Inspired by the shape of a sea creature, this house will no doubt be a source of controversy – prominently placed at a high elevation to its surroundings, will it be beautifully integrated with or blight upon the rocky landscape?


Architect Nick Tsontakis (via Dezeen) states of his work: “The overall form of the home is reminiscent of a manta ray – even though this was not intentional – and from the air the structure looks like it’s swimming on top of the mountain. I wanted to make the house design memorable and simple. It is organic, soft and liveable.”


By wrapping the site, the designer exposes the resident to wonderful views out and down on all sides. It also provides a workaround for local ordinances that prevent people from building right up to the peak – no part of the home is closer than 20 feet to the top vertically.


With six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and a ten-car garage, this Arizona home will be huge, and not cheap either: the estimated price tag is 30 million dollars. If it does not look as big as it sounds, keep in mind: much of the construction will happen underground, including a 2000-square-foot entertainment space.