Tag Archives: design

Marcel Wanders designed ‘suites’ for sale.


While getting my daily real estate fix on Funda, I stumbled across this remarkable project. In an old gunpowder factory building along the river Amstel, a little south of Amsterdam, Dutch designer Marcel Wanders designed these 7 apartments aptly called suites.

Marcel Wanders designed Amstel Suites

Granted, they are stunning, but with the location right along the highway and the suites measuring an average of 530 square feet (about 50m2), they are priced pretty steep. The smallest one has an asking price of €259.000 and measures a mere 430 square feet. The lay out is very clever with a small pantry, a lush ensuite bathroom with bath, and high vaulted ceilings. The most expensive is quite a bit larger, 624 square feet. The living room is bigger, and the ground floor has enough space to house the bathroom. The bedroom is in the mezzanine. The asking price is €355.000.

Marcel Wanders designed Amstel Suites

I wonder who the developer is trying to target. The suites are too far from the city to be considered an easy commute after a night’s out. They are too close to the highway for that outdoors/countryside feel, and they are very much a single persons abode. So basically they target people living alone, with a decent budget, who do not want to live in the city….. In all honesty, they have many alternatives. If they had converted the building into two or three moderate sized family homes, they would have been able to target a bigger audience.

Marcel Wanders designed Amstel Suites

Check out the suites at the project website.

Photographs courtesy of Ouwehand v/d Meijden Makelaars

spinning house


I found this video on Walmart’s Youtube channel. Quite a good channel to check out actually as they also post diy and deco tips.

This house spins to get the most out of the stunning views and the light. It doesn’t spin very fast with 48 minutes for a full rotation. Designed by famed architect Richard T. Foster in 1968 (as a collaboration with Philip Johnson), the home is on the market now with an asking price of $1,750,000.00.

Stellar mirror


British designer Jake Phipps designed this wonderful piece of bling. Mirror Stellar is handmade from 750 individual pieces of mirror reflecting the light in various ways. For sale through his studio for £3.875,-

Stellar by Jake Phipps

Check a video by Phipps himself here.

Own a bit of architectural history; The Affordable Frank Lloyd Wright


In 1895, when this block of apartments was designed, Wright was just starting out as an independent architect. He would need a couple more years to claim his fame with his better known works.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed Chicago townhouse

Frank Lloyd Wright designed Chicago townhouse

The Waller Apartments were designed as a set of five party-wall buildings, each of which was subdivided into four apartments. Wrights usual ornamental and decorative signature is missing. Clean, simple and understated lines showcase the use and functionality of the building; cheap housing.  Though the facades now appear dark and covered with grime, segments have recently been power-washed, exposing the brickwork’s original egg-yolk like colour which make it look a lot brighter.

Over the past century, the apartments have undergone long periods of neglect and abandonment. In 1968, the fourth unit burnt down, and its remains removed. In that time, two of the buildings were converted into town homes, including the two-story townhouse now for sale. After going into foreclosure last year, the three-bedroom, 1,200 square feet unit was put on the market, originally listed at $169,000, but since lowered to an unthinkable $60,000. Extensive interior restoration is required but still, after that you could be the proud owner of a real Wright for a very friendly budget.

source: Architizer Blog