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Where to go for more than a room

Seven Airbnb?s with awe-inspiring architecture

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By Amy Saunders | June 26, 2018 | Design

Words by Elise Taylor, Vogue (www.vogue.com.au)  

Image credits: Airbnb

We already know Airbnb’s got something for just about everyone, and that includes the architectural aesthete, or the traveller who wants to be inspired just as much by their lodging as they do their location. From sustainable structures, to cube houses, to dwellings completely comprised of bamboo, here are some ideal properties for even the most serious of design connoisseurs.

Off Grid itHouse, Pioneertown, California

With its floor-to-ceiling glass windows and solar panel grid, this Airbnb is both sustainable and stunning (and one of the most popular rentals on the site). It’s also perfect for the transcendentalist-in-training: to fully promote the off-grid experience, the property doesn’t have any television or wifi.

 

Yoshino Cedar House, Yoshina-Gun, Japan

On the banks of the Yoshino river is the Yoshino Cedar House, which, as the name suggests, uses cedar or cypress wood for every floor, wall, and ceiling. It’s a nod to the community itself, which is home to over 40 timber mills. Book during the month of March and head to the nearby Mount Yoshinoyama, one of Japan’s most famous cherry blossom viewing spots.

 

Bamboo House, Bali

If the king of the jungle had a castle, it would look like this bamboo house in Bali, with its master suite, plunge pool, expansive views, and fantastical wood design that make it look like it’s been part of its surroundings the whole time. It’s part of Green Village, a project developed by jewellery designer John Hardy and his daughter, Elora, who is passionate about creating sustainable architecture that exposes people to nature. ”If I can let a building feel like a beautiful forest or a bedroom feel like a cocoon, then I feel like I’ve helped reconnect something vital,” she said

 

Cube House, Rotterdam Netherlands

In the 1970s, architect Piet Bloom designed a series of funky structures, now called the Cube Houses, right in the middle of Rotterdam’s town square. Now, a couple of these avant-garde experiments are available for design-lovers—or the just the plain curious—on Airbnb.

 

Eppstein House, Galesberg, Michigan

Serious architecture buffs will swoon over this completely restored, five-bedroom Frank Lloyd Wright house, which has scored a spot on the National Register for Historic Places. Even better, the shores of Lake Michigan are a mere twenty minutes away.

 

Geodesic Dome, Joshua Tree

This Buckminster Fuller-inspired Geodesic Dome looks straight out of the future—but, in a more literal sense, also out to the vast expanse of Joshua Tree National Park.

Tiny House, Seattle Washington

Those who are curious about small-scale living (or just don’t need a lot of space) can rent this Tiny House built by an architect and a graphic designer who admit they, ‘’obsessed over every detail.” Affectionally nicknamed “Tipsy,” the miniature spot is a short drive away from downtown Seattle.

 

This story was first published by Vogue.com