Sim Jae-Duck was born in a restroom and now he plans to live and die in one -- a 1.6 million dollar toilet-shaped house designed to promote his tireless campaign for cleaner loos worldwide.

The 419-square-metre (4,508-sq-foot) concrete and glass structure is rising on the site of Sim's former home in his native city of Suweon, 40 kilometres (24 miles) south of Seoul.



Before he moves in, anyone who is flush with funds can rent it for 50,000 dollars a day -- with proceeds going to his campaign to provide poor countries with proper sanitary facilities.

Apart from two bedrooms, two guestrooms and other rooms, the two-storey house -- of course -- features three deluxe toilets. Unlike the giant "toilet" in which they are located, they will not be see-through affairs.

A showcase bathroom screened by a glass wall is located in its centre, while and will will feature a device producing a mist to make users feel secure. An electronic sensor will raise the lid automatically when people enter, and there will also be music for patrons.

The house, complete with a stream and small garden in front, is named Haewoojae, meaning "a place of sanctuary where one can solve one's worries".

Sim's birth in a restroom was in line with traditional beliefs. "It was intentional. My mother followed advice from my grandmother that people born in restrooms will enjoy long lives," said the 74-year-old.

Wouldn't it be cool if someone made a house like this?
Well, hey, they did!

A young couple in Mexico grew tired of living in a conventional home, and wanted to move into something more “natural”. They commissioned Senosiain Arquitectos to build them their new home, and the end result was a gigantic Nautilus. The special house was put together using ferrocement construction, a technique involving a frame of steel-reinforced chicken wire with a special two-inch-thick composite of concrete spread over it. The end result a unique structure that’s earthquake-proof and requires no maintenance.

Here's what it looks like on the inside:

How cool is that?

Though there are some very nice things about Da Lat, the main attraction is Hang Nga's Tree House, known to the locals as "The Crazy House". It's owned by the daughter of the ex-president of Vietnam, who studied architecture in Moscow.

The place is Georgia O'Keefe-meets-Gaudi, with some Lewis Carroll thrown in for good measure. Hang Nga is a popular hotel name, and this wasn't the first Hang Nga we stayed at. In mythology, Hang Nga was a moon fairy, which points to yet another place where the designer might have studied.