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For $600,000, you can live in a glass house

By | August 17, 2012, 4:01 AM PDT

Ever get that feeling you’re being watched? Well, if you’re spending the night in one of Carlo Santambrogio’s specially-designed houses, you better get used to it.

The Italian architect’s latest home concept is 100-square feet living space made almost entirely out of glass. Yes, just about everything, including the walls, stairs, tables and shower serve as a window into a person’s day-to-day life. But to ensure that house dwellers aren’t, err, completely uncomfortable, the bed, couch and seats are similar to what one would find in most homes. And during the cold months, the 7mm glass can be specially heated so that residents won’t be seen shivering to death (How embarrassing, right?).

For $600,000, the “Simplicity” house can be built in just about any configuration you want. Including a cube design reminiscent of the entrance to the flagship Apple Store in Manhattan. Images of the stunning concept were computer-generated, but prospective buyers can drop by the London Portland Street showroom to see the home currently on display.

However you feel about privacy, transparency and all the philosphical issues that this brings to mind, we can all at least agree that the house offers a great view — for both you and your neighbors.

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Tuan C. Nguyen

About Tuan C. Nguyen

Tuan C. Nguyen was a contributing editor for SmartPlanet from 2011 to 2013.

Tuan C. Nguyen

Tuan C. Nguyen

Contributing Editor

Tuan C. Nguyen is a freelance science journalist based in New York City. He has written for the U.S. News and World Report, Fox News, MSNBC, ABC News, AOL, Yahoo! News and LiveScience. Formerly, he was reporter and producer for the technology section of ABCNews.com. He holds degrees from the University of California Los Angeles and the City University of New York's Graduate School of Journalism.

Follow him on Twitter.

Tuan C. Nguyen

Tuan C. Nguyen

Tuan C. Nguyen does not hold any investments in the technology companies he covers.

He writes for SmartPlanet and is not an employee of CBS.

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Feet vs. Meters
I think some of your numbers may be off. The reference to 100 Square Feet is misleading when compared to the images. I am pretty sure those images show structures significantly greater than 100 Square Feet, meaning the $600K would not apply. And I think, based on another article I read, that the $600K would be for around 100 Square Meters, not Feet.
Posted by malmedia@...
17th Aug
+2 Votes
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Facebook = A Glasshouse
Why spend $600k on a glass house when all you have to do is join Facebook happy People whom post on Facebook might as well be living in a glass house considering most every aspect of their life on there site.
Posted by rocketman67
17th Aug
0 Votes
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Location
It's always about location.
Posted by vinivinivini
Updated - 19th Aug
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Glass house & privacy
A few years ago I had to work in Chengdu (China) and the hotel I stayed in had a bathroom enclosed by transparent glass walls. You couldn't attend the bathroom when having visitors and had to draw the window curtains as well due to the close vicinity of the adjacent building. The Australian Architect was very proud of his achievement.
What went on in his mind, if anything at all, still has me mystified.
Posted by kwickset@...
19th Aug
0 Votes
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The bright side
Look on the bright side, the neighbours need not speculate as to what goes on in your house, they can clearly see for themselves. On the other hand you can't pretend not to be home when one comes to "borrow" a cup of sugar.
Posted by AddassaMari
5th Sep
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