It takes some extreme imagination and design knowledge to construct a house on the edge of a cliff, but you’d be surprised about how many exist.
Think amazing views, open interiors, connecting with natural elements through the indoors and an element of thrill, and you’ve got yourself a cliff face property.
In the spirit of stepping outside our comfort zones and exploring all facets of nature in 2021, we’ve compiled some of the most exciting cliffside accommodations, some of which are mid-build, some that you can stay in right now, and others that might give you a bit of that grand designs inspiration you need to conjure up your own dream home.
Hayri Atak’s Cliff Concept Hotel
This hotel will really test your height fears. Designed to be built into Norway’s renowned cliff Preikestolen, it has a rooftop entrance and a stretched terrace, complete with a hanging infinity pool with a glass floor. Could you swim in a pool that makes you feel suspended in mid-air, off the side of a cliff? Our bodies are tingling just looking at the render. It’s visually remarkable and incredibly ballsy.
The hotel is merely a concept right now, but could one day become a reality.
Beyond the Ledge Glamping Experience
You can literally camp on the wall of a cliff in Victoria. Unleashed Unlimited facilitates an abseil to take you down to your porta-ledge, perched high on the majestic cliffs of the North Wall of Mount Buffalo gorge, set up your dinner and settle in for a night of beautiful views (and probably no sleep but it’s worth it).
You can book this experience through Unleashed Unlimited for $1,598.
Invisible House
Hidden in its own secluded oasis of gum trees, eucalyptus forestry and unmatchable views, Invisible House is located in the beautiful Blue Mountains regions of NSW. Perched right on top of a hill, you can look down and into the sprawling valley of kaleidoscope colours, with different colour palettes depending on the seasons and the time of day. The interiors have an element of futuristic minimalism, a distinctive element from architect Peter Stutchbury, that spent three years designing this impressive property.
Invisible House is available to book via Contemporary Hotels starting at $5,000 a night.
Cliff House by Modscape
This conceptual design by Modscape shows a five-storey modular property, clinging to the side of a cliff. It’s inspired by the way a barnacle clings to the hull of a ship, and the render echoes this inspiration, designed to hang off a cliff rather than to perch on top of it. It looks like an extension of the cliff face, creating a connection with the ocean below, and the cliff rock itself. This design is an architectural risk, a designer’s dream and a frightening but rewarding living experience. While still just a render concept, the home was designed to sit atop a Victorian cliff face. Here’s hoping it one day comes to fruition.
Sea Cliff Escape
Although situated on a cliff’s edge in Coalcliff, NSW, this accommodation won’t get your knees wobbling too viciously. The design is surprisingly flat, modern and extremely liveable, with a panoramic view of the ocean in multiple rooms. Its airy, light and open-plan design offers a chance to escape with total privacy, yet still feels out in the open. Equally romantic in rain, hail or shine.
You can book Sea Cliff Escape via Airbnb for $500 a night.
Cliff House in Dover Heights
Cliff House sits atop a vertical rock face, with startling views over the Pacific Ocean. It’s both incredibly historical looking, being completely built out of stone, and extremely modern given its design elements and ability to sit above violent waves undisturbed. It feels as though you’re actually inside the cliff itself. This home was built on the foundations of a 1920s bungalow with its sandstone base, and has been celebrated through the classic interior elements of dark timbers and white sandstone finishes.
Cliff House is available to be rented out starting from $1,700 a night on Contemporary Hotels.
Read more stories from The Latch and subscribe to our email newsletter.