Hi there. My name is Gloria, and I thought that I would answer the call for writers. I’m going to try and post on the Eye of the Fish for a while, while the other writers are on holiday. Lucky for some. I thought that I might just start off gently, with a post on dream beach-side houses, as that is what I would really rather be doing. I’m not sure where I got all these images from, other than: the internet, but am happy to credit the source if anyone can provide it. Not sure if there is much I will say about these pictures, except to say that they are gorgeous…
This one, of course, is the dream view from my dream house… Endless sea, endless sky, and curiously, an entire wall full of doors and windows seems to have disappeared. Which I kind of like, although I’m not sure where they have gone to. Perhaps they are on holiday as well?
It’s not to say that I only like modern buildings – I like the old things in life too. Like this beautiful window looking out over a lake, which somehow just seems to have the right sort of attitude – one that old buildings often don’t. It allows you – no, encourages you to peer out at the view as well. Just lovely!
This next image is, I feel, a spiritual twin to the last one, although I’m not even sure if they are in the same country, let alone the same building. It is a set of water-steps, on the shores of a lake somewhere in Austria or Switzerland. An old-fashioned sense of grace – or perhaps just wads and wads of money – I have a feeling that this place belongs to George Clooney or some other gorgeous older man. Probably some ugly fat bureaucrat from Braunschweig, but please don’t spoil my fantasy. Actually, from memory, I think this is also used in the James Bond film Casino Royale, where Daniel Craig goes to recuperate after having the baddie whip him on his bare buttocks. A scene that was most distasteful, not just at the masochism, but also the non-aesthetic thought of poor Daniel sitting there with his balls and willie hanging out through the bottom of the chair. I don’t think he would ever be so good in bed again after all that, do you? Perish the thought!
Next: back to the future:
I really do like the thought of a bach actually floating on, or suspended over water. Maybe this is difficult to do in Aotearoa, where the foreshore and seabed belongs to – umm, to who exactly now? I’ve forgotten – except that it isn’t me. Was it the public? Or the iwi? Or no one? Or the Crown? Seems a shame for the Queen to have it all, as she is never going to use it. Anyhow, public usage aside, wouldn’t it be nice to have a house like this? And so why don’t we do it?
And of course, no desk would be complete without some gorgeous naked people lounging all over it. I want this to be me.
Or perhaps I could just lounge around on this day bed, with some hand-maidens and man-servants bringing me bunches of fresh fruit to eat, and giving me a nice smooth relaxing massage… I’m getting sleepy already.
At the end of the day, I guess that all I really want is somewhere to enjoy the peace and quiet, and somewhere to call home. I might not be able to afford the big flash modern pads, but this little place looks just perfect for my budget. Now, where can I find a spare rock…
Nice work, Gloria – that first pic definitely made me drool
I think today in Wellington people would be blown off that deck would they not?
@60mpa
There is an item on that house here
http://www.homedsgn.com/2013/11/05/aa-house-by-mvn-arquitectos/
Its a shame you could not replicate such an open design in NZ,
The council jobsworths would force you to fence the pool ( and most likely the deck), the internal staircase would not meet the building act( no encased risers) , and I am sure there are numerous other “features” that would fall foul of a council clipboard…
Thanks gw, that house is great and yes the Council cardigans are prone to some stunning feats of cognitive dissonance.
I tried getting a deck through WCCs consenting process late last year and the bearer/post connections they insisted upon to fit their simple house design were actually weaker than what I proposed.
I think the solution is to employ one’s own engineer and tell the clipboard twitchers to stick to counting paperclips
And to quit bitching and enjoy the weather
@ 60 MPa – AMEN!
Love the second pic with the rustic windows, wonder where that is, mediterranean somewhere?
Hello Sav, yes, it is indeed a lovely picture. It could be by the Med, which would be a very nice spot to be, but my guess is that the view out the window is of a lake, looking into the setting sun. Could be anywhere in Europe I guess, but I’m going to say that it feels like Slovenia to me. I think that has some lakes….
Green Welly, thank you for the link to the MVN Arquitectos building. I think though, that after looking at all the pictures on that page, that I am quite put off the house now, and thoroughly disappointed. What I liked about the picture was that it was so pure and simple and open and just totally a beautiful place to be – but on looking at the pictures, I am overcome with a depressed sense of ghastliness. It’s all just too big and flashy and cold and impersonal – and that long strip of glazing that slides back and disappears is just ONE of the TWO !!!!! such glazed walls they have in the same position. I mean, good grief, what on earth for? That’s just silly.
Plus, the tiles in the shower are black. Anyone that wants black tiles in their shower obviously never had to clean the thing.
@chav
The “rustic” windows are from Château de Chillon, on lake Geneva, just up from Montreux