These playful homes will make you question if right angles are even necessary
When Wallace Neff began designing bubble houses, he believed it was his greatest architectural achievement. The trailblazing California architect was known for designing stately mansion for the Hollywood elite during the golden age of film, and these amorphous structures were certainly a departure from his previous work. In 1944, Neff was contemplating affordable housing solutions in light of the post-war housing shortage, when a bubble on his sink caught his eye while shaving. Suddenly, an idea presented itself: Why not build with air?
From there, he proposed a technique he called airform, which made it possible to construct homes within 48 hours. Builders would first pour concrete in a circular disk as the home’s foundation, then inflated a large dome-shaped balloon over top. Next, they would blow gunite—a mixture of water and dry cement—from a gun onto the balloon, and deflate it after the gunite had dried. Now loosely characterized as any property with an amorphous, blob-like shape, the term “bubble house” has continued to evolve. Some designers have built off the same technique and others are simply fascinated by the futuristic, glob-like shape of the finished homes. In numerous occasions, similar homes have been included in conversations surrounding affordable housing as quick and relatively simple properties to build.
Displayed here, is a collection of nine unique bubble houses. From Wallace’s original design to multi-dome mansions and other amorphous properties, these funky homes will have you rethinking if right angles are even necessary.
Wallace Neff’s Bubble Houses (Pasadena, California)
According to 99% Invisible, the pioneering California architect believed so strongly in in his concrete dome houses, that he lived in one until the end of his life. After coming up with the airform technique, Neff found a collection of clients for these properties, and the federal government even supported his efforts to build a whole village of these unique homes. However, many of the homes grew mold and most were ultimately demolished, though the bubble construction technique lives on.
The Palais Bulles (Théoule-sur-mer, France)
Translating to “the Bubble Palace,” the Palais Bulles is perhaps one of the most recognizable bubble houses in the world, designed by architect Antti Lovag for its original owner Pierre Bernard. Bernard is credited with building off of the home with Lovag to transform that mansion into what it is today. According to the home’s website, Lovag dreamt that “everything was to be round, smooth, and soft, helping bodies, ideas, and feelings to flow freely.”
Xanadu Houses (Kissimmee, Florida)
Though smart technology and home automation are fairly common in today’s climate, this wasn’t always the case. Xanadu Houses—of which three were built throughout the United States in the early 1980s—were some of the earliest adopters and experimenters with this once futuristic concept. Builder Bob Masters is credited with conceiving the concept after being long fascinated with using inflatable balloons for construction. The first of the homes was designed by Stewart Gordon and constructed by Masters in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. However, the most famous of the series was designed by Roy Mason, seen here in Kissimmee, Florida, and attracted thousands of visitors a day. A third Xanadu House was later built in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, though all were ultimately demolished.
Bolwoningen (Den Bosch, The Netherlands)
From the air, this unusual neighborhood in the Netherlands may look like a collection of golf balls on tees, just waiting to be hit. The community, which is colloquially called Den Bosch, was designed Dries Kreijkamp as an experiment in affordable housing. Like Neff, Kreijkamp was particularly moved by the fact the neighborhood could be constructed in about a day.
Amorph Living Sculpture (Salzburg, Austria)
Designed by architecture firm Lechner & Lechner, this amorphous residence was crafted with a unique goal: capture the best views of water. Located near a pond, the architects wanted to ensure that every room had a direct line of sight or reference to the water. “The sensual qualities of the pond should flow through the rooms and areas of the building and give the feeling of being as close as possible to the pond,” the project page reads.
Dome House (New Hope, Alabama)
Spanning 2,133 square feet, this blue dome house was built by Monolithic Construction, a company founded in the 1980s as the first monolithic dome builder. Here, the largest dome acts as the home’s main living areas, while the center dome houses utilities such as the HVAC system. The last dome is the family’s garage and is big enough for two cars.
Flintstone House (Hillsborough, California)
When designing this home in Hillsborough, California, in 1976, William Nicholson took direct inspiration from Neff. The blob-like home was constructed by sparying gunite onto inflated balloons and a steel rebar and mesh frame. The home has been known as many different things throughout its lifetime including the Dome House, the Bubble House, and the Gumby House. However, its current monicker, the Flintstone House, is thanks to its present owner, Florence Fang, who has installed a collection of memorabilia from the TV show in the front yard, including a dinosaur, a wooly mammoth, and a Fred Flintstone sculpture.
Birchall Bubble House (Koralee, Australia)
The 20 rooms in this home in Koralee, Australia, are comprised of 11 intersecting concrete domes. Still, perhaps the most unique element of the property is the mechanical iris window shutters on most of the domes, creating a distinctively futuristic look. The home started as a thesis project for Graham Birchall of Birchall & Partners.
Villages Club du Soleil Beg Meil (Brittany, France)
Near Brittany, France, the Villages Club du Soleil Beg Meil is a seaside, all inclusive resort. The accommodations were designed by Hungarian sculptor Pierre Szekely and French architect Henri Mouette.
By Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, July 2023