I hope the wood at the end is heavy enough to stay put once wet clothes are put onto it. Add one big blanket and I could see the entire clothesline sag. It's a great idea though.

What's a clothes line?

A clothesline should sit out in the open to catch the breeze and to avoid having the drying items brush against plants, etc. Also, I doubt that piece of wood is heavy enough. Looks great though but function should rule here.

While I don't think it would hold I do think it is a great idea that could be improved upon. I dream of living in a place where I could have a clothes line.

Nice one @Duane Hill

The clothesline was designed by architects. Could we at least give them the benefit of the doubt that they know how heavy the piece of wood needs to be to hold the weight of some wet laundry? Sheeeeshh, what is it you think architects actually do?

Looks like the kind of clothesline that would be designed by someone who's never used one. As pointed out, it should be in a open, airy, space to maximize the drying power of wind and avoid snarling clothing in nearby flora.

Duane Hill: A clothes line is a line (or lines) strung outdoors to hang clothes up to dry on. I'm curious: where do you live, that this is an unfamiliar idea?

@LGS, I agree. This isn't the usual pretty "decorator" stuff we find on the site, It actually looks like some thought was put into it's function. To me the block looks heavy enough to hold up a person hanging from one of the ropes.

@Wordchick - *whoosh* Duane Hill meant it as a joke.

@ PI: excellent *whoosh* for Wordchick.

Fact check: I thought the weight looked like a rock, not a log. So, I searched "Marcus O'Reilly Architects, Australia, clothesline" and found a reference that states it is a "rock weight." That would be more than heavy enough.

Looks lovely, but unless the prevailing breeze always blows away from the fence, any sheets and blankets hung on those lines are going to get dirty from the fence. If that were out in the middle of a yard without a fence, it would work well.

It is gorgeous and quite visually appealing.

Nothing beats the amazing scent of sun-kissed clothing/sheets...

I spent a few weeks mapping out the perfect location for my clothesline - not too close to trees/shrubs/plants/flowers...trees equal birds which equal birdy poop...flowers equal bees which equal pollen streaks... trees equal shade which equals longer dry time...

But they are architects in Australia - maybe it is used as their cats' scratching post?

@los osos Diane, you reminded me of something funny. I once handed my husband a retractable clothesline and asked him to rig it up out back. He put it up in the shade, under a pine tree that constantly shed needles and pitch, and which was a favorite bird perch!

I think the counterweight on this thing is really clever. It overcomes the issue of the clothesline stretching and sagging.

Architect ≠ Engineer

a visually appealing clothesline...woohoo! (who would have thought...) Which goes to show that there surely can't be anything in this world that can't benefit from a little thoughtful design!....now I'm off to design my clothesline....

I agree with Yonella. Architect does not an Engineer make.

Also, the weight will keep the line tension but won't prevent the poles from leaning towards the inside. The height of the line magnifies the moment at the ground line. Those poles look like 4"x4" lumber which won't be enough to keep them from bending inward.

Wordchick is right also. This is a terrible location for a clothes line.

@ colebrodine: If the posts are set in the ground with concrete (as most people do when they plant clothes line posts, mailboxes, light poles, etc), they most certainly will hold not only the weight of the "counter weight" but the wet clothes as well. The posts will not tip inward.

The area where this clothes line in placed is not a big deal. There is a fence on one side, sure. But that doesn't mean any more dirt will get on the clothes as could happen from dirt blowing up off the ground out in the open, Dragynphyre.

There are no trees overhead, the perspective of the foto is deceiving. This foto was obviously taken during a later part of the day with the sun not directly overhead- or else the foto would have been too washed out from overexposure. I'm from South America & we still wash our clothes either by hand in a basin outside. Or, if we are lucky enough, people have a small (only one size load- SMALL!) washing machine out back under a covering. Hang the clothes to dry. No dryers to be had at all. Not necessary! That's why we have the sun! I even lived in Adelaide, Aust. for a time & practically everyone there hangs their clothes out to dry. And a lot of people are either washing them still by hand in a big tub in the yard, or have their washer out in the yard. So it's only a matter of short steps to the line. Unlike the US, many other countries do not do a months load of laundry at one shot! Because they don't own as many clothes as most North Americans! Remember, a lot of AT posts are about the need to "downsize" or "go minimalist", with tips on how to "purge". (At this very moment there's another thread about where to take your unwanted stuff to donate!) Other countries have been living this way for centuries. Not always out of choice, remember, but necessity or just good old common sense! Only North Americans are faced with the concept of "purging"! LOL!

So, washing an arm load of clothes every few days is not going to put a physical burden on this clothes line. Or their backs and wallets!

Oh, wanted to add, for those who think the line is too close to the fence & who have staked out the "perfect" local in their yard, far from trees, fences, play equipment, birds flying over head... again- this is coming from a concept of a HUGE yard! Not everyone has acreage of choices! How about people who hang laundry from balconies over alley ways! Or people who hang their laundry on little wooden folding racks in their bathroom for lack of a yard! Yay to everyone who has so much yard that they have the luxury of "mapping out" the perfect location for a clothes line! But not everyone has that luxury! They're happy to have clothes to wash!

@Ecuadoriana1 - Amen! An ideal situation can look way different than the realities we live in. I line dry in my basement because there's not a good space in my yard. It takes longer, doens't get that wonderful sunshine and breeze & ocassionally gets dust or a few cobwebs if I'm not paying attention, but I do get dry clothes.