Regardless of whether you're a Star Wars fan or a fan of modern architecture, the eloquently named Darth Vader House in Texas for sale can be your ticket to the dark world of villainy. It remains only to collect about 4.3 million dollars. To enjoy the eccentric exterior of the building and luxurious apartments that look more like a spaceship. As it turned out, it was not the helmet of the main villain of the epic that inspired the owner to create such unexpected forms of the mansion, located among centuries-old pines and oaks.
A luxurious Houston mansion made of stone and glass, which locals call the "House of Darth Vader" (the main antagonist of the space saga of American director George Lucas "Star Wars"), was put up for sale for a rather modest by the standards of the district, $ 4.3 million. Since its appearance on University Boulevard No. 3201 (in 1992), this peculiar house has fascinated and puzzled the residents and guests of Houston with a fantastic resemblance to the headdress of the legendary villain from the iconic epic film.
Although, according to the Novate.ru editorial office, the owner of the house, who took an active part in its design, did not even suspect when developing the mansion's forms that the mansion would cause such a stir, because he was trying to recreate a completely different object. According to Nadia Karon, one of the real estate agents who sells the mansion: “The owner wanted a custom residence, he wanted to create a dark and mysterious dwelling among centuries-old pine and oak trees. And the inspiration was the F-111 stealth fighter, not Darth Vader's helmet. He independently made a sketch of the exterior and interior of the premises, which were brought to life by the specialists of the architectural studio."
Although this desire to stand out from the typical development cost a lot of nerves, time and money for the eccentric owner, because within Houston, West University Place has its own building rules and permits. “Given the abnormal design and technical characteristics of the home, the planning committee did not give permission to build the Kukir home until the West University City Council and Fire Chief approved the project. The community was accustomed to a certain identity, and Jean's house was not even close to what they could identify as a home,”says the real estate agent.
Interesting fact: The owner of the mysterious mansion, a plastic surgeon named Jean Cuquier, for a long time refused to give interviews and photographs of the interior or excursions around the house, so there were many rumors and speculations about what might be inside this dark fortress. Over the years, curious onlookers have tried to lift the veil of mystery, and those less intrusive have just taken selfies in front of the fantastic mansion.
Now, after the appearance of Darth Vader House on the real estate website, along with an impressive photo gallery, the mansion has attracted the attention of not only ordinary people, but also became the main news in publications around the world. This lot became so popular that all and sundry, tried to arrange a "bride" under the guise of buyers. In order not to be led by onlookers, real estate agents require proof of solvency or bank approval of a loan for the requested amount.
Well, for those who have a designated amount and a desire to acquire an extraordinary octagonal house, its black doors are always open. Despite the ominous appearance of the front part of the mansion from the front side, getting inside the room, visitors find themselves in a "recessed" living room flooded with bluish light, which looks popular in the 50-60s. architectural device, as a "talking pit". It is located in the center of an open space surrounded by magnificent twin staircases.
If you look at the stairwells from the side of the living room, it seems that the steps "soar", rising to the second level. One of the architects who worked on the house, Randy Hickey, said that "the living room with its jagged, levitating steps, rocky blotches of black granite on the floor, reinforced by LED strip emitting bluish light, was supposed to simulate a canyon."
Around the living room on high platforms there are several zones at once. On the right is the main dining room, designed for receptions, behind it is a spacious kitchen with an island and a bar counter, the countertops of which are made of natural stone, and their edges are carved to resemble graveyard tombstones. On the other hand, you can see a music room with a set of instruments not inherent in a surgeon - a Moog synthesizer, a piano and even an organ. One of the sites is allocated for an exhibition space with a gigantic (like for a private house) installation, immediately behind it there is an exit to the courtyard with a perfect lawn.
There is also an office nearby, but according to the realtor, Jean Cuquier never worked there. Behind the study is the master bedroom, with two huge wardrobes, a bathroom with a waterfall shower, and the same eccentric stone floor as the living room. Since floor-to-stream panoramic windows feature at the rear of the building, it allows sunlight to enter the house, blurring the boundaries between the courtyard, which looks more like a green meadow.
According to eyewitnesses, the second floor is more "modest", but it impresses with abounding angular corridors winding around small living rooms, arranged on sites of strange shapes. There are 4 bedrooms with their own bathrooms and balconies overlooking the backyard.
Despite the seemingly high cost of the Darth Vader House, its price is much lower when compared to houses within 640 sq. m on a plot of at least 1, 7 thousand square meters. m, located in one of the most prestigious areas of Houston. Due to its extraordinary forms and strange layout, it was necessary to significantly reduce its cost, because not everyone wants to turn their households into a local landmark, because of which traffic always slows down on this section of the street.
For those who find this price too high, we advise you to compare the Texas mansion with a modest house with an area of only 17, 4 sq. m in the center of London, which was sold for 450 thousand dollars.