Bubble Houses (Hobe Sound, Florida)

The Bubble Houses are two historic bubble or airform houses located next to each other at 9086 and 9096 Southeast Venus Street in the Zeus Park neighborhood of Hobe Sound, Martin County, Florida.

Bubble Houses
The yellow Bubble House
General information
Architectural styleModernist
Town or city9086 & 9096 SE Venus Street, Hobe Sound, Florida
CountryUnited States
Coordinates27.0564°N 80.1318°W / 27.0564; -80.1318
Construction started1954
Completed1954 (1954)
Cost$6,500
ClientJoseph Verner Reed of Jupiter Island, Florida
Technical details
Structural systemMonolithic dome
Size569 square feet (52.9 m2) base footage
Design and construction
Architect(s)Eliot Noyes

History

Completed in 1954 by Airform, the Bubble Houses were designed by Eliot Noyes[1] using the airform monolithic dome system developed by Wallace Neff, which consists of reinforced concrete cast in place over an inflated balloon to establish the house's shape.[2][3]

The original interiors of the houses consisted of a bathroom and open concept living, dining, and kitchen area on the 569 square feet (52.9 m2) main floor, with a loft-style, raised sleeping space above.

They were built to sell for $6,500[4][2] Shortly after their completion, it was stated that more than 3,000 people had toured the newly constructed bubble houses.[2] The nearby Olympia School even closed early one afternoon so that its students could tour the Bubble Houses.[5]

The white Bubble House

Status

The easternmost of the two bubble houses, painted yellow, received media attention in March 2012 because of its owner's proposal to replace it with a larger house. The historic structure was demolished to allow for the construction of the new house. (This was the easternmost bubble house located at 9096 SE Venus Street, Hobe Sound, Florida.)

The only remaining bubble house is still standing, with the current owners intending to keep it in place.[6][7]

The westernmost bubble house, 9086 SE Venus Street, has received little or no attention in the media, although both houses were featured in a 2008 Inside Hobe Sound Tour sponsored by the local chamber of commerce.

The bubble house is located on a five plus acre park. It is one mile from local beaches, and two miles from the residences of Celine Dion, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods.[8][9]

Media coverage

The two bubble houses were featured in Life magazine in its February 22, 1954, issue, which described them as "both hurricane-proof and bugproof".[2] They were featured in a chapter of the 2011 book by Jeffrey Head, No Nails, No Lumber: The Bubble Houses of Wallace Neff published by Princeton Architectural Press.[5][10]

See also

References
  1. Michelson, Alan; et al. (2012). "Noyes, Eliot". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  2. "Semitropical Igloo". Life. Chicago: Time Inc. 30 (8): 75–78. February 22, 1954.
  3. Michelson, Alan; et al. (2012). "Airform House, Oak Knoll, Pasadena, CA". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  4. $71,600 with inflation accounted for.
  5. Head, Jeffrey (2011). No Nails, No Lumber: The Bubble Houses of Wallace Neff (1st ed.). New York: Princeton Architectural Press. pp. 78–83. ISBN 9781616890247.
  6. Klaus, Rikki (March 15, 2012). "Talk of demolishing a 'Bubble House' in Hobe Sound bursts some neighbors' bubbles, delights others". WPTV. West Palm Beach, Florida. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  7. deFiebre, Conrad (March 12, 2012). "Controversy surrounds Bubble House in Hobe Sound's Zeus Park". TCPalm. Stuart, Florida: Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  8. LePore, Doreen. "The Bubble Houses". The Hobe Sound Project. Hobe Sound, Florida. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  9. Michelson, Alan; et al. (2012). "Bubble House, Hobe Sound, FL". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Seattle, Washington: University of Washington. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
  10. Roberts, Lindsey M. (February 17, 2012). "Book Review: 'The Bubble Houses of Wallace Neff'". Architect Magazine. Washington, D.C.: American Institute of Architects. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
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