The international architect firm Penda Design House is using snow as its inspiration, but we're just not sure we love it. Don't get us wrong, Curbed Ski is all about pushing the boundaries of new mountain design away from dead animals on the wall and towards something a little more innovative (maybe this?), but this concept takes snow so…literally. Located in the skiing region of Zhangjiakou, about 160 km north of Beijing, the 7 bedroom, 6 bathroom apartment is supposed to look like a melting snowfield, using hand-plastered, white shells and wooden floors and accents. All the walls are lifted up 5cm from the floor and backlit to create lighting that is supposed to look like an igloo but to us seems a bit creepy. There's not much natural light in a place allegedly inspired by nature, and we wish we could see pictures of the roof terrace.The ski storage and boot dryers are nice perks, but according to the floor plans, some of the bedrooms and bathrooms look downright tiny. Are we being too harsh? Take a look at the photos and let us know what you think.
· Penda conceptualizes winter apartment as melting snow [Design Bloom]
· Penda Design Home [Official Site]
· All Ski International Coverage [Curbed Ski Archives]