Located in the California desert, the Invisible House blends into the rugged landscape with its mirrored façade. Inside, there are also beautiful amenities, including a large swimming pool, a space dedicated to film screenings and four bedrooms with bathrooms that open to the outside.
A successful collaboration
The Invisible House was designed by architect Tomas Osinski, with the participation of owner Chris Hanley, who is best known as a producer of films including American Psycho and Virgin Suicides. It measures approximately 500 square metres and is located on a 36-hectare site near Joshua Tree.
Apart from the house and the dirt road needed to access it, the land surrounding the house has been left untouched. The house itself is partially raised off the ground on concrete pilings and protrudes from some rocks. It takes the form of a simple glass rectangle and is finished in Solarcool glass, which has a reflective coating. According to Tomas Osinski, this coating strongly reflects heat and prevents the interior from being overheated by the sun.
High-end performance
The interior design is on one level and revolves around a large 30-metre indoor swimming pool, which, according to Tomas Osinski, also helps to maintain a constant temperature. Several sections of glazing, including a large part of the west-facing walls, open up, and the pool area houses a projector that turns the back wall into a home cinema for film projection.
The kitchen is located nearby and is ideal for parties, with two ovens, a heating compartment, a fridge and freezer, and some seating. Elsewhere there are more seats, as well as four bedrooms, each with a sliding wall that opens outwards and a bathroom with a glass shower.
Environmental preservation at the heart of the project
The Invisible House is equipped with thermal solar panels on the roof that produce hot water to reduce energy requirements. In addition, although we are often concerned about local bird populations with these kinds of projects, Chris Hanley said that no local birds have been injured.
If you want to live in the Invisible House yourself, you can do so, at least for a while. It can be rented for private use and for events such as photo shoots and parties, but we do not have details of the rates.