While living in a glass house may have obvious drawbacks and limited appeal for species of the human variety, adding one to your territorial domain, and filling it with fish – or birds – could add a whole new dimension to your architectural landscape.

Latest aquarium options expand horizons for introducing natural elements to every aspect of your home and office.

1. Duplex:

So named because of its dual aquarium/bird cage function, Duplex is thermo–formed in order to accommodate a simulated interaction between winged and finned pets.

A bowl-shaped aquarium placed atop a tall glass bird cage, this innovative creation gives the owner unique access to the world of fish and fowl and provides ample scope for the imagination.

Simplistic, uncomplicated lines lend it the appeal of a decorative, leafless vase which can be stashed in an uninteresting corner or displayed in the middle of the room. [ via: Constance Guisset ]

2. Local River:

Created by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur, Local River blows the idea of a unique domestic “refrigerator-aquarium” that breeds freshwater fish for eating and grows vegetables at the same time.

[ via: Mathieu Lehanneur ]

3. Aquarium washbasin:

Bored with your daily bathroom routine? Italbrass’s Moody” guarantees an end to the tedium. In addition to its primary function, this aquarium washbasin has a soothing Zen garden feel which provides a gentle platform to let the mind unwind.

Completely watertight with a sand bed and necessary lighting, the aquarium is also fitted with a power head to facilitate water circulation, oxygenation and filtration.

Soap dishes on each side cover access points for cleaning or changing the environment. Mounted on a chrome finish brass stand with crystal top, a convenient front towel rail ensures it is as practical as it is aesthetically appealing. [ via: Smolka ]

4. Aquarium Desk:

The forbidden Apple in the Garden of Delights has nothing on this new creation, which will give your stylish Mac something to compete with. Designed to match Apple’s stylish products with its slick white exterior, the Milk Desk has taken the working environment to a new level with the addition of an integrated aquarium.

Besides adding a refreshing splash of life to your work, the attractive, height-adjusting table, designed by Soren Kjaer, comes with productivity enhancers like an iPod storage box, pen holder and waste basket.

[ via: milk ]

5. Wall-mounted Aquarium:

Designed to enhance the natural look of your home or office, this wall-mounted aquarium makes a picture or plasma TV look dull in comparison.

Mounted on the wall at a height to suit you, the eye-catching aquarium simultaneously offers a point of distraction and focus and adds depth of dimension to any room. Various sizes and colours are available in glass and acrylic, with cleaning and operating equipment integrated neatly behind the frame.

[ via: Mikaza Home ]

6. Fish Bowl:

Want a fish bowl but can’t bear the thought of an unsightly mass of greenery? Joe Doucet hears the common lament. Well aware that fish need plants in order to breathe, he has come up with a solution that exploits his “everything communicates” principle beautifully and provides aesthetic appeal at the same time.

By inserting a glass plant holder into the centre of a fish bowl, he ensures that the fish – and you – get the best of both worlds. While you get to have the plant of your choice and a fish, the fish gets to feel as if the plant is a part of this environment without touching it. Besides introducing a rare element of meaningfulness to your environment, the bowl combination is also easier to clean and maintain.

[ via: joe doucet ]

7. Infinity Aquarium:

Posing as a complex maze of solitude, this infinite hand-crafted tunnel of water and glass provides endless fuel for the imagination of both fish and owner.

Enigmatically dubbed “Swimming around in circles” by design studio Forever, it could, however, pose a real problem for the creative whose mental convolutions would face a daunting challenge in the cleaning department. [ via: BCXSY ]

8. Labyrinth Aquarium:

A fishy take on extra-terrestrial abodes, this Labyrinth Aquarium features multiple connected tanks for underwater exploration and viewer stimulation.

While the globes provide for endless rearranging and interactivity, the unsightly filters, lights, pumps and cleaning equipment are all cleverly concealed in the cabinet below. [ via: Opulent items ]

9. Spacearium:

This enormous elliptical suspended Space Aquarium is slick, angle-free and large enough to act as a room divider or natural move screen.

The 360-degree visibility enables you to enjoy the aquatic life from all vantage points and create the illusion of space for both you and the inhabitants. A high-performance organic filtration system maintains the environment with minimal upkeep. [ via: Spacearium ]

10. Fish Pod:

Created by Benjamin Graindorge for the design PARADE festival and competition in France, the Fish Pod replaces rocks on the tank bed with plastic moulding which can be shaped into the shape of ridges and mountains.

Besides providing a unique external appearance, the fish also get to indulge in aesthetic eye candy. The only drawback is that there is no information on whether these festival exhibits are available for sale.

Designer: Benjamin Graindorge

11. Azoo Eco Desk:

Besides adding a stimulating splash of colour to a funky apartment, this self-cleaning desk aquarium saves on space by doubling up on function and aesthetics.

The glass top rests on a hinged support, which can be pulled open to add more fish or foliage, and a self-cleaning solution for biological, water and temperature control gives you little to worry about in the maintenance department. You’ll never need to worry about tablecloths or flowers.

[ via: azoopalm ]

12. Aquariass Fish Tank Toilet:

It sounds too bizarre to imagine, but this real-life aquarium really is part of the toilet. If the idea appeals, check it out on Oliver Beckert’s home page.

The gentle background gurgle serves as a subtle subterfuge for unpleasant bathroom sounds and doubles as a soothing environment for reading the newspaper. The bonus is the aquarium doesn’t actually share a tank with the toilet, so there’s no danger of flushing the fish away. [ via: elseware ]

13. Fish Loft:

Designed to give you more visual access to your fish and an added dimension to your home, Fish Loft gives new meaning to Pink Floyd’s “lost souls swimming in a fish bowl” lyrics.

Just whether finned creatures can explore more than a horizontal dimension is doubtful though and cleaning could become a daily grind as algae might find the loft walls more attractive than the moving inhabitants. Imaginative at best, challenging at worst. [ via: Fish Loft ]



