- Hermit House
Hermit House is a spectacular though unconventional example of
vernacular architecture in a similar vein to theWatts Towers . The earthen residence is situated off the edge of cliff near theSidna Ali Mosque inHerzliya ,Israel . Its owner, designer, and creator,Nissim Cachlon , has been building the structure solely by hand since the late 1970s, tunneling deep into the cliff side and using natural sea materials. The structure includes dozens of chambers covered in elaborate tile mosaics comprised of recycled materials such as blue glass from broken Maccabee beer bottles, plates, and other debris washed ashore. Local city authorities have so far been unable to oust the code non-compliant resident. Rising sea levels, caused in part by the city's construction of a jetty, now pose a threat to Cachlon's work of several decades. Hermit House's exterior is publicly visible and requests for interior tours are occasionally honored by its owner.References
"Let's Go: Israel" St. Martin's Press, 2002
ee also
*
Watts Towers , intricate Gaudiesque towers decorated withfound objects
*Forestiere Underground Gardens , earthen residence and gardens constructed by one man over thirty years.
*Ferdinand Cheval , a French postman who constructed an "ideal palace" out of rocks in his spare time.
*Rubelia , a castle constructed of found objects located inGlendora ,California
*Mystery Castle , a house inPhoenix, Arizona built in the 1930s in a similar style.
*Nitt Witt Ridge , a house inCambria, California constructed in a similar style.
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