Written by: Saram Maqbool
Posted on: March 14, 2025 | 
| 中文
Lucid Stead in California
For a long time, architects have tried to incorporate nature into their designs. While this usually takes the form of greenery, transient spaces between indoors and outdoors, and using natural materials, there's now growing interest in creating architecture that blends into the environment. This new form of “invisible architecture" seemingly goes against everything architecture is supposed to be, being such a visual art form, but creates incredibly interesting opportunities to redefine what buildings could look like in a future that's dominated by human presence and imposition.
Mirrorcube in Sweden
One of the most striking examples of invisible architecture is the Mirrorcube at the Treehotel in Sweden. Designed by Tham & Videgård Arkitekter, this small, cube-shaped treehouse is suspended among the branches and covered in reflective glass, making it nearly impossible to see from certain angles. The mirrors create the illusion that the structure is part of the landscape since they reflect the surrounding forest. To add a layer of safety to this innovative design, the glass has a UV film on it. This is visible to birds, keeping them safe from flying into the structure. A similar concept is found in Austria’s Casa Invisible, a prefabricated house by Delugan Meissl Associated Architects. Clad entirely in reflective panels, the home disappears into its surroundings, whether in a wooded area, a grassy plain or a mountainous landscape. The structure’s minimalist design allows it to blend seamlessly into different environments, while still providing a fully functional living space. Casa Invisible is also mobile, offering a unique solution for sustainable and adaptable housing that does not disturb the land.
Casa Invisible in Austria
Not all invisible architecture relies on mirrors, because some buildings integrate directly into the landscape to avoid disrupting their surroundings. One of the best examples is Villa Vals in Switzerland, designed by SeARCH and Christian Müller Architects. Built into a hillside near the thermal baths of Vals, this home is almost entirely hidden from view. The only visible element is a large, circular opening that allows natural light to flood the interior. The decision to embed the house into the mountain was made to preserve the surrounding natural beauty while still providing breathtaking views for the residents.
In the desert landscapes of California, the Invisible House by architect Tomas Osinski and filmmaker Chris Hanley takes a different approach. This long, rectangular home is covered in mirrored glass, making it blend perfectly into the vast Joshua Tree desert. The structure appears almost surreal, reflecting the shifting colors of the sky and the rocky terrain. Inside, the glass provides sweeping panoramic views, creating a seamless connection between interior and exterior. It reminds me of all those sci-fi movies where, with the press of a button, a spacecraft would become camouflaged and nearly invisible. I do have to say though, I don't see any utility to this design choice other than the fact that it just looks and feels very cool, and maybe that's enough sometimes.
Invisible House in California
Taking the idea of using mirrors further is Lucid Stead in California. This installation by Phillip K. Smith III transformed an old wooden homestead into an optical illusion by using mirrored panels inserted between weathered wooden planks. During the day, the mirrors reflect the surrounding desert, making the building appear fragmented and almost transparent. At night, hidden LED lights illuminate the structure, giving it an ethereal glow.
Invisible architecture is not limited to reflective surfaces and hidden structures though. Some buildings use natural materials to camouflage themselves within their environment. In the Australian outback, the underground homes of Coober Pedy serve as an example of how architecture can disappear into the landscape for practical reasons. Due to extreme temperatures, many homes in this remote town are built entirely underground, making them almost invisible from above. This form of architecture is both functional and aesthetically harmonious, preserving the natural appearance of the terrain while offering protection from the harsh desert climate.
Coober Pedy (Mark Kolbe from Getty Images)
Similarly, the Edge House in Kraków, Poland, by Mobius Architects, merges seamlessly with the rocky terrain. Designed to blend into the slope of a hill, this home uses stone and concrete to mimic the surrounding cliffs. The house appears to grow out of the landscape, making it nearly indistinguishable from the natural rock formations. This project highlights how architecture can work with the land rather than against it, creating a home that feels like an extension of nature.
Edge House in Krakow
All these examples are quite interesting as they point to a further where architecture and nature could co-exist visually. I'm not sure what the benefit of this is in the bigger picture, other than making built spaces seem more like a part of nature. It would be better to see projects that take natural, sustainable materials and building technologies while using clever ideas like mirrored surfaces, projection mapping and augmented reality to merge themselves with the surrounding nature. This would achieve both a visual and functional merger with the natural world, offering benefits that go beyond just visual excellence and essentially fooling ourselves into thinking that just because a building is ‘hidden’ in its surroundings, it's somehow sustainable or respectful to nature.
You may also like:
