The home of tomorrow could be yours today.
A unique Jetsons-style bubble house in the Australian city of Karalee, west of Brisbane, featuring 11 giant inter-connected domes containing 20 rooms is up for sale for £800,000 ($1.5millionAUD/$1.1millionUS).
The brains behind the project is architect Graham Birchall, who didn’t just rustle up the design for the quirky abode – he built it by hand and then lived in it.
A unique Jetsons-style bubble house in the Australian city of Karalee, west of Brisbane, featuring 11 giant inter-connected domes containing 20 rooms is up for sale for £800,000 ($1.5millionAUD/$1.1millionUS)
The brains behind the project is architect Graham Birchall, who didn’t just rustle up the design for the quirky abode – he built it by hand and then lived in it
Graham, who’s director of architecture firm Birchall and Partners and a registered builder, dreamt up the design during the final year of his architecture degree, back in 1983.
Over the next seven years, he spent weekends building the four-to-eight-metre-wide steel and concrete domes with his father-in-law, Ed Bohl.
Graham told MailOnline Travel that the inspiration for the design came from space-age imagery, including The Jetsons.
Graham, who’s director of architecture firm Birchall and Partners and a registered builder, dreamt up the design during the final year of his architecture degree, back in 1983
He said: ‘The Jetsons were a favourite show of mine growing up.
‘Googie architecture of the fifties and sixties – featuring bold geometric shapes and sweeping curves reminiscent of space-age imagery, from rockets to flying saucers – is very much a theme that interests me.
‘Not every child, however, is fortunate enough to grow up and live in their dreams.’
To make sure the look was space-aged down to the finest detail, Graham even contacted Nasa for advice, asking for help with his bespoke round window shutters.
To make sure the look was space-aged down to the finest detail, Graham even contacted Nasa for advice
Inspiration for the design came from ‘Googie architecture of the fifties and sixties featuring bold geometric shapes and sweeping curves reminiscent of space-age imagery’
He mused: ‘I suppose given the secret nature and the mystery that surrounded the organisation over the years I was heartened firstly that they spoke to me, and secondly that they were so forthcoming and co-operative.
‘In the end, the plans they sent did not go on to help the final design of the window shade mechanism, but I was bolstered by their willingness to assist in the endeavour.’
The finished product is a sprawling cluster of cream and lavender-painted globes joined by circular passageways, the walls and ceilings arcing and curving around the decor.
Graham’s neighbours gave the property its pet name, ‘The Bubble House’, which eventually stuck.
‘The circular form and its simple purity have always fascinated me,’ the architect explained.
Graham’s neighbours gave the property its pet name, ‘The Bubble House’, which eventually stuck
‘From when I began my career, I had gravitated to all types of domes and the elegance they lend to a space. The free flow and soft lines remind me of nature and The Golden Mean proportioning of Fibonacci is a heavy influence.’
Graham and his wife, Sharon, used the Bubble House for weekend getaways from 1993 through to 2012, then took up permanent residence in 2013.
However, they put the dwelling up for sale last year as they want to move closer to their grandchildren.
The property is listed by Ipswich-based First National Real Estate, which has registered interest from buyers across the globe, from France to the archipelago of Vanuatu.
Graham and his wife, Sharon, used the Bubble House for weekend getaways from 1993 through to 2012, then took up permanent residence in 2013
The property is listed by Ipswich-based First National Real Estate, which has registered interest from buyers across the globe, from France to the archipelago of Vanuatu
The riverfront property offers 1,050 square metres (11,000 square feet) of floor space and is open for private inspections with prospective buyers.
Built over three levels, the three-bedroom house has two bathrooms, a four-car garage, a wine cellar, and multiple terraces.
The ground floor features a kitchen with contoured counters and a circular island unit, which were specially designed by a boat builder and carpenter.
The fireplace, which runs from floor to ceiling and was crafted by an artisan blacksmith, is one of Graham’s favourite features in the residence.
Upstairs, the main bedroom is complete with an ensuite bathroom and a private balcony looking out to the suburbs of Karalee, the town’s name deriving from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘pretty hill beside the water’.
The windows are fitted with remote-control-operated iris shutters, while the entryway is a tunnel of glass windows, allowing light to spill into the property.
‘It is a home that has its own organic feel that has grown over the years,’ Graham said.
‘A lot of the spaces blend to form unusual nooks and crannies and light will play through windows and doors to make kaleidoscope effects on the surrounding surfaces.
‘Every room is full of surprises even after nearly 40 years. It is a home which craves to be lived in.’
Graham says: ‘Every room is full of surprises even after nearly 40 years. It is a home which craves to be lived in’
The riverfront property offers 1,050 square metres (11,000 square feet) of floor space and is open for private inspections with prospective buyers
Built over three levels, the three-bedroom house has two bathrooms, a four-car garage, a wine cellar, and multiple terraces
While this is the only house of its kind Graham has built, he is constantly looking at new ways to integrate circles and spheres into his architecture and has plans to build ‘alternative shelter options’ in the future.
He added: ‘There are always new challenges just around the curve.’
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