Blueprints Blog

5 Buildings in Disguise

Written by Greg Drusch | May 31, 2012 5:00:00 AM

Have you ever wished you could disappear? Or maybe just your home so those annoying neighbors would stop bugging you. Well thanks to these ingenious designs, now you can. Here are 5 buildings that virtually disappear into their surroundings.

Casa do Penedo, Fafe Mountains, Portugal

 

Built in 1974, Casa do Penedo or “House of Stone” uses four different boulders to give the illusion that they are left-over boulders from the Stone Age. This Portuguese home features a cozy fireplace, a swimming pool carved into stone and logs for stairs but the downside is that it has no running electricity.

 

Leaf Box, San Francisco, CA

 

Located behind a San Francisco row house, this garden sculptured cube is actually an art studio redesigned by Scott Green Landscape Architects to blend into the property’s adjacent park.

 

Wood House, Hilversum, Netherlands

 

By applying a wood veneer to this mini-dwelling, the effects give the illusion that this home is made up of piles of wood but in actuality it is made up of steel and plastic. This makes a perfect recording and practice studio for musician Hans Liberg when the windows are popped open and the lights pour in.

Dune Home, 1941 1943 Beach Ave, Atlantic Beach, FL 32233

 

These two psychedelic apartments using technology that was devised to create gunite swimming pools was created by architect William Morgan. With its native landscaping on the exterior, 70-degree temperatures can be felt year round indoors. Don’t let the look fool you as it features a two-story suite which includes beach-level terraces, lower level living spaces and an upper level bed and with only $1 million this beautiful home can be yours!

 

Dragon Rock, Garrison, New York

 

This house and studio rests in a rocky hillside among 75 acres of tress and woodland gardens was designed in the 1960s by Russell Wright. The house includes a vertical tree trunk that supports the dining area, a jutting rock-face in the great room and bathroom, and a living green roof.

 

So when you decide to build a home and don’t want to deal with those pesky neighbors, remember these buildings for inspiration.

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