The Invisible House by Tomas Osinski and Chris Hanely

A highly minimalist and subjective home, The Invisible House reflects the natural beauty and art of the desert landscape – stripping back the layers and allowing one to reconnect with nature.

A 1,680-square-metre, three-bedroom, four-bathroom home cantilevered 30 metres off the ground, Invisible House is the innovative and imaginative collaboration between film producers and owners Chris and Roberta Hanley and architect Tomas Osinski. The house is nestled on 36 hectares of land in Joshua Tree National Park and features a mirrored exterior to reflect the ever-changing landscape and create a dialogue between object and site.

A 1,680-square-metre, three-bedroom, four-bathroom home cantilevered 30 metres off the ground, Invisible House is the innovative and imaginative collaboration between film producers and owners Chris and Roberta Hanley and architect Tomas Osinski.

As filmmakers and creatives, their intention was to create – approaching the house as an art object and a space to facilitate creativity and contemplation. They were inspired by their interest in large-scale projects with minimalist design, a vast network of artists and a passion for architecture.

Once inside, there is a prefab guesthouse, solar and thermal systems, 68-square-metre projection wall and a 30-metre indoor solar pool. Furnishings are sparse and the palette is monochromatic so that the home is a blank canvas. “I think a big discovery was not to furnish it, that everything should be the same colour – grey – so maybe you don’t even see the furniture,” says Roberta. “It’s very minimal. When you go into an ultra-minimalist, almost a survivalist, prehistoric setting, you hear the wind, you see little bits of plant life and colours, and you start to feel a part of it,” says Chris.

The home is a measured response to the landscape, which is constantly changing depending on the time of day or season.

The home is a measured response to the landscape, which is constantly changing depending on the time of day or season. Similarly, sustainability has been incorporated into all aspects of the design. As well as a small environmental footprint due to the property being cantilevered, LEED and EPD-certified elements feature throughout, including a fully Solarcool glass exterior with reflective and refractive light filtering, a Sunpower 32.4kW system with a smart app system, a solar thermal system for electrics, pool and hot water, an energy-efficient and eco-friendly foam roof, and flooring insulation.

A home that doubles as a piece of art, Invisible House is a response to the site and the people who walk through its doors – forever evolving. Chris reflects, “I think with all the see-through and invisible qualities, it leads you right to yourself and right to the universe in a way. So you get to position yourself in a primitive way – it gets rid of barriers … it puts us in our place and we get to observe.”

Architecture by Tomas Osinski and Chris Hanley. Interior design by Roberta Hanley. Build by Andy Canada. Location publicity by Idea Parade. Development by Muse Productions. Hospitality partnership by Fieldtrip. Filmed and edited by Cadre.