The Safe House

This house transforms into an impenetrable fortress at the click of a button. But if we’ve learned anything the movies, the safe house is never safe.

02.24.13 | By: Maryam

Intruders can't even come close to this house. Not unless they manage to make it through a six-and-half foot wall of concrete. And a series of security clearances. Yes, this home has actual security clearances.

Though it may look like and sound like one, this is no government building or top secret lab. The Safe House, designed by Polish design group KWK Promes, and located in a small village on the outskirts of Warsaw, is a concrete home/fortress with a transformative twist.

With a push of a button – or, more likely, a set of corresponding buttons – the imposing 6,100 square foot concrete box morphs into an emblem of modern architecture. Moveable walls and mobile shutters retract, exposing floor to ceiling windows, and outdoor patios that bleed into the surrounding greenery. A draw bridge drops to connect the house to a detached indoor swimming pool.

For those intent on maintaining privacy and security, or the borderline agoraphobe, The Safe House is the best of both worlds. Then again, if we've learned anything from watching Safe House or Panic Room, The Safe House is never safe.