Villa Almerico Capra

This grand building is situated near Vicenza in Northern Italy. It is a renaissance building and was created by architect Andrea Palladio. The house is very symmetrical with four entrances - one from each side. Huge columns sit in front of each entrance giving the impression of importance and protection. There is a central dome ceiling which can be seen upon entering the house into the circular hallway positioned directly below. The four entrances all meet at this circular hall which is double heighted so that when you look up you can clearly see the domed ceiling above you. The building was finished in 1591 by the Capra brothers and this is where the name Capra originates from. This is a very beautiful piece of architecture and its surroundings are no Different. It sits in magnificent gardens which help the building to stand out in all its glory. 

Malin ("Chemosphere") residence

The Chemosphere was designed by John Launter in 1960 and is located near the Hollywood hills. The actual living area of the house has been raised 30 feet in the air (so if you are afraid of heights this is not the dream house for you), precariously supported by one concrete post which is 20 feet wide. This post has been driven deep down into the earth to support the house, helping it to endure strong winds and earthquakes. The house is shaped like an octagon, which causes it to look like an alien space craft hovering in mid air about to attack the earth. There are windows all around the building so that the spectacular views of the city can be seen from every angle (although at that height it's not like there would really be lots of objects in the way). There is only one level which is about 200m2 and a cable railway has to be used to reach the house, which travels up the 45 degree sloping hill. This house really is one of a kind and how amazing would it be to say that you lived there.

Feldbalz House

Feldbalz House was designed by Swiss architect, Gus Wustemann and is situated beside Lake Zurich in Switzerland. It is a very modern house with a minimalist design, which has been set over three floors with a balcony on each to give superb views over the lake. the house is all open plan to allow for a variety of different living situations. The living area is not situated on the ground floor like most houses, but is instead on the first floor to allow the inhabitants to appreciate the views across Lake Zurich. The master bedroom is on the top floor of the house which leads out onto a roof terrace which can be used for relaxing or entertaining. There are glass panels on the ground floor or the house which can be closed away to give more privacy, but if you lived in that house with that view you would want to keep the panels open because it is just so beautiful. The design for this building is very square and flat. Everything is in line and parrallel, giving the house a crisp and clean appearence, which is very contrasting from its background of trees and bushes, but it seems to fit in. When the lake it flat calm and mirror like, this also helps the building to become part of its surroundings.