It was a pipe dream – now it’s a reality.
A Russian architect has designed and built an amazing stainless-steel ‘pipe house’, complete with a shower, sleeping quarters and a kitchen.
The quirky abode – which has a diameter of 3.5 metres (11.4ft) and a length of 12 metres (39.3ft) – hangs over the edge of a slope, giving the illusion it is floating.
An architect has designed and built an incredible stainless-steel ‘pipe house’ in a Russian park
The decor is stylish and minimal, with a dark wooden kitchen unit, a dining table, and a double bed
Architect Sergey Kuznetsov, 44, spent two nights living in the apartment, which has been installed in Nikola-Lenivets art park in the Kaluga region, 155 miles from Moscow, for the annual Arkhstoyanie arts festival.
Describing the project, which is titled ‘Russian Quintessential’, Sergey, who has been the Chief Architect of Moscow since 2012, told MailOnline Travel: ‘People call it the Pipe, and I think it’s perfectly normal.
‘It’s like flying or floating over the ground.
The unconventional abode hangs over the edge of a slope, giving the illusion it is floating
Architect Sergey Kuznetsov (pictured) spent two nights living in the apartment, which has been installed for the annual Arkhstoyanie arts festival
‘For me, it is the most interesting part of the concept. Of course, the interior, the steel surface, but the most exciting thing is the flying element of the construction.’
The 12-tonne tube is kept level thanks to an underground ‘reinforcement cage’ and a concrete slab at one end, which act as a counterweight.
Inside, the decor is stylish and minimal, with a dark wooden kitchen unit, industrial stools, a dining table, and a double bed.
The walls of the interior are lined with light wood, and a glass door opens up to a balcony, which sits at the most elevated point.
As day moves to night the light interacts with the building’s reflective qualities, the verdant forest surrounding it mirrored on its steel surface.
Sergey observed: ‘At some points of view you see construction mixing with nature, making it transparent. It is the dual nature of this building, combining contrast and transparency.
‘People call it the Pipe, and I think it’s perfectly normal,’ the architect said
Light interacts with the building’s mirrored surface throughout the night and day
‘I think partly this is what excites people about it. Most of them feel some kind of magic from it.’
When it came to the build, designing was the easy part – the logistics of the construction, ferrying materials to the rural park, proved trickier.
Sergey admitted: ‘We should remember that it is built 250km away from Moscow and in quite wild surroundings, without any construction traditions, without any serious constructions at all.
Designing was the easy part of the build, but the logistics of the construction proved trickier, Sergey said
Those travelling to the Nikola-Lenivets art park can rent the unique apartment for a night
‘The production, logistics and installation on the site was far more difficult than the design process.’
Those visiting Nikola-Lenivets art park, which is home to tens of sculptures and architectural installations, can rent the unique apartment for a night.
Sergey has no current plans to market the building, but any prospective buyer is bound to be left feeling like they’re floating on air.
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