The Vipp Tunnel is a remarkable new building that takes the form of a chunky concrete tunnel. The luxurious brutalist-style home has been carefully installed to nestle into the surrounding landscape and also runs fully off-the-grid.
Bringing to mind the somewhat similar Culvert Guesthouse, the Vipp Tunnel was designed by Australian studio Room11 and is located in Tasmania's Bruny Island. It's reached by car and ferry, and cantilevers slightly over a hill on a sprawling rural site.
The tunnel-shaped building has a length of 30 m (98.5 ft) and a floorspace of 160 sq m (1,722 sq ft), all on one floor. However, another smaller building is situated nearby that's envisioned as an office, yoga studio, or similar, and includes its own bedroom.
The main home features generous glazing, including floor-to-ceiling windows, and is partially furnished using design firm Vipp's own products. The decor is very tastefully done – even if all that concrete won't be for everyone – and features a large living room that frames views of the landscape. A central courtyard separates the living and kitchen areas from the bedroom and bathroom. There's also a light at the end of this tunnel in the form of a decorative light well.
"Inspired by the area's natural phenomenon known as Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, when the night sky is transformed into a dreamscape of color, Room11 has added chromatic glazing to the building's central skylights," says Vipp's press release. "Polished concrete floors and walls further enhance the effect, reflecting the ever-changing interplay of light that dances throughout the otherwise understated interior like an ever-changing artwork."
To ensure the power stays on, Vipp Tunnel's west-facing facade is clad in solar panels, which are connected to a battery array. It has heated flooring throughout and air conditioning to maintain a comfortable temperature, while all water is sourced from a rainwater collection system and filter. Additionally, during the design process, Room11 conducted surveys of every tree onsite and arranged the roadworks and construction to mitigate the impact on the landscape.
The Vipp Tunnel is the latest in a series of guest houses by Vipp and follows its Bolder Star Lodges. If you'd like to stay in this vacation home yourself, it will set you back from AUD970 (roughly US$610), per night.
Source: Vipp
