If you live in/around, or have visited, a major city in the past 5-10 years, you’ve probably noticed architecture getting increasingly cooler. Square and rectangular buildings are just plain boring these days, so a new creation has come into play as architects battle each other in a never-ending fight for originality and creativity. Introducing, the invisible house. Well, “barn”, actually.

“The Invisible Barn” structure is pictured in Socrates Sculpture Park and is the brainchild of the New York-based architecture firm stpmj. The space is designed to be made of wood and it’s sheeted mirror film, a cost of $5,000, provides it with the illusion of being invisible. No LED’s or lights were used. To the untrained eye, when scanning the woodsy area, you just might miss it. This may just be the most peaceful place in the world, outside and in.

The idea is to “blur the perceptual boundary” between object and setting, according to a statement sent by the architects to The Huffington Post. Niches built into the structure mean the experience changes the closer you get — up close, you can see where true birch trees turn into reflected ones. If it seems whimsical, that’s because the idea was hatched for the Folly contest, an annual event held by the Architectural League of New York. The name references the age-old concept of the “architectural folly,” a fanciful, small building typically set in a garden as a conversation starter.

This is such a beautiful, serene and calming space. The structure is very welcoming and I can only imaging how beautiful the sight is upon a sunrise. Would you live here? I know I would.

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Matt Whitlock – @mattwhitlockPM