A revolutionary elevator model is the backbone of this sleek, spiraling glass home conceptualized over the rice fields of Xianggong, China by Italian firm Adriano Design.

Company founders and brothers Davide and Gabriele Adriano, known for their radical reinventions of everyday objects, devised this transparent “House on the Rice Paddy” to show previously unexplored vertical architectural possibilities.

“Until now the main limit was the system of overcoming altitude through staircases, which has always represented a significant barrier in architecture. A new generation of elevators could be the solution that opens up semi-explored opportunities for architects,” the designers explain.
With three glass rectangular rooms splayed around the lift axis, this modern home builds upwards, maximizing the view of the timeless rice paddies without creating a giant footprint. The clear enclosures provide almost 360-degree vantage points of the surrounding mountains and vegetation, with a slightly different vista in each space. The photos are renderings by Italian digital art firm Truetopia – and we’ll assume the firm will work out the details of things like privacy and temperature control before the plan is actually implemented.
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