Architecture
Homes That Float Off the Ground
These inspirational homes defy gravity with floating, flying forms that offer more than just good looks
Architects have always tried to defy the laws of physics with their inventive and, at times, gravity-defying homes, pushing designs to extremes to capture impossible floating or flying forms. Designing is the fun part; translating the idea is not so easy and requires imaginative engineers to make the remarkable stand up and appear to float in mid air. As I have heard many times: what’s holding that up?
Balance
Luigi Rosselli Architects have used a similar cantilever technique in the design of this hilltop home. The upper level pavilions appear to delicately balance on the edge of a fluid curved masonry wall. It’s as if the building is teetering to the point it could tip one way or another, like stacking cards. In fact, the house cantilevers off its base with rigid points. The concrete slab that forms the floors are acting as beams holding up the structure.
Luigi Rosselli Architects have used a similar cantilever technique in the design of this hilltop home. The upper level pavilions appear to delicately balance on the edge of a fluid curved masonry wall. It’s as if the building is teetering to the point it could tip one way or another, like stacking cards. In fact, the house cantilevers off its base with rigid points. The concrete slab that forms the floors are acting as beams holding up the structure.
The sail
This is one of my favourite examples of an architecturally designed home that defies gravity and appears to not only float but has a roof structure that looks like it’s blowing in the wind like a sail. There are some exciting design techniques at play here. As the question goes, what’s holding that up? Let’s tackle the roof form first. From the photo, it appears that there is nothing supporting the roof. There is a glass curtain that separates the ceiling/roof from the base floor, but glass isn’t strong enough to hold up such a structure. In fact, the form is once again cantilevering from the side grey masonry wall. If you remove all the glass, the roof will remain in place, floating into the sky. You will also notice that the floor too is cantilevering from the same masonry point. What takes this structure to an entirely new exciting architectural experience is that the home floats above water, which mirrors the design above, accentuating the floating effect.
This is one of my favourite examples of an architecturally designed home that defies gravity and appears to not only float but has a roof structure that looks like it’s blowing in the wind like a sail. There are some exciting design techniques at play here. As the question goes, what’s holding that up? Let’s tackle the roof form first. From the photo, it appears that there is nothing supporting the roof. There is a glass curtain that separates the ceiling/roof from the base floor, but glass isn’t strong enough to hold up such a structure. In fact, the form is once again cantilevering from the side grey masonry wall. If you remove all the glass, the roof will remain in place, floating into the sky. You will also notice that the floor too is cantilevering from the same masonry point. What takes this structure to an entirely new exciting architectural experience is that the home floats above water, which mirrors the design above, accentuating the floating effect.
Transparency
This house employs the technique of cantilevering both on the roof and ceiling structure using large steel beams to project into the landscape. Once again, a curtain of glass wraps around these beams, separating the occupant from the outside. The transparency of the glass allows the inside and outside to merge. Heightening the experience of floating above the trees is the fact that the landscape can be seen both in front and beneath the structure, as if nothing is holding it up.
This house employs the technique of cantilevering both on the roof and ceiling structure using large steel beams to project into the landscape. Once again, a curtain of glass wraps around these beams, separating the occupant from the outside. The transparency of the glass allows the inside and outside to merge. Heightening the experience of floating above the trees is the fact that the landscape can be seen both in front and beneath the structure, as if nothing is holding it up.
Grounding the building
The same house featured in the previous photo uses the cantilevering effect on the back side of the building, but this time the glass box barely hovers over the solid ground, as opposed to hovering over a vast landscape. The box is held rigid by the masonry grey block wall grounded to the earth below. The scattered stones that make up the side path pass beneath the cantilevered structure, making it appear as if nothing is holding it up.
The same house featured in the previous photo uses the cantilevering effect on the back side of the building, but this time the glass box barely hovers over the solid ground, as opposed to hovering over a vast landscape. The box is held rigid by the masonry grey block wall grounded to the earth below. The scattered stones that make up the side path pass beneath the cantilevered structure, making it appear as if nothing is holding it up.
Camouflage
All the homes featured so far use the effect of cantilevering to create amazing floating structures, but it’s the introduction of other key design techniques that also elevate them. This wonderful home is almost camouflaged in its environment, appearing to float among the trees. Here, the designers have imposed minimum structure to hold up the building, where the thin black columns appear like the tree trunks beyond. The fact that you can see through the building’s base and above allows the landscape to be read and not the building.
All the homes featured so far use the effect of cantilevering to create amazing floating structures, but it’s the introduction of other key design techniques that also elevate them. This wonderful home is almost camouflaged in its environment, appearing to float among the trees. Here, the designers have imposed minimum structure to hold up the building, where the thin black columns appear like the tree trunks beyond. The fact that you can see through the building’s base and above allows the landscape to be read and not the building.
Shadow
This modern masterpiece, the Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe, relies on many techniques listed above – from its cantilevered points to its transparent spaces – to create a home that appears to float above the ground. But it’s this wonderful photo of the house set amongst the winter snow that best captures this illusion.The white house, against the backdrop of the white snow, is separated by the dark shadow beneath, creating a clear delineation from the ground to the space above. The white box glides over the surface below.
This modern masterpiece, the Farnsworth House by Mies van der Rohe, relies on many techniques listed above – from its cantilevered points to its transparent spaces – to create a home that appears to float above the ground. But it’s this wonderful photo of the house set amongst the winter snow that best captures this illusion.The white house, against the backdrop of the white snow, is separated by the dark shadow beneath, creating a clear delineation from the ground to the space above. The white box glides over the surface below.
The horizon
This simple rectilinear beach house hovers along the horizon line where the clear blue ocean can be seen on all sides of the building. The architects have successfully integrated the house amongst the landscape, and it appears to not touch the ground with the supporting structure hidden from view. The horizon line provides a reference point for this elevated home.
This simple rectilinear beach house hovers along the horizon line where the clear blue ocean can be seen on all sides of the building. The architects have successfully integrated the house amongst the landscape, and it appears to not touch the ground with the supporting structure hidden from view. The horizon line provides a reference point for this elevated home.
Elevated roof
Sometimes it’s not the building you want to appear to be floating but parts of it. In this farm house design by Richard Cole Architecture, he firmly grounds the building into the flat landscape to accentuate the hovering roof form that appears to detach like a rocket from its main body. To achieve this, minimal steel structure holds up the roof at various points with perimeter glazing installed to visually separate the main body of the house from the roof form above. The fact that you can see right through the glazing to the landscape beyond helps create the floating illusion.
Sometimes it’s not the building you want to appear to be floating but parts of it. In this farm house design by Richard Cole Architecture, he firmly grounds the building into the flat landscape to accentuate the hovering roof form that appears to detach like a rocket from its main body. To achieve this, minimal steel structure holds up the roof at various points with perimeter glazing installed to visually separate the main body of the house from the roof form above. The fact that you can see right through the glazing to the landscape beyond helps create the floating illusion.
Structure
In another Richard Cole design, the roof members, which are set on an angle, appear to buckle under the weight of pressure trying to hold the roof up. The illusion is deliberate, to once again create a floating roof. The key to this design is once again the perimeter glazing that allows light and the outside to be more visible from the inside. There is a clear distinction between the roof form and the main body of the house below.
In another Richard Cole design, the roof members, which are set on an angle, appear to buckle under the weight of pressure trying to hold the roof up. The illusion is deliberate, to once again create a floating roof. The key to this design is once again the perimeter glazing that allows light and the outside to be more visible from the inside. There is a clear distinction between the roof form and the main body of the house below.
Form
Like an insect crawling through the landscape, this home appears like a foreign object amongst the harsh terrain below. Its legs are so thin it’s unimaginable that the body of the building is able to be held up. The designers have used the strong form of the building’s shape, which is rectilinear, and the contrasting minimal structure below to provide an exciting home that appears suspended in mid air.
Like an insect crawling through the landscape, this home appears like a foreign object amongst the harsh terrain below. Its legs are so thin it’s unimaginable that the body of the building is able to be held up. The designers have used the strong form of the building’s shape, which is rectilinear, and the contrasting minimal structure below to provide an exciting home that appears suspended in mid air.
Composition
Another exciting house design by Matt Gibson Architecture + Design uses composition on so many levels to create a floating form. The use of cantilevers, transparency and form produces a dynamic design. This cleverly designed box that sits upon another box defies logic and makes you ask that very simple question mentioned earlier: what is holding that up? The fact that you can read a clear form on top of another, with minimal structural support, is a testament to the architect’s vision for how the building should be composed and viewed from afar.
Another exciting house design by Matt Gibson Architecture + Design uses composition on so many levels to create a floating form. The use of cantilevers, transparency and form produces a dynamic design. This cleverly designed box that sits upon another box defies logic and makes you ask that very simple question mentioned earlier: what is holding that up? The fact that you can read a clear form on top of another, with minimal structural support, is a testament to the architect’s vision for how the building should be composed and viewed from afar.
Simplicity
Although strictly not a building in its entirety, I love the composition of this staircase because it displays the exciting attributes that so many designers strive for in their quest for design, and that is simplicity. What is holding this staircase up? Obviously it is fixed to one wall only, but the effect looks effortless. Restraint has been shown in the use of materials, colour and shape, and the result is a floating piece of art highlighted on a white wall.
YOUR SAY
Do you have a home that floats effortlessly above the ground? Or a part of your home that seems to defy gravity? Attach a photo or share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
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From the Pros: 8 Design Habits of a Successful Architect
Floating Furniture: Can You Handle the Suspense?
Although strictly not a building in its entirety, I love the composition of this staircase because it displays the exciting attributes that so many designers strive for in their quest for design, and that is simplicity. What is holding this staircase up? Obviously it is fixed to one wall only, but the effect looks effortless. Restraint has been shown in the use of materials, colour and shape, and the result is a floating piece of art highlighted on a white wall.
YOUR SAY
Do you have a home that floats effortlessly above the ground? Or a part of your home that seems to defy gravity? Attach a photo or share your thoughts in the Comments.
MORE
Edge of the Earth: 4 Homes That Defy Expectations
From the Pros: 8 Design Habits of a Successful Architect
Floating Furniture: Can You Handle the Suspense?
One of the most common design tools used by architects to make a building appear to float or defy gravity is the cantilever. This is where a projecting structure such as this upper-level outdoor terrace appears to float in mid air without support. In fact, the terrace is supported at one end by a column and beam grounded in the base sandstone wall. The concrete beam is cleverly integrated and camouflaged into the design of the structure and is strong enough to hold the bold design. The architects have also been clever in separating the base design, which is sandstone, with the upper level raw concrete giving the impression that it is flying off firm ground.