Unusual houses


Houses for a life less ordinary


These remarkable properties for sale are unlikely to leave a buyer indifferent, says Carla Passino


Water paradise


Wooden villa, Ubud, Bali The boundary between indoors and outdoors is blurred in this magnificent property on a hillside 10 minutes from Ubud. Built entirely of recycled ironwood using traditional techniques, it' s a striking example of Bali' s open architecture. The main house has four bedrooms and a profusion of covered outdoor sitting rooms and glass doors out to the 300sq m decking and the mature tropical gar- dens. The great room almost feels like an island, being bordered by four water features and a lake. Almost everywhere, there are jaw-dropping jungle viewsÐ that from the main living area across the pool, past a boulder in the water to the intricate maze of palm trees beyond, is enough to make you want to move in. Every detail is extraordinary, from the curving platforms on which the beds rest to the tub with a rain-dome showerhead. The office, set in a 20m-high tower, must be the most inspiring workplace in the world (assuming that you actually do some work there). There is also a two-bedroom guest house. The asking price is $4 million through Savills (020± 7016 3740; www.savills.co.uk/abroad).


Geometric living in Milan


The Cube, Milan, Lombardy, Italy Before Renzo Piano became the household architectural name he is today, he designed a handful of villas in Cusago, a village dominated by a 15th-century castle. At the time, these cuboids with floor-to-ceiling glass walls and open- plan layouts broke new ground and earned the nickname of I Cubi, The Cubes. One of the Cubes is now for sale, and has a living room with pearwood furniture, a semi-open- plan kitchen, a master bedroom with fitness area, two more bedrooms, a games room and a wellness area with spa tub. The windows make the most of the garden views. The price is €1,080,000 through Savills' associate ADDress Srl (00 39 2 366 88 012; www.addressmilano.com).


64 Country Life International, Summer 2011 www.countrylife.co.uk/international


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