Humans are uniquely designed to appreciate curved lines. This isn’t just a matter of art. Brain imaging scans show that our bodies subconsciously react more positively to curved edges than straight lines. In other words, the organic nature of curves appeals at a gut level. Why, then, do we all live in straight-edged boxes? Why don’t we design our homes with curvy lines? The answer begins with expertise and ends with cost.
Unique structures require good architects. Architects are half artist and half engineer, able to transfer a design into equations involving shear strength and stress loads for wood, metal, concrete, glass, and stone. Architects then convey their requirements to construction bosses, who may lack the artistic vision, but are able to follow the plans and assign the right workers to each task. The workers will likely need unique expertise beyond simple square framing.
All this designing, conveying, and executing takes more money and time, which means fewer structures can be built and sold. To make our homes more affordable, they’re mostly square built, using the same architectural plan as our neighbors, requiring less technique and time.
What if you want to hire an architect to create your own curving castle? Most architects charge between 5% and 20% of the cost of the build. So, if a finished home will cost $200,000 (minus the land cost), you would pay the architect $10,000 to $40,000. In addition, you’d need to pay the contractor, land development fees, permits, and more. It gets pricy.