apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time


Try This At Home? Giant Net for Hanging Out

030509_hangout.jpgMaison NW is where architect Nathalie Wolberg lives and works. It also happens to be where she experiments with new ideas about her environment and how we live. Tailoring the space to allow the body to define it, Maison NW takes on a new approach to 'rooms' and 'furniture' including, but not limited to, this relaxation area:

 
 
This giant net hammock serves as a spot for the artists in residence (there are 9) to hang out and relax. In terms of architecture, it serves the purpose of making the body aware of gravity and its own weight. We think it would be fun (and reminds us of friends of ours who built something similar outside between trees) and appreciate a different and unusual perspective on what a living space is made up of.

See lots and lots of pictures of amazingly different ideas on Archinect.

Tags

Look!, relaxing, hammock, net

Related Links

Share

Comments (53)

really cool looking and I'm sure it's perfectly secure, but I would get a little nervous!

posted by kathyh on March 6th 2009 at 4:25pm
view kathyh's profile

Makes me nervous to think that you have to rely on the last person who gets on to assess whether their addition throws you over the maximum weight capacity!

posted by LilyC on March 6th 2009 at 4:31pm
view LilyC's profile

Is this the cast of Fame partaking in an abstract performance art piece? blech.

posted by dnice on March 6th 2009 at 4:31pm
view dnice's profile

That makes my stomach queasy. I'll take a couch thank you :)

posted by alaylam on March 6th 2009 at 4:37pm
view alaylam's profile

Very cool and am happy to see people pushing the envelope on what defines architectural living space. Unfortunately my fear of heights would keep me from ever going on that net.

posted by azure on March 6th 2009 at 4:43pm
view azure's profile

cool ^_^
like a giant hammock

posted by plumeria on March 6th 2009 at 4:44pm
view plumeria's profile

The view from the lower level wouldn't be too pleasant.

posted by memorosies on March 6th 2009 at 4:45pm
view memorosies's profile

This is awesome. I don't have kids yet, but I have a kids room in waiting with rafters just like this. I'm going to make one! Thanks AT Maison NW!

posted by Vanessa in New York on March 6th 2009 at 4:45pm
view Vanessa in New York's profile

I could NEVER, EVER relax on something like that. I would be freaking out looking down and thinking the thing would tear. The only way is if it was only 4 or 5 feet above the floor. But that? No thanks!

posted by WendyJ on March 6th 2009 at 4:46pm
view WendyJ's profile

Nice idea... but nah. I'd be too worried about it collapsing.

posted by nikkibee on March 6th 2009 at 4:58pm
view nikkibee's profile

fear of heights

posted by LaDonnaNichole on March 6th 2009 at 5:09pm
view LaDonnaNichole's profile

Ditto

posted by Daniel Poitiers on March 6th 2009 at 5:09pm
view Daniel Poitiers's profile

deathtastic!

posted by reiskid on March 6th 2009 at 5:10pm
view reiskid's profile

Ha! A few years ago my (then) 4th grader said, "Mom, wouldn't it be cool to have a whole house where the floors were all trampolines?"

I guess the kid was onto something!

This also reminds me of a catamaran we were on last month in the Caribbean where there were two areas like this on the front of the boat. They were fun to sit on and watch the ocean going by underneath you!

posted by Peggasus on March 6th 2009 at 5:20pm
view Peggasus's profile

If I was sure it was installed safely (and at an architect's house, I imagine it would be), this would be awesome.

posted by Cheryl on March 6th 2009 at 5:26pm
view Cheryl's profile

I saw a tour of this house on French TV:
http://www.france5.fr/question-maison/?id=884&page=article

The whole space is very... original. The hammock is very cool, tho.

posted by mappysh on March 6th 2009 at 5:29pm
view mappysh's profile

The playscape at our local Dairy Queen has something similar.

posted by kelleyk on March 6th 2009 at 5:35pm
view kelleyk's profile

Make it a trampoline and I'm totally there.

posted by lilacwire on March 6th 2009 at 5:37pm
view lilacwire's profile

F'ing terrifying.

posted by Emily the Cat on March 6th 2009 at 5:39pm
view Emily the Cat's profile

I would absolutely love to have that.

However, the attachments certainly look undersized?

posted by LBhirise on March 6th 2009 at 5:54pm
view LBhirise's profile

This has been a childhood dream of mine. Spectacular

posted by sassifrass on March 6th 2009 at 6:06pm
view sassifrass's profile

It's all fun and games until someone falls through the floor...

posted by animalhouze on March 6th 2009 at 6:53pm
view animalhouze's profile

reminds me of the 'discovery zone' where everyone had their birthday parties growing up (chuck e cheese was so passe). I never went on the net as I was (and am) afraid of heights. it looks comfy, but unless it was professionally installed, I'd be too nervous.

posted by foodefafa on March 6th 2009 at 6:57pm
view foodefafa's profile

awful. you would instinctively move away from it. juvenile. tacky in a new way. inelegant. humans naturally move *away* from surfaces that compromise their physical safety, as this can. something dreamt up in a dorm room after too much pot.

posted by ddg425 on March 6th 2009 at 7:08pm
view ddg425's profile

looks comfy allright, but still I'm worried about the safety..

posted by inaku on March 6th 2009 at 7:09pm
view inaku's profile

one other observation: did you notice how the women are sitting off to the side, and only the guys are actually sitting on this thing? it's an anti-nesting, pro-testosterone- pumping structure.

posted by ddg425 on March 6th 2009 at 7:10pm
view ddg425's profile

I'm surprised no one has commented on the strange, floating, inaccessible pillow/blanket nook just above the giant hammock. Odd.

This room looks like it was taken out a Nooni and Nuni sketch from SNL.

posted by jazzberry on March 6th 2009 at 7:24pm
view jazzberry's profile

For reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Schoeners

posted by jazzberry on March 6th 2009 at 7:25pm
view jazzberry's profile

After reading the comment, "I'm surprised no one has commented on the strange, floating, inaccessible pillow/blanket nook just above the giant hammock..." I went back and skimmed over the picture a little more.

If you look closely, there are a few ladder-like stairs that are on the far right side of the picture.

The person on the right side of the net does look a little uneasy... I'm with the trampoline people, though. Maybe they could then "leap" into the nook too. (Ha ha, now THAT's "deathtastic"!)

posted by natalie annie on March 6th 2009 at 7:48pm
view natalie annie's profile

wish i could do that!

posted by amalgamax on March 6th 2009 at 9:09pm
view amalgamax's profile

That makes me feel queasy. Maybe if it was no higher up than like a bunk bed, but on a second floor? Gives me the willies.

posted by SputnikSpak on March 6th 2009 at 9:21pm
view SputnikSpak's profile

I love it! Beautiful and original! I like the floating nook too.

posted by Griffin on March 6th 2009 at 10:07pm
view Griffin's profile

What's missing from this shot is the swinging trapeze overhead, you know, this is just the safety net. Okay, maybe that was just in my mind. It's crazy and unsettling, but yeah, it's cool, too. I think I'd prefer it if there were a big (and deep enough) pool of water below, juuuust in case.

posted by randomname on March 7th 2009 at 12:37am
view randomname's profile

I quite like this. I'd probably hang out there all the time in summer, though it would lose it's appeal in winter.

posted by Tiamat_the_Red on March 7th 2009 at 1:00am
view Tiamat_the_Red's profile

Oh man I am afraid of heights so this picture terrifies me. But I have to admit it looks really awesome. :)

~Amanda
http://onehappypanda.blogspot.com

posted by mandabear on March 7th 2009 at 1:09am
view mandabear's profile

Love this! Reminds me of summer camp.

posted by inertia on March 7th 2009 at 4:35am
view inertia's profile

What's missing from this shot is the swinging trapeze overhead, you know, this is just the safety net. Okay, maybe that was just in my mind.

Me, too, randomname! I actually love this idea, but then, my parents were trapeze artists and we had a trapeze, complete with net, in our backyard for all of my childhood. It was a favorite place for my friends and I to lounge and read a book or something, so I would absolutely love to recreate it in my own home--if I had the space.

posted by alittlelately on March 7th 2009 at 8:19am
view alittlelately's profile

LOL i love it. want to take a duvet on it and go for a nap ...

posted by maike on March 7th 2009 at 9:18am
view maike's profile

The women would not be comfortable on it with the big guys in the middle. They'd have to sit on an odd slant toward the edges and fight gravity to keep from sinking toward the center. This is a structure that rewards the heaviest person and makes every one else adjust around him.

posted by kelleyk on March 7th 2009 at 11:47am
view kelleyk's profile

would cure my fear of heights.

posted by aprettydress on March 7th 2009 at 3:58pm
view aprettydress's profile

Yay, trapeze! I've been taking trapeze classes and I love them. But I would never want to sit on this floor either, way too high over the floor.

posted by Aariel on March 7th 2009 at 4:51pm
view Aariel's profile

Interesting idea to bring the classic outdoor hammock experience inside. I think I still prefer it outside though.

posted by ptowntara on March 7th 2009 at 11:00pm
view ptowntara's profile

wow. no.

posted by lemonpie on March 8th 2009 at 3:42am
view lemonpie's profile

Im curious why everyone is so fearful of this concept. I mean - your FLOOR is suspended in space by attachments at the sides. Why is this much different?

posted by Modfan on March 8th 2009 at 2:11pm
view Modfan's profile

I would fall in love with that net- except for the fact I would lose all my pencils and highlighters while reading.

As a space however, it looks much too commercial instead of homey. I much prefer an exotic orientalist look for an artist's abode.

posted by Nolann on March 8th 2009 at 9:04pm
view Nolann's profile

How relaxing could it be if to get on and off that net you have to negotiate your balance with every effort and move you make. And wonder how long will these little hooks hold up so many fat bums.

There's enough slanting edges to black and blue an Octopus!!

Just by looking at the picture of the person clinging to the stair rail, lets us know how many glasses of whatever you should limit yourself to in that house.

The whole place looks clinical and uncomfortable. Some times ideas should remain just that, until the focus is shifted to function before form.

posted by click212 on March 9th 2009 at 9:57am
view click212's profile

I'm afraid there would have to be some code issues about that sort of "room". Looks like a catastrophe waiting to happen. How many semi-drunk people can fit onto this space before the grommets or whatever is holding the netting in place gives. CRAZY!

posted by rachelrachel on March 9th 2009 at 10:59am
view rachelrachel's profile

MODFAN, your floor is also very rigid and has columns and or load bearing walls helping to support it. It is not held together at the edges by attaching it to walls.

posted by rachelrachel on March 9th 2009 at 11:01am
view rachelrachel's profile

id be worried about it falling down, but at the same time- HOW COOL!

posted by Oneformybaby on March 9th 2009 at 11:18am
view Oneformybaby's profile

Remember kids- just because it doesn't look safe doesn't mean it isn't.

posted by StudioStarter on March 9th 2009 at 2:03pm
view StudioStarter's profile

I'm always glad when anyone explores concepts in relaxing but honestly most of this houses goes completely against the theory of ergonomics and improving modern life. I loved the visuals of this house but it is yet another example of design placing form above function.

posted by shann on March 10th 2009 at 10:24pm
view shann's profile

This would be cool in a tiny home as the "loft" level! :)

posted by fredlet on March 15th 2009 at 3:37pm
view fredlet's profile

I'm surprised by how many people think this is "unsafe" and that it might "fall". I'm sure the calculations were done to see how much weight the net could hold, just as when floors, walls, ceilings and furniture are being planned. The woman is an architect! I don't think this was some Home Depot/Fishing Store project relying on crossed fingers and Boy Scout knots. I'd imagine most architects who hope to remain employed don't aim for customers/friends plummeting to their death from half-assed hammock floors. Precautions were probably made! Just because you can see the floor doesn't mean you'll fall on it!

I think the whole house seems like a fun place to live. It may not work with the elderly and children, but I bet both young and flexible older people would adore to dwell in a home like this.

posted by ihateacrylic on March 16th 2009 at 3:10am
view ihateacrylic's profile