Design studio NOWlab made a whimisical house full of surprises. On top of colorful wood flooring and a spiral staircase, there is also a fireman's pole hidden behind a bookcase. The two-story apartment is called Haus JJ and is located in Kreuzberg, a popular neighborhood in Berlin. When building the living space, the studio wanted a quick way to move between floors. "It came up in the early discussions with the owners, but the initial idea was to create a slide," NOWlab's founder Jörg Petri told Dezeen. "Unfortunately the floor plan did not allow enough space so we had to compact the idea – the result was a fireman's pole."

The pole—although very cool—is not the central focus of the apartment. It has its own room subtly tucked away and obscured by a bookcase. Sliding down the concealed pole leads directly into the owner's home office. "After some time the idea of the secret room came up and we integrated the pole in there, making it possible to escape unseen," said Petri. "It creates an efficient and easy-to-use circulation loop between the two floors."

[h/t: Dezeen.com]