With our city now so laughably unaffordable, thousands of Vancouverites are stuck imagining wonderful homes instead of living in them. Spaced is a record of our minds wandering the world of architecture and design, up and away from the unrewarding realities of shoebox condos, dark basement suites, sweet f~ck all on Craigslist and three levels of government that couldn’t give a damn.

You might recall the Brothers Grimm story of Hansel and Gretel, specifically how the siblings were tempted to enter a house made of gingerbread and candy. Far-fetched, right? Well, since their story seems about as feasible as the prospect of ever owning a piece of property in Vancouver, this – via Le Figaro – is a fitting distraction…

French chocolatier Jean-Luc Decluzeau has designed and built a 200 sqft cottage constructed entirely of 1.5 tons of chocolate in the gardens of Sèvres’ Cité de la Céramique, and we want to spend at least a couple of nights in it quietly nibbling away at its many surfaces.

Built as a promo for Booking.com (yes, you could actually stay in the place), the details of the chocolate abode’s meticulous construction are staggering. Beyond the chocolate walls, shingles, roof, clock, fireplace, furniture, books, plates, cups and chandelier, the “property” includes a white chocolate duck pond and chocolate flower bed.

“Some of these items can even be enjoyed by those who have the chance to stay in this house, without risking the wrath of the ugly witch Hansel and Gretel. Better than that, they will be encouraged to indulge, since the designer of the place will animate for those who sleep on the spot a workshop dedicated to the making of mini-personalized chocolate chalets. And to allow as many people as possible to enjoy the place, an afternoon discovery open to the public will be organized on October 7 with the possibility of following a workshop of confection of chocolate houses.”

We’re not greedy. We’ll take ours as a laneway. Well shaded, of course.

Images via Booking.com