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Ten homes with net floors for relaxation and play

In this lookbook, we collect 10 residential interiors where net floors provide an unusual place to sit, recline or jump about.

Nets can be a fun way to link two storeys in the home. Featured below are examples from a New York apartment, a skinny house in Rotterdam and a small family residence in rural Vietnam, among others.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with dividing lattice screens, split-level living areas and stylish children’s bedrooms.

Haus L in Austria by Dunkelschwarz — Photo by Marcus Rohrbacher

Haus L, Austria, by Dunkelschwarz

Timber-lined living spaces create a soothing atmosphere inside this house in the Austrian Alps, designed by local architecture studio Dunkelschwarz.

To encourage relaxation, a void above the dining area was covered with netting that can be used for lounging, while an adjacent walkway leads directly to a large balcony.

Find out more about Haus L ›

Net floor in Pimeriza House — Photo by Marcos Zegers (also top)

Primeriza House, Chile, by Stanaćev Granados

Chilean architecture studio Stanaćev Granados put two large cargo nets at the centre of this seaside house in Chorrillos overlooking the Pacific.

As well as providing an easily visible children’s play space above the open-plan living area, the net allows for a subtle transition between the darker wood cladding of the ground floor and the white-painted timber of the upper level.

Find out more about Primeriza House ›

Net hammocks suspended above seating areas — Photo courtesy of No Architecture

Urban Tree House, USA, by No Architecture

To make the vast living space of this apartment in New York’s West Village feel less chasmic, No Architecture constructed two “treehouses” from a series of timber beams.

Black netting strung between the beams creates an elevated chill-out space, accessed by a spiral staircase whose balustrade is made of the same mesh material.

Find out more about Urban Tree House ›

Nets inside the HOUSE by H&P Architects — Photo by Le Minh Hoang

HOUSE, Vietnam, by H&P Architects

In this house in Vietnam designed by H&P Architects, a net floor contributes to the humble aesthetic created by its compact, open-plan layout and rough-and-ready materials like exposed brick and corrugated metal.

The net allows air to move freely through the home, helps to instil a sense of spaciousness and creates additional usable floor space.

Find out more about HOUSE ›

Atrium Townhome by Robitalle Curtis — Photo by Adrien Williams

Atrium Townhome, Canada, by Robitaille Curtis

Canadian studio Robitaille Curtis procured the expertise of famous circus company Cirque du Soleil to rig a trapeze-style net atop the high atrium inside this Montreal home.

The aim was to emphasise the drama of the space, with a tall bookcase accessed by a 5.5-metre ladder and vertical wooden slats also helping to direct the gaze upwards.

Find out more about Atrium Townhome ›

Net floor in Casa Bosque Sereno — Photo by FRAM Fotografía

Casa Bosque Sereno, Mexico, by Fábrica de Espacios

At Casa Bosque Sereno, residents can use the net floor as a place to watch movies thanks to a projector mounted opposite a white-painted brick wall.

The net also contributes to the pared-back, open-plan design chosen for the house by architecture office Fábrica de Espacios.

Find out more about Casa Bosque Sereno ›

SkinnyScar, Rotterdam, the Netherlands by Gwendolyn Huisman and Marijn Boterman — Photo courtesy of Gwendolyn Huisman and Marijn Boterman

SkinnyScar, Netherlands, by Gwendolyn Huisman and Marijn Boterman

Dutch architects Gwendolyn Huisman and Marijn Boterman wanted to avoid “harsh boundaries” between living spaces in this skinny house in Rotterdam that they designed for themselves to live in.

To that end, they strung a modestly sized net next to a large window overlooking the garden, to act as a kind of static hammock next to the first-floor living room and above the dining room.

Find out more about SkinnyScar ›

Net floor above living area in house designed by Ortraum Architects — Photo by Marc Goodwin

MK5, Finland, by Ortraum Architects

This family house in a forest near Helsinki features a number of child-friendly elements including a climbing wall, gymnastic apparatus and, of course, a net floor.

Local studio Ortraum Architects placed the net in a cut-out next to the first-floor landing, allowing light to filter down into the basement stairwell.

Find out more about MK5 ›

King Bill house by Austin Maynard Architects — Photo by Derek Swalwell

King Bill, Australia, by Austin Maynard Architects

Austin Maynard Architects installed a netted platform with a view out of a large window and into the bathroom as part of its renovation of this formerly dilapidated stable in Melbourne.

The black mesh contrasts with the white corrugated metal of the window awning, the grey tiles of the bathroom and the orange carpet on the adjacent floor.

Find out more about King Bill ›

Saigon house by a21 Studio — Photo by Quang Tran

Saigon House, Vietnam, by a21studio

The large net in this Ho Chi Minh City house, designed by Vietnamese architecture office A21studio, is visible from almost everywhere in the four-storey building.

In addition to serving as a children’s play area, it helps create an impression of the ground floor as an outdoor courtyard – particularly as a tree bursts through the textile.

Find out more about Saigon House ›

Reference

Architecture

Red Dunes Playtopia features “cave-like” play spaces and undulating hills

By Zarkon Group,16/07/2023

Sloping red dunes and cavernous spaces feature in this playground, which local studio XISUI Design has created in a residential area in Guangzhou, China.

Built above an underground parking unit, the play area takes cues from natural forms including mountains and caves and comprises a playful arrangement of hills and arches designed for climbing and discovery.

“The design revolves around utilising the undulating red dunes to provide an attractive terrain for children to come and engage in activities such as running, jumping, and playing,” studio design director Hu Yihao told Dezeen.

Image of Red Dunes Playtopia — Red Dunes Playtopia was designed by XISUI Design

The studio used a load-bearing concrete shell for the structure of the playground, arranging the openings so that the loads are transferred to the supporting columns of the building below.

“Through concealed structural supports beneath the main weight-bearing concrete shell, the upper weight is precisely transferred to the supporting columns of the underground garage,” said Hu.

“This reduces the amount of earthwork volume used, reducing the weight of the load, and ensuring safety and stability.”

Photo of Red Dunes Playtopia by XISUI Design — The playground consists of hill-like structures

A variety of areas were hidden beneath the concrete shell, where the undulating topography of the land underneath helps to form organic landscapes designed to evoke the atmosphere of a cave.

Accessed through curved openings between sloping bridges, the covered play space is punctuated by a central white column, where a ladder leads to a white playhouse that sits above the concrete shell and connects to a metal slide.

Photo of the Red Dunes Playtopia by XISUI Design — It has a concrete shell

“The use of undulating concrete shell structures creates cave-like spaces that blend harmoniously with the terrain, offering both climbing opportunities and fantastic sheltered areas,” said Hu.

“This design approach ensures seamless integration with the natural topography while minimising structural elements and maximising space utilisation.”

The landscape was coloured with a range of red and blue tones arranged in a blocky pattern of curving shapes that follows the topography of the playground.

“Our client expressed an interest in incorporating a celestial theme into the children’s play area, specifically referencing the concept of Mars,” said Hu.

“To balance the overall colour scheme and avoid excessive dominance of red tones, we also incorporated complementary blue hues to enhance contrast and visual interest.”

Photo of the playground — Climbing walls, slides and walkways cover the hills

Up the sides of the shell, ropes and climbing walls provide access to the top of the hill, with white railings placed along the edges of the arches to provide additional safety.

Play equipment, including tunnels, stepping stones, slides, and tactile climbing frames, has been arranged across the rest of the site into zones suited towards different age groups, ranging from toddlers to teenagers.

“We aimed to provide a balanced range of activities that cater to different stages of child development, including exercises that enhance upper and lower body strength, balance, social interaction, and parent-child bonding,” added Hu.

Flattening out towards the edges of the site to simplify access, the topography was designed around these zones, with a smaller hill to one side of the site catering to toddlers and the larger shell on the other end providing more challenging terrain for older children.

While trees are dotted around the play area, the main green spaces were placed around the edges of the site where the ground dips to absorb draining rainfall.

“Meticulous calculations and simulations have ensured a comprehensive natural drainage system, effectively managing rainwater flow despite the undulating terrain,” said the studio.

“This innovative approach eliminates the need for surface drainage outlets, allowing rainwater to naturally disperse into green spaces and designated peak drainage outlets.”

Other playgrounds recently featured on Dezeen include a tree-inspired office playground in Tel Aviv and a series of giant rocks on wheels designed to encourage adventurous play.

The photography is by Hu Yihao.

Reference

Interior Design

Alexander & Co carves out spaces for calm and play inside Pacific House

By Zarkon Group,23/01/2023

Australian architecture practice Alexander & Co has overhauled this oceanside home in Sydney to make it more suitable for family life.

Before its renovation, the five-bedroom house had a disjointed floor plan that was proving inefficient for its two young owners and their three children. Many of the rooms were also cut off from views of the garden and the ocean beyond.

Kitchen interior of Pacific House designed by Alexander & Co — Pacific House’s kitchen is decked out with oakwood and different types of marble

“[Pacific House] was substantial in structure but devoid of spirit and certainly absent of any operational utility,” said Alexander & Co‘s principal architect Jeremy Bull.

Tasked with making the home a “functional engineer of family life”, the practice decided to carve out areas for activity and play, alongside spaces with a calmer, more contemplative ambience for the adults.

Breakfast nook in front of curved window — The cosy breakfast nook backs onto a curved window

At the heart of the plan now sits an expansive kitchen. All of the cabinetry is made from warm-hued American oak, while panels of a paler European oak were laid across the ceiling.

Jagged-edged pieces of Grigio Firma, Grigio Lana and Carrara marble were set into the kitchen floor.

Garden of Pacific House designed by Alexander & Co — Arched doorways open onto the garden

Inhabitants can eat at the central island or take a seat at the breakfast nook, which is tucked against a huge concave window.

Its form nods to the architectural style of P&O – an offshoot of modernism that was popular in 1930s Sydney and drew on the streamlined curves of Pacific and Orient-line cruise ships.

Dining room by Alexander & Co with muted colour scheme — Neutral hues were applied throughout the formal dining area

Two arched doors at the front of the kitchen grant access to the garden, where there’s an alfresco seating area.

A new swimming pool was added in an excavation pit that had previously been created in the home’s driveway.

The rest of Pacific House’s ground floor includes a rumpus room for games, parties and recreation, plus a sophisticated dining area decked out in neutral hues.

There’s also a spacious living area with Mario Bellini’s Camaleonda sofa for B&B Italia, which looks out across the ocean waves.

An Afghan rug printed with abstract shapes and a couple of triangular marble coffee tables add to the more fun, graphic look that the practice sought to establish in this room.

Living room interior of Pacific House designed by Alexander & Co — The living area is arranged to prioritise ocean vistas

Spaces become slightly more muted on the floor above, which is accessed via an oakwood staircase.

In the principal bedroom – which features another P&O-style curved window – walls are rendered in concrete.

Grey terrazzo and marble was used to cover surfaces in the bathroom, clashing against the pattern of the grey mosaic flooring.

Bathroom interior by Alexander & Co with pattern-clashing greyscale surfaces — The primary bedroom has a curved window and a greyscale en-suite

Alexander & Co has completed a number of other projects in Sydney including an Italian trattoria and most recently its own studio, which is housed in a converted Victorian-era residence.

Formal workstations are built into the building’s basement, but the remaining residential-style floors accommodate a kitchen, living room and library where staff can brainstorm ideas.

The photography is by Anson Smart.

Reference

play

Ten homes with net floors for relaxation and play

Red Dunes Playtopia features “cave-like” play spaces and undulating hills

Alexander & Co carves out spaces for calm and play inside Pacific House

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