LIVING ON THE EDGE

10 Dwellings Perched So Precariously, They're Guaranteed To Make 

There's living on the edge, and then there's THIS.

Holman House, Australia

Inspired by Picasso's The Bather, this cliff-top house by Durbach Block Jaggers dangles over the sea for spectacular views.

Meteora Monasteries, Greece

In Greek, "meteora" means "suspended in air." There could be no better name for this mind-blowing monastic settlement.

Castellfollit de la Roca, Catalonia

Situated on a narrow basalt rock face in Catalonia, tucked between the Fluviá and Toronell Rivers, this village dates back to the Middle Ages. Approximately 1,000 inhabitants still live there, in an area of less than a square kilometre.

Cliff House, Calpe, Spain

Designed by architect Fran Silvestre, this white lime stucco-covered private residence overlooks the Mediterranean Sea, and was built using reinforced concrete slabs pinned to rock.

River House, Serbia

This small cabin, built on a rocky island in the middle of the Drina River, was constructed by a group of boys in 1968 as a clubhouse. It clearly puts my childhood forts to shame. 

Fallingwater, Pennsylvania

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Fallingwater is built into a mountainside and perched over a series of picturesque waterfalls. Wright did such a good job of meshing the home with the surrounding landscape, some of the boulders upon which it is built actually protrude into the interior.

Socotra Island, Indian Ocean

So many rare and exotic species call this island home, it’s almost like another planet. But for now, we’ll just focus on one species (human) and the dizzying city that they built on top of a coastal cliff.

“Just Enough Room” Island

Thousand Islands (no relation to the salad dressing) is an archipelago of 1,864 islands that straddles the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River. This is one of the smallest, appropriately named “Just Enough Room.” You can see why.

The UFO, Sweden

This sci-fi fantasy is owned by the same brilliant minds that created the Mirrorcube. Suspended in the trees of Harads, Sweden, visitors should be prepared to jet off to worlds unknown...at least in their dreams.

Upside Down House, Poland

House dangling off the side of a building not enough for ya? Have one that’s turned completely upside down instead. Built by Polish businessman and philanthropist Daniel Czapiewski, this topsy turvy house is perched in the tiny village of Szymbark. It is meant to be a profound statement about the Communist era and the chaotic state of the world.