The Mirrorcube - Tree Hotel In Sweden

Talk about blending in with nature, the Mirror Cube Tree Hotel in Sweden certainly does! This hotel is literally a “tree house” that is completely covered in mirror so it can reflect its surroundings.

It’s a 4m by 4m by 4m aluminium cube covered in mirrored glass hung round a tree trunk. Once it’s in place, it simply disappears into the forest. The panoramic views from the windows must be absolutely stunning.

Designed by Tham & Videgård Arkitekter, the cube is a treehouse for two people, with room for a kitchenette, bathroom, bedroom and roof terrace. None of the pictures show how you actually get into the cube but rope ladders and bridges are mentioned in the blurb.

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Extreme Scaffolding

From a distance, scaffolding looks like a maze of criss-crossing steel pipes that encircles a building. But peer closely and you will realize that complex and precision engineering is at work behind the lattice.

It is believed that scaffolding originated in ancient North Africa and China. A Greek wine cup, also known as a kylix and dating back to the fifth century, contains an image of a statue of a warrior within a scaffolding.

Scaffolding today is mainly made of metal pipes. But in some parts of Asia, scaffolding is made of bamboo and is even used when building very tall skyscrapers.

This is extreme scaffolding, but to most scaffolders it is just another day at the office.

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Water Towers Transformed into Houses

One thing all old water towers have in common is that once their original purpose ceases to be important, they quickly turn into eyesores. Yet, on the other hand, their historic and cultural significance prevents them from being torn down. A dilemma? Not for creative architects, city planners and communities considering an altogether new purpose, as these seven examples show.

Sunset Beach Water Tower, California






Brasschaat Water Tower, Belgium








Chateau d’eau, Steenokkerzeel, Belgium








Water Tower in Essen-Bredeney, Germany








Groningen Water Tower, The Netherlands




House in the Clouds, Thorpeness, Suffolk, U.K.








Jaegersborg Water Tower, Gentofte, Denmark






Strenči Water Tower, Latvia

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