Truly eye-catching, no? All photos via http://www.cnbc.com/id/44685769?slide=1
Extravagant birthday gifts are a staple of the rich and famous, always have been and always will be. Never has this been more apparent, however, than in supermodel Naomi Campbell’s 41st birthday gift from her Russian billionaire boyfriend, Vladislav Doronin: Her very own private island vacation home.
What’s more, this home is probably one of the only fantasy homes in the world that looks like a giant Egyptian Eye of Horus.
Designed by Spanish architect Luis de Garrido, the Horus-Eye Eco House is located on Turkey’s Sedir Island (better known as Cleopatra Island) in the Gulf of Gökova, a well-known resort locale since the long-ago days of ancient Rome. It’s been said that the sand on this island’s most notable beach, Cleopatra Beach, differs from other beaches in the area, as it is some of the finest sand available. Supposedly, the reason for this can be explained by a local legend — that Mark Antony had sand shipped in from Egypt for his beloved Cleopatra, the namesake of the island, who refused to walk on any land that wasn’t from her homeland.
The Horus-Eye Eco House faced some efficiency challenges — the walls and floors are entirely made of glass, plus it sports a whopping 25 bedrooms and 5 lounge areas to both heat and cool — but Luis de Garrido’s sustainable building practices and meticulous bioclimatic design conquered these hurtles and allow the house to maintain complete self-sufficiency in regards to energy, water, and food. The house’s energy in particular comes from two very interesting sources: The geothermal system and the photovoltaic panels (the black outline that comprises the majority of the eye). This two-pronged approach allows the house to have all its energy needs met.
Check out the rest of the photos below to get a better idea of the house’s design, overall appearance, and how it functions.
The whole of Sedir Island, a.k.a. Cleopatra Island, from above
An angled view of the house and property
A close-up of the glass-domed house
This diagram depicts how solar radiation heats the home via the greenhouse effect during winter mornings
This diagram depicts how the sun's heat and geothermal heat warm the home all the way to the basement during wintertime
This diagram depicts how the house stays cool (without A/C) during the summertime
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Stephanie Huskey is the resident real estate blogger for Movoto and is super-lucky when she gets a birthday gift that runs $50 — an island would be out of the question. Interested in getting her advice on your blog? She’s currently seeking guest blogging opportunities so she can share her knowledge with new communities! You can find her over here at Elance.com.
