Architecture

Spy Glass beach hut rotates to take in the sights

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The Spy Glass rests atop a repurposed heavy-duty vehicle turntable that allows it to rotate
Nick Kane
The Spy Glass rests atop a repurposed heavy-duty vehicle turntable that allows it to rotate
Nick Kane
The Spy Glass is designed to resemble an oversized pair of old-fashioned coin-fed seaside binoculars
Nick Kane
The Spy Glass was designed by JaK Studio 
Nick Kane
The Spy Glass was commissioned by Eastbourne Council following an architectural competition
Nick Kane
The Spy Glass' budget came in at £10,000 (US$13,000)
Nick Kane
The Spy Glass measures 2 x 3 x 3 m (6.5 x 9.8 x 9.8 ft)
Nick Kane
The Spy Glass rests atop a heavy-duty vehicle turntable
Nick Kane
The Spy Glass' turntable enables it to rotate 180 degrees and face the sun, the sea, or nearby Eastbourne Pier
Nick Kane
Structurally, the Spy Glass consists of precast concrete with a translucent middle section that glows at night
Nick Kane
The Spy Glass includes a seating area
Francesco Russo
The Spy Glass' sleeping area is raised 
Francesco Russo
The Spy Glass is fronted by generous glazing
Francesco Russo
View gallery - 12 images

This charming little beach hut in England named the Spy Glass is designed to look like an oversized pair of old-fashioned coin-fed binoculars. It rests atop a turntable that rotates it 180 degrees, allowing its occupants to change the view to suit.

The Spy Glass was designed by JaK Studio. Structurally, it consists of precast concrete with a translucent middle section that glows at night. It's fronted by generous glazing and its exterior has an outdoor shower.

The beach hut measures 2 x 3 x 3 m (6.5 x 9.8 x 9.8 ft) and is accessed by a wooden door. A sleeping area juts out above and sports two port hole-style windows that resemble binocular lenses. Inside, the beach hut includes a seating area, a sink and changing area, as well as the raised sleeping area mentioned.

The Spy Glass rests atop a repurposed heavy-duty vehicle turntable that was sunken into the ground. This enables the entire structure to rotate a total of 180 degrees and face the sun, the sea, or nearby Eastbourne Pier. The turntable's rotation is operated by a remote control unit inside the beach hut.

The Spy Glass' sleeping area is raised 
Francesco Russo

"We wanted to pay homage to the traditional beach hut whilst creating a modern concept for a design classic," says Jacob Low, founding partner at JaK Studio. "A big inspiration to our project was the coin slot binoculars which allow one to gaze out to sea. As you can move these binoculars users can also move our Spy Glass to interact with the sun or coastline. It will hopefully bring a bit of nostalgia to local residents and those visiting on days out."

The Spy Glass was commissioned by England's Eastbourne Council following an architectural competition. The budget came to just £10,000 (US$13,000). It's currently available to visit and rent as an event space.

Source: JaK Studio

View gallery - 12 images
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2 comments
paul314
Sleeping space and changing area and event rental? This does sound a little like a concept structure looking for a purpose.
Nik
It looks like a variation on the sewage pipe theme, but two or three times the price. The traditional beach hut has a veranda that allows a wide view, for inhabitants, towards the sea, without the expense and complication of a turntable. Also they are usually in placed in 'terraces' of a number side by side. In this situation this device would lose its 180 deg view, so must therefore be isolated, and it doesn't have a veranda for people to sit and enjoy the sea air and view, which makes it rather claustrophobic, and negates the whole point of being on the seaside. It would seem to be a typical 'Council' project, which loses the appeal and advantages of the original, for some quirky, expensive, and pointless additions. As a business venture, its probably a disaster, typical of councils, that exist on taxes, and never have to make a profit like a business, so their ideas always fall short.