With floods and hurricanes on the brain, we always take note of houses that can float if waters start rising…Flexibility in the face of disaster can be a saving grace. This Bucky-esque dwelling is shaped like a soccer (aka…FOOT)ball.
The Japanese-designed Barier’s spherical form is constructed with hexagonal panels; but beyond the basic shape, the owner has a multitude of options in terms of color, size, and relationship to the ground.
There are plenty of details to be found at the Barier website, but their own intro says it all: “A soccer ball with which you played in your childhood gets bigger like a dream ball and appears as a place to live in. It floats on the sea and can be a rescue ship.”
Even if you don’t want a soccer house (YET) the Barier website is too cute for words, and is worth a visit just to check out the adorable children in the shower, fruit-shaped soccer houses, and the soccer ball doghouses. Who knew there could be this many varieties on the soccer-ball house?
In other soccer-ball-shaped-house news (did you know there could be such a category?), Dutch architect Jan Sonkie built his own sporty sphere in Malawi. It may not boast the earthquake-proof and amphibious qualities of the Barier, but its wood and metal combination is modern and beautiful.
I saw a video on a Swedish web site, Aftonbladet, verry interesting construction. Please give me more info via email of “mail”.
Andreas Paulsen
Post Office Box 1497
Jacksonville, Oregon 97530-1497
541-899-1025 phone / no fax