Shigeru Ban Architects, who you may know from their amazing paper tube structures, have a pretty cool structure in progress right now, actually, they’re supposed to be completed very soon.
Metal Shutter Houses

This condo building on Manhattan’s West side is a lovely and modern building that features motorized perforated metal shutters, thus the building can be completely opened or closed. The exterior is shiny, unique, and stunning, but the interior is striking as well. Take a look.
[images via Shigeru Ban Architects]

These pieces, or installations if you will, by Erwin Wurm aren’t a total blast from the far past but they sure as heck aren’t current news. They are however new to Offbeat. I was combing the archives recently and realized, “Where are the Wurm homes?” I can’t find them; thus they must be added.
When you see them you’ll know why.
Erwin Wurm is more Austrian artist than architect but he has incorporated homes into his work. Delightfully insane homes I might add.
First is House Attack. What happened here was pretty cool because Wurm took the fairly dull (although the …read more

I’ve been noticing offbeat beaver houses everywhere lately…

NO! Not these kind. More like this…

I have no idea what the heck this is. And also, it’s sort of a cheat because it’s not an actual home but look at this:

He’s leaning up against a little house. Weird. If you’re looking for a more swanky offbeat beaver house you might want to try Manhattan’s William Beaver House.

The William Beaver House is not my style at all but I know many like it. Also it was designed by Tsao & McKown; I usually do enjoy their work so it has that going for …read more

So, lame me; I’m a day or so late in reporting this but for some reason I thought the post I read about this project at CNET said that the WIRED installation was happening next week. I was so excited and then later felt this sinking sensation that I had speed read too quickly. Fast forward to this evening and here I am bringing the news to you.
I happen to be a CNET junkie but likely only readers of my office blog know that. Still, if you’ve never been to CNET go visit because they have something for just …read more

In case you haven’t heard, West Coast Green is coming on full force this year.
West Coast Green, the largest residential green building conference in America recently released it’s full line-up of presenters and exhibits for this year’s show taking place on September 20-22, 2007. The show, which will be held in San Francisco, has two days worth of educational programs for builders and designers in the industry and then allows homeowners in on the final day (wish I could go).
Sadly, I cannot go and I’m guessing this won’t fit into most of your schedules either. So I’m hoping that up …read more

Well, now you can have even less!
Thanks to FAT, a hip architectural practice you can share even your most unsharable moments with your partner, kids, maybe even some friends…

Yikes! From the FAT site:
“This installation, commissioned by the British Council for its Hometime Exhibition in China, uses customized standard bathroom products to create a bathroom retreat for an imagined celebrity couple.”
Although I certainly woulden’t install one of these beauties in my own bath; even in a different color, FAT is the coolest site I’ve seen in a while.
Check out FAT’s rendition of the typical artist retreat.

Details from FAT:
“Wrapping around the frame …read more

[photo via Apollo Arch & Assoc]
So how small? Would a lotlot that measures 344 square feet be large enough for you and your parents? It was for a woman in Tokyo. In fact she hired an architect, Satoshi Kurosaki, who seems to be recieving a lot of business from young adults opting to live on postage stamp sized lots in order to be centrally located. That home, 3 stories tall, cost $170,000. Let’s say with a total of 1,032 square feet, that would be $165 per square feet.
Not Bad!
Locally, California, the smallest I could think of, 100 square feet by …read more

[picture from 340 On The Park website, designed by SCB]
Chicago is quickly becoming the benchmark for eco-multi-family living. Jetson Green has learned that the USGBC has moved it’s Greenbuild 2007 conference from LA to Chicago. It is because of projects like 340 On The Park that has brought Chicago recognition. When you look at the above rendering you can’t help but be amazed by it’s style.
It’s facade is deceiving, it looks like a smaller building with a larger one hiding behind it. The building also appears to have a waist, the horizontal gap between the glass curtain wall, which …read more

Apparently, the housing market in New York City is really starting to heat up. Adam Dougherty, an artist who lives in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, recently put his backyard treehouse up for rent on the Craigslist web site.
Adam intended for the posting to have been a gag, but within a week, he’d received over 30 responses from interested renters, vacationers and even some prospective buyers. He was asking $150 for the rental. No mention of whether that was per week or month.
Article at wnbc.com is here.

One of the taller buildings in downtown Seattle is the Smith Tower, which features a pyramid at its peak. The space in the pyramid used to be the caretaker’s suite and an enclosure for an old water tower.
Then someone was able to secure a 40-year lease for the space. That tenant hired the local Castanes Architects firm and they proceeded to turn the place into a very cool and funky apartment.

If you head on over to Seattle Unusual Homes here, you’ll find a few more photos of the space. Definitely one of a kind. I love …read more