Not a Chia Pet, a Chia house, this takes “one with nature” to another level. Yes, this house is off the grid. Yes, it is powered by solar panels. The differentiating factor however, is that this house is covered almost entirely in farmable land. The house features a sod covered roof which reduces energy absorption by half. The roof is covered in wildflowers and native grasses and is essentially, a garden in disguise. Located on California’s coastline in Big Sur the location is perfect for a project like this.

This grass house is “ground breaking” in more than one sense. The flighty wing shape structure which protrudes from the earth in a somewhat spherical way, is aerodynamic to the 100 mile winds at Cooper Point. Muenning’s masterpiece is powered entirely by solar provided by the many panels across the rooftop amongst the garden.

This project was created by architect Mickey Muenning, a 74 year-old architect clearly determined to take sustainable design to a new standard. Muenning consulted with botanists, geographers, and architects before he started building. Even the windows and doors are strategically placed beneath the sod roof to expand upon the naturally beautiful view of the California coastline .

The building process paralleled the environmentally conscious nature of the finished structure. During construction, botanists researched the building site and noted areas containing endangered plants, these were preserved to refrain from disturbing the natural landscape.

The overall look and feel of Muenning’s dream “green house” seems to be something from exactly that, a dream turned reality.