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News May 2, 2013

Channel The Spirit Of Jane Fonda In This Off-The-Grid Home Powered By Physical Exercise

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Kelly Chan
Kelly Chan › Channel The Spirit Of Jane Fonda In This Off-The-Grid Home Powered By Physical Exercise

Jane Fonda: esteemed actress, iconic fashion model, health guru, outspoken political activist, and... avant-garde architectural inspiration? Yes, the Hollywood star and 1980s face of fitness has recently lent her name — knowingly or not — to a project by Spanish firm Elli Studio. The Jane Fonda Kit House (abbreviated as JF-Kit) is a prototype residence and pop-up gymnasium that envisions a future in which healthy, active inhabitants power their own homes through physical exercise. .

Embedded in the irregular, faceted spaces of Elli Studio's wooden pavilion are several pieces of domestic fitness furniture. Protruding stationary bikes, assorted weights, and other kinetically powered mechanisms encourage residents to engage in various physical activities to both stay fit and generate energy to power the prototype off-the-grid home.

However, there's more to the design than a sprinkling of gymnasium equipment. Translucent and partial barriers introduced at odd angles allow occupants to view a number of rooms in the house at once, creating a dynamic and appropriately active sense of space. This spatial collage is also a visual reminder that the self-sufficient home is a holistic unit and not just a series of rooms and exercises, reflecting the idea that sustainability too is a holistic concept and not just a series of activities.

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[h/t Inhabitat]

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