Monday, February 12, 2007

Reversible Destiny Lofts
















There's something really appealing about the idea of Reversible Destiny.

The most recent work from New York based designers Arakawa and Gin is a most unusual apartment block based in Mitaka, Tokyo. Reversible Destiny Lofts are eye-catching brightly painted lofts that look like a McDonald's play ground through the eyes of someone on LSD. The architecture looks like the aftermath of a size 3 earthquake, a little shaken and lopsided.

There is a reason behind the designers madness however. Arakawa believes that comfort makes you grow old quick, and that residents, in particular elderly ones, need to be kept on their toes by having their interiors physically challenge them. Lopsided floors force the resident to maintain a good sense of balance , strangely located light switches insist we feel around for the light, whilst small veranda doors will ask you to crawl and bend to enter.
More photos.
Via Spluch.

At first thought, the theory behind this intrigued me. But I can't get past the perverse humor of intentionally housing elderly people in tilted homes. Isn't aging challenging enough? God, now I've got the giggles...

No comments: