Now, this is what we call “a house with a twist.” The 18-36-54 House designed by architect Daniel Libeskind features a dramatic, contorted shape that stands out in this serene, bucolic setting. The silhouette is complemented by the steel home’s reflective mirror finish that makes this a modern architectural design through and through. Your eye naturally follows the sloping walls and roofline, darting from end to end top to bottom of this unique house. It’s definitely not your typical countryside home. Check it out, and get ready to fall in love!
This pastoral place in the Connecticut countryside is an unlikely setting for this type of dwelling. Located on 54 acres of rolling grassy meadows dotted with leafy trees, this contemporary style house oozes the kind of sophistication and creativity that you don’t often see in many urban settings, never mind out in the rural reaches. Its abstract shape reminds us of a modern art gallery, the building itself being a piece of modern art as well.
The angled walls lend this unusual house its name – 18 planes, 36 points, and 54 lines of spiraling ribbon which defines the home’s exterior appearance and its sleek interior style. From the architects, “Within the planes of the ribbon, enclosure is achieved via large glass planes which virtually disappear.”
The home’s facade is executed in mirror-finish bronzed stainless steel, reflecting nature to achieve an ever-changing outward appearance, depending on the time of day, the weather and the season. The wind rustling through the grass and leaves transforms this exterior into a living, moving fixture in the landscape.
The various slopes of the roof and walls are laid with the reflective tiles in opposing directions, accentuating the home’s interesting shape.
Interiors frame unobstructed views of meadows and foothills off in the distance, which are visible between the sloping ceilings and oddly angled walls. A large glass facade is topped with an overhanging roof, providing privacy and shade without blocking the scenery. Natural light floods the home, shedding some light on an interior that is every bit as weird and wonderful as the exterior.
Locally harvested oak cladding the ceilings, walls and built-ins lends a rich, dramatic aesthetic that is warm and welcoming without losing that signature contemporary edge. The custom furniture, like the bookshelf, sofa and coffee table all boast atypical angles and abstract shapes that echo the home’s profile. Within this large, open space, different living areas – the kitchen, living room, dining room and sleeping quarters – are separated by the varying heights in the concrete floor.
The bedroom is a den of earthy luxuries. The oak walls and ceiling give it a cozy darkness conducive to rest and relaxation. And the fur blanket is the perfect accent. But that’s not to say this space is “sleepy.” Like the rest of the house, the bedroom definitely has an edge.
And how about starting and ending your days off in this stunning bathroom? The shower is a sculptural centerpiece, from its angled entrance to the stepped floor. The rain shower overhead washes you in a refreshing downpour of water and light.
This house proves that it’s all in the details. No element has gone unfinished, or unnoticed!
Whether you find yourself inside or out, nature is a prevailing theme in this house design, from materials, to the views framed by the shape of the home. The architects explain, “Circulation throughout the home is seamless and free-flowing, a theme which carries through in the nearly-nonexistent distinction between inside and outside. Challenging both traditional and modern notions of ‘the house in the landscape,’ this bold design does not sacrifice itself to its natural setting, but selectively incorporates the elements therein for the enhancement of both house and landscape.”
Daniel Libeskind
via DigsDigs
