Gibbs Gardens’ 376-acre paradise puts the ‘magnificent’ in May

Photos courtesy of Gibbs Gardens

There is no single word grand enough to describe Gibbs Gardens in May. The English language is just not equipped to describe this 376-acre paradise with its vast and incredible displays of flowering plants, shrubs and trees, artfully planted among rolling hills with waterfalls, ponds and streams.

Jim Gibbs, garden owner, designer and developer, ‘paints’ his masterpieces with flowers. His artistic plant and landscape designs create beautiful vistas and views in every direction:

Just below the Manor House (above) a spectacular 100-foot-long arbor displays lush New Dawn blush pink roses. Falling petals create a natural carpet on the ground below.

This cozy chair carved from a once-towering tree invites visitors to stop and reflect next to a patch of foxglove

Deep-blue water iris—thriving in the Japanese Gardens’ many ponds—attract butterflies, dragonflies and birds. Collections of hand-carved Japanese lanterns and unique boulders provide an ingenious contrast with Japanese Maples and bonsai-shaped evergreens.

Acres of blossoming Flanders Poppies in vivid shades of salmon, orange and red compliment blue, lavender, purple and white larkspur and bright orange butterfly weed in the Monarch Butterfly Wildflower Garden. Thousands of travel-savvy monarchs are expected to visit this garden in May on their migration from Mexico to Canada.

There is something compelling about the water iris in bloom in the Japanese Gardens’ many ponds where bright color and vivid beauty draws dragonflies, butterflies as well as photographers who capture the scene.

A rainbow of annuals, perennials, azaleas, foxglove and hydrangea come into May bloom in the upper gardens. Nearby the most amazing 100-foot-long ‘walk-through’ trellis will be covered with New Dawn blush pink roses.

Honored for excellence

Recognized as one of the Thirteen Best Botanical Gardens in America and recently named the top garden in Georgia by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Gibbs Gardens always has something new in bloom. The five feature gardens and 21 seasonal collections gardens offer unique and continuous delights for garden lovers of all interests. Come into the beautiful world of Gibbs Gardens.

Rotated Rectangular Volumes Make up Montalba Architects’ LR2 House

Designed by Santa Monica-based firm, Montalba Architects, the LR2 House overlooks Pasadena and its adjacent mountains from its hillside perch. This new 4,200-square-foot house is made up of several distinct living volumes and programs.

The 4,200-square-foot home is made up of several distinct living volumes that are stacked atop each other, creating a rotated series of rectangular masses.

In response to the client’s desire to retain a significant portion of the existing flat pad between adjacent slopes, the house follows the matchbox concept with stacked volumes creating a rotated series of rectangular masses abutting the hillside, each with its own take on indoor/outdoor space.

Outdoor breezeways, porches, courtyards, covered walkways and an immense rooftop deck extend the reaches of the limited floor area to the natural chaparral and views beyond. The house includes guest suites, a home office, gym, and theatre screening room, as well as abundant outdoor spaces, all taking in views of the surrounding hills and valley.

Outdoor spaces like breezeways, porches, rooftop decks and courtyards present stunning views of the surrounding mountain vistas.

The structure’s programmatic elements peel away from the primary group of building blocks and shift to follow the rough slope of the hillside terrain. The intended entry sequence flows with the landscape, guiding visitors along a reaching sidewalk that extends under the mass of the building. The compression of the resulting space offers a unique arrival experience incorporating the natural creek just beyond front door, which is nestled on the second floor.

Following the natural grade, the front stairs create an arching path to a bridged entry portal, all the while showcasing panoramic views of the house. As the front door opens, the dark, angular façade of paneled concrete gives way to a light-filled interior of soft wood and bright white finishes.

Upon entering the home, visitors are greeted with an indoor/outdoor living space that offers framed views of the landscape and bathes the interior with natural light.

Upon entering, visitors find themselves within an indoor/outdoor living space – framed views of the exterior landscape bathe visitors in natural light and immerse them in the natural world outside. Once inside the residence, stairs descend to a private screening room or ascend to the third floor living spaces. A series of open terraces mirror the interior living quarters, encompassing almost as much outdoor space as the enclosed third-floor footprint.

The LR2 House was completed in 2018 and won multiple awards, like the AIA California Residential Award and American MasterPrize, in 2019. Take a closer look at the home at the pictures above and head to Montalba Architects’ website to view more of the firm’s projects. Come into the beautiful world of Montalba Architects.

Bert modular treehouse designed to look like cartoon characters

The Austrian architectural firm Precht recently presented ‘Bert’, a conceptual modular ‘tree house’ in the form of an abstract tree trunk, the floors are equipped with large round windows.

The striking designs are inspired by children’s programs such as Sesame Street and Minions. The architects also see the houses as a way to combat ‘lazy and boring’ architecture.

Precht was founded by the Chris and Fei Tang Precht couple. They have developed Bert for the Baumbau startup specialized in small houses. In the development of Bert, they were inspired by cartoon characters, such as those from Minions or from Sesame Street. The name Bert is therefore a reference to the eponymous character from Sesame Street.

‘Tiny homes’ are currently very fashionable, but the modular tree house ‘Bert’ is very different from all other ‘tiny houses’. In general, ‘tiny houses’ have a sleek and minimalist appearance, but these tree houses are very special and playful in form and invite people to experience architecture and nature through the eyes of children.

We know that houses like Bert are not going to be built on a very large scale, but our sector must dare to do more, try more and experiment more for a more diverse future for our cities.

Chris Precht

The design process for Bert began by depicting a drawing of a tree house by a child. “Regardless of whether we are young or old, we architects also have an inner child who looks at the world in a playful and curious way,” says Fei Tang Precht. “That curiosity has led to Bert”.

Bert’s modules contain kitchens, living spaces, bedrooms and bathrooms that can be placed on top of each other or next to each other. The concept is intended to be made from wood. Thanks to a covering of wooden leaves, Bert fits perfect in a woody environment.

The design makes the living space cozy and ensures that Bert’s interior is really in contact with the environment, in this case a forest. The interior is designed to be dark and cozy, with large round windows and balconies like the eyes of a cartoon character to frame views of the landscape.

Here the interior is covered with a dark fabric. Through the dark interior, the residents are drawn to the large round windows, which let in a lot of light and give a cave feeling.

Bert stands on a circular base with tubular modular cells that contain kitchens, living areas, bedrooms and bathrooms  that can be stacked over and around it like the limbs of a tree branching out from the trunk.

The tree house is made of wood, with leaf-like shingles with natural colors to blend the tiny-houses into their wooded surroundings. But the wooden structure can be replaced by steel if desired, say the architects.

Bert is largely self-sufficient with solar panels on the roof, a compost toilet and a water treatment plant on the ground floor.

Bert is designed to be pre-fabricated off-site in a factory then assembled on site. More modules could be added and stacked on top of each other to expand each treehouse.

We think that the future of tourism does not lie in large hotels and mass tourism, but in special buildings that offer a unique experience. With Bert we want to attract people who are looking for adventure, nature and inspiration.

Rudolf Obauer, CEO Baumbau

The Tiny-houses can stand on their own but can also be placed together as a community. Bert can serve as a real home, but according to Precht and Baumbau, the Bert system could be used for hotels.

The first ‘Bert’ houses will go on sale in the spring of 2020 with a starting price of around € 120,000 with the option to add more modules.

Come into the beautiful world of Baumbau.

 

 

 

 

Found: unique penthouse in The Hague

Living in the center of The Hague is absolutely not wrong. The Dutch Hofstad offers almost everything you can expect from a large city like Amsterdam, but with the necessary tranquility. According to many – and we agree wholeheartedly – ​​the city center of The Hague is one where you like to stay. So living here is absolutely not a punishment. To give you that extra push to convince you, we have found a beautiful penthouse where you can retreat in peace.

Let’s start by saying that this building actually has a beautiful appearance. The penthouse is situated on the top floor of the former HBS school building ‘Residence Johan de Witt’. The property was built in 1902 and in 2005 it was completely renovated and converted into 13 different apartments.

Since these are purely very luxurious apartments, the complex also has a shared fitness room, sauna and solarium. In addition, each apartment has its own – lockable – wine cabinet in the wine cellar.

The penthouse we are talking about has a living space of 258 square meters. This space is divided into six rooms; a living room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms. There is also a spacious roof terrace located on the southwest and there is room for three cars in the underground parking garage. – handy also for visitors. Here we also find the storage room that belongs to the apartment.

A magnificent aspect of this complex immediately comes into its own upon entering. The building has an incredibly impressive entrance, which immediately shows what kind of opulence you end up in. To get to the penthouse, take the elevator or stairs to the third floor. Here we find the entrance to the penthouse.

What is immediately noticeable is the open space that is used as living space. There is a large amount of natural light and the original beam structure of the building has been exposed and preserved. Aspects that give the space that little bit extra as far as we’re concerned.

Of course, the penthouse apartment is fully equipped. The living room has a sleek herringbone oak floor and an open gas fireplace. In the handmade kitchen we find many built-in appliances such as an oven, 6-burner stove, steam oven, double refrigerator, two dishwashers and a Quooker. Ideal for the real kitchen prince or princess.

The apartment is very light, partly due to the amount of skylights. These are equipped with rain sensors and are fully electrically operated. The same applies to the blinds on various sides of the penthouse. As far as luxury is concerned, you will lack for nothing in this great home.

People always say: “you go back to where you came from”. And how nice would it be to live in the school where my sister was studying at the time. I wish I was rich, and not so pretty…. Although the asking price is about two hundred thousand lower than the original asking price, you still need an amount of €1,295,000 to be able to put the signature. You live directly high, spacious and you have a beautiful view over The Hague. I would say: do it!

We found this beautiful penthouse apartment on Funda.

For sale monumental De Bazel thatched dream villa in Laren, Holland

Karel Petrus Cornelis de Bazel (Den Helder, February 14, 1869 – Amsterdam, November 28, 1923) is one of the greatest Dutch architects. He lived in Bussum from 1902. Many of his designs can therefore be found in Bussum and the surrounding area, partly because he worked as a municipal architect for the then municipality of Bussum. It is not often that such a unique home is for sale. But now there is the opportunity to buy this country house, with a spacious detached double garage with (independent) guest house above, two verandas, heated outdoor pool with changing room. The garden has also been laid out under architecture according to a design by De Bazel.

Karel de Bazel started his career as an apprentice to a carpenter in a so-called carpenter’s shop. After his evening education in architecture at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, he was appointed in 1888 as a draftsman at the architectural firm Nieukerken in The Hague. A year later, through his brother who worked as a French translator for a publishing house in Leiden, he became a draftsman at the office of PJH Cuypers (Rijksmuseum Amsterdam – 1876-1885, Central Station Amsterdam -1881-1889, De Haar Castle – 1892 -1912, Throne in the Ridderzaal – 1904) in Amsterdam. Known from this period are his perspective drawings of the St. Vitus Church (1890 – 1892) in Hilversum, and the St. Bavo Cathedral (1895 – 1930) in Haarlem. Cuypers, who was very impressed by this work, 

De Bazel was an authority in the field of villas and country houses in the Gooi and Vecht region and Twente. In addition to being an architect, he was a furniture designer. carpet and glass designer.

In 1904 he founded the famous Amsterdam furniture studio De Ploeg with his brother-in-law Kees Oosschot and Klaas van Leeuwen. Later, together with Hendrik Petrus Berlage, he was the forerunner of an architectural style that would become characteristic of the time during and after the First World War: Rationalism. De Bazel’s architectural designs were characterized by Eastern influences. De Bazel designed, among other things, an office building for the Nederlandse Handels Maatschappij (1919 – 1926) at 32 Vijzelstraat in Amsterdam, in which many of the elements in the interior were also designed by him, and since 2007 it housed the Amsterdam City Archives.

De Bazel is not only known for his work as an architect, but he was also involved in the design of furniture and utensils. Well-known examples of this are a Pulchri cabinet that he designed on the occasion of the marriage of Dutch Queen Wilhelmina to Prince Hendrik in 1901, and the Amsterdam crib he made in 1909 for their daughter Princess Juliana.

De Bazel was also one of the high-profile designers of the glass factory in Leerdam, which from 1915 engaged artists in the design of consumer and decorative glass. Architects such as Berlage and the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright were also among the designers of the Leerdammer glass. Between 1913 and 1916, De Bazel built a number of workers’ houses in the Spaarndammerbuurt in Amsterdam. De Bazel also designed villas and their interiors. Rarely does a Basel house come up for sale.

But now, in an incomparably beautiful location on the edge of Laren, about a hundred meters from the road, this beautiful country house is for sale. The detached municipal monumental country house was built in 1909 for the painter M. van Regteren Altena, by the architect de Bazel. Mr van Regteren Altena passed away shortly after he was able to move into his house. It has been inhabited for many years by his widow and both daughters. When the daughters emigrated to America in 1932, the house was rented out and then sold to the residents. The country house is beautifully symmetrical on a plot of approximately 9,430 m2.

Upon entering, you immediately notice the entrance, vestibule and majestic hall with cloakroom and toilet. The villa has a spacious living room with bay windows, beautiful fireplace and fitted wardrobes. The dining room with double doors leads to the terrace and has magnificent views over the garden. The large office has a passage to the family room. The spacious kitchen is equipped with various luxury appliances (Gaggenau and Miele) and gives access to the utility room with connections for washing machine and dryer and a second toilet. In addition, there is a practical and spacious storage cellar with central heating system and boilers.

The first floor is accessible via the monumental landing stairs and you reach the spacious landing. Here are four spacious bedrooms, two of which have a balcony. The master bedroom with patio doors to a balcony has a dressing room and a private bathroom with shower as well as a separate steam shower, double sink and toilet. There is also a separate bathroom with a bath (whirlpool), shower, sink and toilet.

On the second floor are the fifth and sixth bedrooms and a third bathroom with shower, sink and toilet. This municipal monumental country house is in excellent condition. Many original De Bazel details can be found in the house, including the unique black and white tiled floor.

The garden was also laid out under architecture according to a design by De Bazel. In the perfectly maintained garden you will find a heated outdoor pool with changing room. The spacious thatched detached double garage offers space for approximately four cars. Above the garage is a completely independent guest house with living/bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. There is also an attached practical barn.

The house is for sale with Voorma en Walch, a team of real estate agents since 1936 with personal attention. For a viewing of this characteristic monumental country house, please contact Jacques E. Walch or Kathelijne Vos, Register Brokers and Valuers, or bring your own NVM Estate Agent.

The asking price? …. $3,965,000, I wish I were rich, and not so pretty. For more information, visit Funda.

A new home for Calvin Klein in Hollywood Hills

It looks like fashion designer Calvin Klein is apt to spend a little more time in LA. He just bought a spectacular, 9,300-square-foot home in the Hollywood Hills area for $25 million, developed by Dean McKillen, son of high-profile property investor Paddy McKillen.

The five-bedroom mansion fits squarely in the contemporary architectural style and features sliding glass walls, 13-foot-high ceilings, an infinity pool, and a bridged entryway over a waterfall and reflecting pool.

The contemporary home has automated retractable floor-to-ceiling glass walls, which open to a grassy lawn and an infinity pool with views of downtown Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean. The entryway features a bridge over a waterfall and reflecting pool.

You must traverse a bridge over a waterfall and reflecting pool to enter the home. The bridge is intended to ‘slow the participant down and create a feeling of separation from the street behind’.

Most rooms are completely open to allow sunlight to flow throughout the home.

Inside, glass walls provide a startling sense of depth. The ceilings throughout the home measure 13 feet high. Abstract light fixtures hang from the ceiling at the end of the entryway.

The basement isn’t just some place for a couch and a Foosball table, it’s the main entertainment center.

…..there’s even space for a full bar.

Many of the glass walls are fully retractable.

There’s a peaceful sitting area underneath the bridge next to the reflecting area.

The L.A. views are absolutely stunning.

The incredibly spacious master suite has the best view of all. In total, the home has five bedrooms and seven bathrooms.

The private covered terrace, with a fireplace, attached to the master suite make use of the moving glass walls.

A 65-foot infinity pool sits out back.

Other amenities include an eight-car garage and a 12-seat home theater, and a temperature-controlled wine room off the dining room.

Mr. Klein put his longtime Miami Beach home on the market in May for $16 million. He also has homes in Manhattan and in Southampton, N.Y.

 

 

 

 

 

Robin Williams’s Villa of Smiles Just Made Its New Owner Very Happy

Robin Williams by Bonnie Schiffman, Napa Valley 1982

When Robin Williams died in 2014, he left behind family, hundreds of friends, millions of fans, a long legacy of stand-up comedy, several classic movies and a home in the Napa Valley that has just sold after almost four years on the market. The Napa Valley estate that beloved funnyman Robin Williams built in 2003 and tried to sell before his untimely death has finally sold for $18.1 million to French winemakers Alfred Tesseron and his niece Melanie Tesseron.

Williams initially asked $35 million for the 639 acre Vineyard, whose 20,000-square-foot main home he dubbed Villa Sorriso, or Villa of Smiles. The home has been on and off the market since 2012, with multiple price cuts.

Inspired by the Palladian architectural style of the 1700s, the villa boasts five bedrooms, eight baths, a library, pool room, elevator, and luxurious screening room worthy of an Oscar and Golden Globe winner.

The villa and its 24 acres of vineyards in the Mount Veeder appellation are located about 80 miles north of San Francisco and abut Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.

Sure, it looks like Tuscany, Italy, but Robin’s California estate is nestled in the Mayacamas Mountains between Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

Villa Sorriso is located in the Mayacama Mountains, straddling the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, set majestically among 23 acres of vineyards and olive groves on 653 acres. Views over the valley are classic Napa and the land is blessed with a natural spring-fed fishing pond, groomed and landscaped grounds with tennis court, large infinity-edge pool, nine-stall horse barn and riding trails. There are over 100 olive trees which can produce 30-50 gallons of oil per year, approximately 18.4 acres of vineyards producing Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc wines.

The home’s elite craftsmanship begins with an imported Portuguese limestone exterior and continues inside with gold leaf and verdigris ceilings in the library and master suite, oak panels with mother-of-pearl inlays, and mosaic glass tile rotundas.

The three-level Mediterranean-style villa measures about 20,000 square feet with five bedrooms and eleven baths. It has a picturesque bell tower, a 12-seat theater, billiards room and climate-controlled cellars. The separate guest house includes four additional bedrooms.

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Who needs art when you have giant windows framing the picturesque landscape…

Another room with a view. A beautiful cosy dinning room.

Being cooped up in the kitchen must feel like a treat when you have an adjoining terrace.

With summer lasting six months in wine country, you’ll be grateful for the sixty-five foot infinity-edge swimming pool. Surrounded by antique European stone decking, a lawn and multi-tiered sculpture garden, this is an area that promises legendary outdoor events

Antique European stone terraces overlook the grounds, including a 65-foot infinity edge swimming pool with a wading pool and spa, looks like something out of the movies. There’s also a 3,200-square-foot guest house.

Villa Sorriso offers climate-controlled wine cellars….

Forget the IMAX experience, we’d be content with an at-home rental if it took place here!

The spring-fed pond, do we need to say more?…

The buyers are French winemakers from Chateau Pontet-Canet. The Tesserons own and operate Château Pontet-Canet, a vineyard and winery in the Bordeaux region of France. With today’s trend of natural wine growing, the family turned their French vineyard into an organic operation using biodynamics from the 1920’s agricultural lectures of Rudolf Steiner. This more traditional method of wine making includes working the vines with horses instead of tractors and controlling pests without chemicals. With such huge success in France, it is likely they will go the same route with Villa Sorriso.

We have no doubt the home’s next owner will cherish this spectacular property as Robin did.

The listing agents were Joyce Rey and Cyd Greer of Coldwell Banker Previews International.

 

 

Britain’s most expensive estate: Hackwood House

A 24 bedroom mansion is set to become the most expensive country estate ever sold publicly after is was put on the market with a guide price for more then 65 million pounds.

The Hackwood Park estate, near Basingstoke in Hampshire, is so exclusive, potential buyers will have to prove their financial status and sign a confidentiality agreement before viewing.

Built in 1680, the main house has 24 bedrooms and 20 bathrooms and is more than 50 times the size of the average family home

Hackwood House was previously owned by publishing ycon Vicount Camrore, William Berry, who loaned it to the Royal Canadian Army to usee it as a hospital during World War II. More than 16.500 troops were treated on the estate and, when the war was over, it was returned to Viscount Camrose, who died in 1954.

Steeped in history, Hackwood Park is a grand aristocratic residence that can also easily cater to family life.

The second Viscount Camrose, John Seymour Berry, owned the home until his death in 1995 when it was passed into the hands of his wife, Lady Camrose, Princess Tajuddawlah Aly Khan, formerly the Hon. Joan Barbara Yarde-Buller, the eldest daughter of the 3rd Baron Churston, mother of the present Aga Khan.

Lady Camrose, also known as Princess Joan and Princess Tajudaullah, and the mother of Prince Karim Aga Khan,

According to the electoral role, Lady Camrose was the last tenant at the mansion until her death in 1997.

Land Registry documents state that the house was last sld between 1999 and 2003 for around 14.5 million pounds. It’s current owner, rumoured to be a foreign billionaire, bought the house through a British Virgin Island-registered company. Over the past decade the estate has been impeccably maintained by its owner, who has carried out a substantial restoration of the main home.

Complete with original detailing and craftsmanship, Hackwood Park has been painstakingly restored to a state of 19th-century grandeur.

The botanical gardens and grounds hold as much historic interest as the house and have a rich botanical and architectural story to tell. The layout of the gardens dates back to the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries and their design is attributed to Charles Bridgeman and James Gibbs.

Hackwood Park, with medieval origins forms part of an impressive and natural landscape fit for a house of this stature. Today the grounds are a perfect balance of manicured lawns, avenues, walks and terraces, interspersed with specimen trees. Beyond the formal design are large expanses of pasture which join woodland and farmland in the far distance, as well as Hackwood’s own deer park and an ornamental eighteenth century woodland garden.

The main entrance is flanked by two substantial gatehouses and the 260 acres of grounds that includes a beautiful botanical garden, a stable yard and coach house, two detached guesthouses and two entrance lodges.

Spring Wood, thought to be the sole surviving example of a garden wood that is laid out in the French style has eight sectors divided by walkways, many of which hide historic wonders including a temple, a fountain and an amphitheatre. In the spring, the woodland is a picture of colour filled with bulbs and wild flowers. Hackwood Park enjoys stunning, uninterrupted views of the surrounding countryside.

 

It is now on the market with a strict ‘price on appliaion’ (if you have to ask for the price, you can’t afford it), with both Sotheby’s and Savills refusing to reveal what it can be bought for.

If you are interested in purchasing this property or to request more information, UK Sotheby’s International Realty, or please contact John Fisher at Sotheby’s International Realty on +44 (0)1932 860537 or email john.fisher@sothebysrealty.co.uk.

Please note that due to the sensitive nature of this property, prospective purchasers may be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement prior to further information being released and provide references and evidence of their financial standing prior to a viewing being arranged.

 

Mö Ventus House Shifts With Weather

Mö Ventus House (Click photo to enlarge).

Most home owners enhance curb appeal by transforming the surrounding environment, lush landscaping, shade screens, solar panels, perhaps even a fresh coat of paint. A new Mö Ventus concept turns that theory inside out with a flexible house that conforms to its outside environment. Designed by architect Todd Fix of Fixd Architecture Design, the high-concept home is so imaginative, it could pass for a James Bond or Star Wars movie soundstage.

The technologically-advanced residence features four incomparable characteristics: real-time transformation, zero-energy design, environment immersion, and a dramatic home office with a spectacular view.

Mö Ventus House. Opening and closing the retractable insulated shells, keep the living area cool or warm as needed (Click photo to enlarge)

Mö Ventus House. A complex system of retractable composite screens and insulated shells slide over cantilevered living areas. (Click photo to enlarge)

Mö Ventus House. It boasts a high-concept and zero-energy design (Click photo to enlarge)

Mö Ventus House (Click photo to enlarge)

Mö Ventus House (Click photo to enlarge)

Motus (meaning ‘movement’ or ‘motion’) is where the transformation between the home’s main, industrial-style living area and lofty home office-studio occurs. The complex system works via large retractable composite screens and insulated shells that slide over the cantilevered living areas like a sideways elevator (and back into the foundation as necessary).

The screens and shells allow for micro-management of day-lighting, heat gain, openness, and privacy. The movable compartments automatically open and close, powered by rooftop solar panels. The Motus the futuristic structure’s living area, which spans from 5,000- to 12,000-square feet, also features a micro-climate evaporation pool to cool the home during the summer.

Mö Ventus House. The home offers industrially-designed interiors (Click photo to enlarge)

Mö Ventus House. Glass-walled interiors offer unobstructed views in all directions (Click photo to enlarge)

The Ventus or ‘wind cup’, (just beneath the cantilevered home office) which captures wind energy for fuel cell storage, is among the home’s most distinctive features. Topographically integrated into the structure, the curved wind basin with four bi-directional wind turbines collects prevailing winds to increase wind speed and resultant energy five-fold. Photovoltaic skins and arrays, hydrogen fuel cells, organic roof gardens, and three microclimatic cooling pools provide enough power to meet the home’s entire operational needs.

The Motus section’s design is akin to modern shipping containers covered by tarps to protect them from the elements, albeit a much more refined version. The home’s movable compartments are transparent, lightweight, and adaptable, owing to the lack of conventional walls, floors, and ceilings. The protective screens and shells can also be operated manually to allow more or less light and heat into the futuristic living space, simply by opening or closing. The home’s all-glass skin provides 180-degree views (top, bottom, and sides) for full immersion and connectedness to the surrounding environment.

Mö Ventus House The curved Ventus ‘wind cup’ captures prevailing winds via bi-directional turbines, which increase the home’s energy five-fold. (Click photo to enlarge).

Mö Ventus House. The lofty home-office studio area rises high above all but the solar-powered rooftop, which also houses organic gardens (Click photo to enlarge).

Mö Ventus House. The home’s all-glass design immerses the structure into the environment, offering 180-degree views from top to bottom to sides (Click photo to enlarge)

Mö Ventus House.

Mö Ventus House comes with an optional outdoor movie screen within a beach-terraced amphitheater (Click photo to enlarge).

Mö Ventus House is adaptable enough to be built anywhere in the world, regardless of climate or geography.(Click photo to enlarge).

With an estimated cost of $3.5 million to $10 million, Mö Ventus House can accommodate up to six bedrooms, three-plus bathrooms, a guest house, up to a 10-car garage, gym, climbing walls, rooftop deck, and an outdoor movie screen within beach-terraced amphitheater, all based on client needs.

More info at http://www.mo-ventus.com/

Photos courtesy of Mö Ventus

by Jean Amr

A modernist villa with panoramic views of the French Riviera

Ever thought about owning your own villa in the sunny south of France? Investing in property always is a smart move but when this property also gives you a chance to escape from the daily grind while providing all modern comforts, it is easy to see why many so people are considering a new villas. They provide the perfect getaway and life long memories…

Like this contemporary five-bedroom modernist villa that is up for sale in Super Cannes, France, offering a spectacular panoramic view of the French Riviera. The private home has been recently renovated which gives it a modern appearance. Not designed by Eileen Gray or Le Corbusier, but certainly no less special. Not classified as a historical monument, it makes the house very comfortable to live in after the renovation.

This modernist white villa screams luxury, with five large suites, a swimming pool, a double garage, a jacuzzi and a separate apartment for a caretaker. The large windows provide a constant outdoor feeling with lots of light. There are several entertainment areas both in the outdoor and the indoor areas. Also, the stunning gardens overlook the Cap d’Antibes and the sea.

I know exactly where I want to put my Giorgetti Gallery dining room table with 8 Josef Hoffmann chairs. And my Le Corbusier LC2 armchairs, Eileen Gray Transat lounge chair, my Lalique lamp, Giorgetti desk set and side tables will certainly will also fit. Just like my Chanel Antaeus, Dior Jules and L’Eau de Hermès collection.

The hills dominating Cannes are generically called the ‘Super Cannes’. The region rises about La Californie, and lies above and to the east of Le Cannet. The homes over here are built on large plots, with this villa occupying 2300 m.sq. of land. They are known for their stunning views and exemplary environment. Furthermore, Super Cannes is in close proximity to the beaches and the Nice International Airport- which is just a 30-minute drive on a usually empty route.

That said, Super Cannes is a prominent European area to buy a property and this one will cost you an astronomical €8.5 million ($9.7 million). However, considering the high interest in the private homes in Super Cannes, we won’t be surprised to see if this one finds a buyer soon enough.

I wish I was rich and not so pretty…