This Round Wisconsin Lake House Is Pure Retro Future

Most lake houses are built to face the water. This one is built to wrap around it. On the shore of Lake Ripley in Cambridge, Wisconsin, sits a round home designed by architect Helmut Ajango, with curved walls, sweeping windows, and a look that's part mid-century modern, part cartoon space age. It has three bedrooms, three baths, and 3,035 square feet. One Redditor admitted they clicked expecting a monstrosity and left wanting to move in, and plenty of commenters felt the same.

Built Around the View

According to the listing, Ajango designed the house to embrace its natural surroundings, and the curved layout means the lake is visible from nearly everywhere. The living room, kitchen, and dining areas flow into one another, all looking out at the water. In the kitchen, the backsplash is a wall of windows, and commenters were thrilled to see a counter-heavy kitchen for once. A big stone fireplace anchors the living space, and the rough, fluted concrete walls earned their own fans, with one Redditor noting that you just don't see that kind of finish much anymore.

Look Closer at the Fireplace

Eagle-eyed commenters spotted a tiny surprise in one of the listing photos: two little figures appear to be rappelling down the stone fireplace. At least one reader vowed to copy the idea at home and see how long it takes their husband to notice. Downstairs, a finished walk-out lower level has a big rec room and a bar that opens to the lake. The bar was the only part of the house that drew some side-eye. Otherwise, the comparisons poured in. Commenters likened it to a sturdier version of the famous Futuro pod house and to something straight out of The Jetsons, and one person summed it up as a hobbit hole married to a Jetson. Another joked that the only flaw was the square fire pit in a house that's otherwise committed to circles.

The Internet Has Thoughts

Naturally, this listing caught the attention of Reddit's r/zillowgonewild community. See what people are saying about it here.

Whether you're a mid-century architecture fan, a lake lover, or just someone who's tired of corners, this one is worth a look. View the full listing here.