Since I was in elementary school, I have always been intrigued by architecture. I loved the creativity that went into building the perfect structure as well as the thought of functionality for the building. Piers Taylor and Caroline Quentin explore these thoughts in various places around the world in Netflix’s The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes. Each episode, they choose a location, or type of location, and visit the most innovative homes they can find. In episode one, they visit houses in the mountains around the world.
As I watched, I noticed that a very challenging aspect of architecture is the consideration of the environment. As I am inexperienced in the world of architecture, I never considered how the aesthetics of the house may disrupt its surroundings. For example, the desert home in Arizona showcased in the first episode, both Piers, a real live architect, and the home’s owners note how the plain yet natural exterior of the house don’t disturb the desert around it. The designers of the house preserved all the life around the secluded building as to not create an eyesore. As western society grows more and more industrial, we often forget about the natural beauty of the world. A wide expanse of mountains is a sight to see only in movies or on vacation. However, with homes such as those in The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes, we see that nature can still be appreciated through careful architectural planning. Buildings can blend seamlessly within a beautiful environment from the inside to the outside.
Natural lighting throughout the building is also a crucial element of a home I never thought about when fantasizing about my dream home. When the hosts of this Netflix original visit the home in New Zealand, Piers explains how light can flood into a building without many windows to work with. Consideration of the most desirable view and weather are crucial to letting in sunlight. Weather determines how much light is let into the space and the view vs position of the sun determines the angles at which the sun comes in. Though houses today tend to make a bold statement with their design, it’s refreshing to find a home that flows into the nature around it through lighting.
The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes has made me think about how my dream house would be designed. This episode specifically has strengthened my desire to live in the mountains as I grow old, hopefully with someone I love. I would love to share a true feat of architecture with someone one day. The house of our dreams would be designed with the environment in mind so we could blend in with the mountain. To build a home with this intention is not a new idea, but one we all should take into consideration.
“Mountains”, The World's Most Extraordinary Homes, Wall to Wall Television, Netflix, Jan 6, 2017.
It was interesting to learn that you like architecture such as these houses this much. I also thought itiwas very sweet that a show such as this could inspire such emotions.
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