exactly what you’d call spacious: it’s only two meters high at its highest point. Inside it has a bed, a water tank and a small table. The solar panel on the roof provides electricity, just enough for a small lamp, but what else do you need? Okay, the pod might be a bit small for you, especially if you have a family. So you can find a more suitable plane, like Jo-Ann Ussery…
After his first house was leveled by a tree, his brother-in-law suggested he buy a decommissioned Boeing 727. Well, he would, wouldn’t he? The plane cost him US$2,000 and he paid US$2,000 to fly it to the shores of Lake Whittington in Mississippi. Jo-Ann then spent $24,000 to make it her home. The ship now has three bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a fully equipped kitchen, a master bedroom suite and the cabin has its own Jacuzzi. She retained many original features such as the overhead cabinets, cockpit controls, and even a bathroom. Jo-Ann jokingly calls her house ‘Little Trump’, a reference to Donald Trump’s $16 million corporate jet. Surprisingly, there are quite a few of these aircraft properties. Here’s another one in Nigeria…
Do you remember the lullaby; ‘There was an old woman who lived in a shoe’? American businessman Mahlon N. Haines, also known as ‘The Shoe Wizard’, fared better when he built this house in 1948 to promote his business.
It must have worked because he went on to make a small fortune. His shoe has five bedrooms, two bathrooms, and there’s even a shoe-shaped kennel for the dog. And on the subject of kennels, can you imagine buying this house for your dog?
The website says; “Pampering dogs by giving them a luxurious and comfortable place to stay is very important.” The dog in the photo doesn’t seem very interested, does it? Back to the homes for humans…
Would you believe that more than 100 of these futuristic houses were built? The original was designed by Finnish architect Matti Suuronen and built in 1968. It was intended to be a ski cabin for a friend. Several are still in use today. The one above was auctioned in the US in 2009 and sold for $50,000. This last one really takes the cake (sorry)…
It was built in 1947 by a developer who thought it would be a great idea to have a whole set of houses shaped like cookie jars. Curiously, his idea did not work and the show house was the only one built. Inside there is a central spiral staircase and each room is semicircular in shape; It must be a bit difficult to find furniture that fits.
I don’t know about you, but I think I’ll stick with the four walls and one roof standard.