Klein Bottle House, Australia

The architects wanted a building that nestled within the tree line, that talked about journey and the playfulness of holiday time. What began as a spiral or shell like building developed into a more complex spiral, the Klein Bottle.

It is easier than ever to ‘think outside the box’ for architects these days. With the use of technology (CAD), it is now easier to efficiently describe more complex shapes and spaces and communicate these to the build. In mathematics, the Klein bottle is a certain non-orientable surface, i.e., a surface (a two-dimensional manifold) with no distinct “inner” and “outer” sides. Klein Bottle House in Mornington Peninsula, Australia, designed by McBride Charles Ryan (MCR) applies the logic of the Klein Bottle, by being a shape which folds into itself to become one continuous volume.

 

The house revolves around a central courtyard, a grand regal stair connecting all the levels. There is a sense of both being near and far too all occupants.

Its endless, curling shell-like quality particularly in the tee tree brings about a comforting togetherness..