From tens of thousands of entries from around the world, 100 aspiring designers, architects, and DIYers from 23 countries have been chosen to bring their crazy ideas to life and share in the $10 million USD OMG! Fund, including four recipients from Australia. From a luxury bubble on top of a mountain with breathtaking views, to an eco-igloo dome home situated in a rainforest, the successful Australian applicants expand the idea of what an Airbnb stay can be.
“My inspiration came after sleeping under the stars in a small tent when I was in France last year” said OMG! Fund recipient Timothy H. “The idea was to create an out of the ordinary, yet unique and accessible experience for guests. The result is a transparent bubble high up on a mountain top with 360-degree views of the night sky, fields and oceans below.”
Inspired by a sky full of stars and the power of reconnecting with nature, a stay in this luxury bubble will make you feel like you are floating on top of the world. Located a stone’s throw away from the world-famous Wilsons Promontory National Park in Gippsland, Victoria, the bubble is also eco-friendly and sustainable, with the deck made out of recycled timber, and equipped with energy-saving appliances, low-flush toilets and low-flow showers using tank water.
Selected by the OMG! Fund judging panel, that included Australian architectural expert Koichi Takada, these elaborate ideas are expected to make the OMG! Category of homes 100 times more extraordinary once they’re made bookable on the platform.
‘Kangaroom’ – Floating Pod idea from Aussie Airbnb OMG! recipient Matt D. from Melbourne.
The winning ideas stood out for their unique and inspiring design, sustainable consideration, and novel ways of offering immersive guest experiences. Recipients will each receive up to $100,000 USD to make their fantastical creations possible, and over the course of the next ten months, will design, construct and outfit their spaces to be guest-ready by Summer 2023 – when guests may find them available as part of Airbnb’s OMG! Category.
The tens of thousands of entries drew inspiration from the depths of the sea to sci-fi novels, but certain natural elements and architectural features proved popular:
– 400 ideas offered spectacular stargazing experiences
– 961 ideas marched to the beat of their own drum, incorporating music in some way
– 777 juicy designs were inspired by fruit
– 680 ideas were wine-inspired
– 7,931 entrants proposed using solar panels for sustainable energy
– High in the sky, 1,214 ideas involved treehouses and 389 featured suspended structures
– 509 mushroom-inspired listings were ready to sprout from the earth
TOP IMAGE: Luxury Bubble on Top of a Mountain created by Timothy H
