Living on the edge with Iranian architect and designer, Milad Eshtiyaghi

Milad Eshtiyaghi is an architect and designer based in Tehran, Iran, who has amassed a vast following on Instagram with his spectacularly escapist projects visualised in dramatic, often precarious locations. Cantilevering off cliffs, suspended between hills, or perched at the edge of lakes, Eshtiyaghi’s works of imaginary architecture are epic in scale and setting, and are creatively daring. We round up five of his most standout, quintessential residential designs, that literally, live on the edge.

Suspended House

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Designed not for the faint of heart, this A-frame cabin for two is suspended between edges of rugged cliffs in Mendocino, California, with nothing but five high-tensile cables hoisting it in place. The hideaway cabin dangles above water, its jet-black skin, glass floors and daredevil location embodying fear and excitement, while its insides contrast with warmth and cosiness. A mast at the back secures the house via a set of high cables that bear the weight of gravity while lower cables withstand lateral and upward wind forces, tethering the dwelling to it.

Most of the house remains tethered on solid ground except the expansive living area that is left exposed, fitted with glass floors and transparent furniture that leads into dusky interiors, to heighten the thrill. The mostly dark and chic interiors feature walls decked with greens and accents of timber that inject warmth. The private areas such as the bedroom, washroom, family lounge and work studio are nestled into the back of the residence, in the hollow of the hills.

Mountain House

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Jutting out in three dimensions over a rocky Canadian cliffside, this residential architecture is designed to avoid clashing with the site’s existing trees. The dramatic angles of the house are given a cinematic aura by perching it a few meters above a waterfall. Square volumes are stacked on top of each other to form the slender, intersecting volumes of the cantilevering house. Milad Eshtiyaghi Studio shares that the house is planned across three levels: for the parents, the sons’ family and a recreational space for sports and play that connects the two. Replete with a cantilevering, glass-bottomed, infinity pool, the residence sticks true to its adventurous form and scene.

White surfaces combine with glass to make up the houses’ geometric modules, each imagined with full height walls of glazing that can be opened with mechanical cable systems. The misty interiors are filled with light during the day and become semi-outdoor terraces when these windows are opened.

Covid House

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Envisioned in a craggy, sparse terrain in British Columbia, Canada, the Covid House takes its namesake literally by hanging in midair, like suspended virus particles. This daredevil escapist home is inspired by the coronavirus form, “to remind everyone that the virus still exists, so do not forget your mask,” says Eshtiyaghi. How apt for the times.

The protruding parts of the white spherical volume are made up of photovoltaic cells that power the dwelling and are supported by cables hitched to the surrounding rocks and ground. Cables also support a bridged corridor with glass floors that leads to the isolated house, celebrating its fear-inducing site and the virus it is named and shaped after.

Bridge House

Also located in British Columbia in Canada, the twin cubical volumes of this house affix themselves to two ash grey concrete cores that sit opposite each other on separated cliffs and a waterfall that gushes dangerously below them. Two pools dress each unit, encased in aqua blue glass frames that contrast the craggy mountainous setting.

Forming a bridge and overlooking the sea, the white residence has a bright, airy interior. Vertical access is provided via an elevator as well as suspended stairs that are visible from afar. Small punctures dress the exterior of the Bridge House, emitting an eerie glow at night, making it a beautiful yet macabre setting fit for a horror film.  

White House

Manifesting serenity and luxury, this unblemished residence grows out of the quiet sea waters in Arendal, Norway. A long bridge provides access to the conceptual, futuristic house, taking one away from the hustle and grime of life in a metropolis by providing scenic vistas and fresh perspectives.

With a graphic backdrop of a dense thicket of trees, this pearl white villa starts off resting parallel to the water and takes a sharp upturn into a dramatically tall A-frame cabin with an entire glass front. “The house begins and ends with the sea,” shares Eshtiyaghi.

These imagined homes certainly are creative slices for some lockdown escapism, but one cannot help but ponder their constructional feasibility and practicality. What do you think of these conceptual designs?