When looking for desirability in everyday life, I’ve been conditioned to look at products — things we can typically hold in our hands. But when watching Netflix’s new show “The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes,” I realized that some of the most desirable things out there are things I can’t hold. I often day dream about the architecture and interior design of my future home, and this show has helped me identify the things I value in a space. One of those things is architectural continuity. This New Zealand tree house is, in my mind, the perfect example of designing with a landscape rather than in spite of a landscape — using the natural architecture outside of the house to inform the architecture within. Rather than chop down trees and clear rocks in order to plop down a prefabricated home, the builders looked at the spaces that existed between these trees and rocks and molded the house around them. The floor-to-ceiling (removable) windows, wood elements, tree-like beams, and airy furniture contribute to this feeling of oneness with the outdoors. Although far from anything I actually own, this dwelling has made me appreciate the layout and material use of my own house.
