How can you explore the world’s most extraordinary architectures directly from home?
For those willing to venture out discovering contemporary design gems without renouncing to the comfort of their living room, here comes BBC The World's Most Extraordinary Homes, a fresh new TV show now streamable on Netflix.
Thanks to the digital stream magic, your sofa can now take off and fly just like Aladdin’s mysterious carpet, and tour the most unconventional homes in extreme places. Travelling the world with you, award-winning architect Piers Taylor and actress/property enthusiast Caroline Quentin – definitely an odd couple eager to fearlessly explore any kind of natural environment to spot autheur abodes of bold design.
The four available episodes focuses on different natural setting: underground, coast, forest, and mountain.
Now, bear in mind that an “extraordinary home” doesn’t necessarily mean architectural masterpieces, but also a bunch of beautiful, absurd, huge, or charming private properties scattered throughout the globe: that is the secret to make the BBC’s TV show less of a boring documentary on architecture and more of a hazardous journey into the weirdness (with a few interesting projects on top).
Highlights include the 747 Wing House, a unique residential structure designed from the wings of a decommissioned Boeing 747-100 airplane by architect David Hertz. The house is located in the Ventura County portion of the Santa Monica Mountains, a few kms away from the city of Malibu, California (davidhertzfaia.com).
Spain’s lush nature is home to Levene House, designed by studio No.Mad with the aim of maintaining the utmost respect for the natural surroundings and thus removing any trees. A complex engineering work enriched with bluestone exteriors and playful interiors (www.nomad.as).
Two seemingly impersonal pavilions float above the Finnish shoreline echoing just as many ship’s hulls up on cradles for the winter season: Two Hulls is a definitely unusual dwelling unit designed by Studio † as a landscape viewing instrument (www.mlsarchitects.ca).
The world of underground homes is proud to present Dutch Mountain House, a 100% eco-sustainable and self-sufficient property designed by Denieuwegeneratie in Huizen, The Netherlands. A strikingly charming solution in a nature reserve on the outskirts of Amsterdam (www.krft.nl).
Well, if you enjoyed this quick starter, come on, just head straight to your laptop and put BBC The World's Most Extraordinary Homes on Netflix!
