“It’s like a sailboat on wheels,” Holley said.

A couple of years ago, tiny homes caught the attention of the couple. So, for about $25,000, they set out to build one.

“A lot of people think you couldn’t live this way,” Holley said.

They built the home with the help of family in Colorado. Then, when Holley went to graduate school out East, the couple drove the home out there and lived inside.

Protohaus caught the attention of folks on both commutes.

“They would follow us off the highway and they would be like, ‘How
many bedrooms are in there?’” Holley said.

Inside the home is a composting toilet; a stove; a faucet; outlets; even a sink with water. The home is fueled mostly on solar power and propane.

“Cleaning the house takes 20 minutes,” Holley said, laughing.

Read the complete story at the 9News website.

Ann says: The interior of ProtoStoga is difficult to photograph because the space is so small. The floor area is 4’10”x7’6”. At the ledge it is it’s widest 6’4”x8’3”. I hope the photos I included this time will give a better idea of what the space feels like. The one through the front door is a photoshop collage and does not quite line up correctly but it still gives a pretty good idea.

We had our first guest this weekend. It was really exciting! We set up the interior as a bedroom with a full-sized bed across the space. There was enough room left over for a bags and stuff. She made a little video and when she sends me a copy I will share it with you…

Ann on the Bed

The ProtoStoga is complete! Last Saturday was my graduate thesis exhibition and Darren and I set ProtoStoga up in downtown Alfred. We had a few hundred visitors despite the cold weather. It snowed outside but the ProtoStoga was warm and toasty inside. There were as many as 10 adults inside at a time.

ProtoStoga is meant to be an addition to ProtoHaus. It will function as a flex space. It can be a guesthouse, vacation cottage, dining room, mobile studio, escape pod, reading room and much more. Everyone who visited ProtoStoga had their own idea of what they would use the space for. One visitor said he would turn it into a card playing room, another said it would be a perfect place to pray, and still another said it would be her writing retreat. Hearing other people’s ideas about how they would use the space was very gratifying.

All told it took us about 600 man-hours to get the ProtoStoga this far (not including design time or material gathering). Figuring out how to handle the rounded end and how to deal with the exterior trim took quite a bit of time. I think if we were to build it again we would do a few things differently and save some time.

We have not weighed it yet but we estimate that ProtoStoga weighs between 800 and 1,000 pounds. Any additional work on the inside will have to be flexible furnishings… that is will have to be easily removed or reconfigured. ProtoStoga is wide enough to accommodate a full size bed leaving about 1/2 of the space open to stand and move around. The interior ceiling is 6’10” high allowing for the comfort of tall visitors.

The front door is a custom made dutch door and the top half opens out, I must admit that I am rather proud of it. The rear window opens awning style. There is lots of light and air. There are 2 Deitz lanterns for light.. they give off an ample amount of heat too. The ProtoStoga has insulated floor and walls. The ceiling has insulated/upholstered inserts between the beams. Exterior cladding is cedar, aluminum and pine. On the top of the front end we have a figure head for luck and protection. It is a cast steel wish pig that used to sit on my grandmother’s bead-side table.

If anyone has questions please go to www.protohaus.moonfruit.com and go to the “contact” page to send me an e-mail. You can also see images of the models that I made before building ProtoStoga. I will put up some build photos soon too.

Thanks! -Ann Holley

I hope that the spring is treating you well! We finally have some sun and warm weather here in Up State NY.

My graduate program is almost over and I will be having my thesis exhibition really soon! I thought you might be interested in the work I have been up to. Darren and I have built what we are calling the ProtoStoga.

It is a 40 square foot addition to ProtoHaus. ProtoStoga is meant to be a flexible space. It will function as a guesthouse, vacation cottage, office, mobile hair salon, and who knows what! The form of the structure is a hybrid between a Gypsy Vardo, Airstream-esque Trailer, Conestoga Wagon and a Shepherd Hut.

The materials we used match those used on ProtoHaus. The base or box is clad in cedar and the ledge is supported with solid wood brackets painted white. The roof is aluminum trimmed out with oiled wood secured with neoprene roof-screws. The arched window echoes the curve of the roof. It is made of steam bent ash and the bottom half opens out awning style. The front door is a custom made Dutch Door that I am rather proud of.

The interior is unfinished at the moment but it should be looking pretty nice by show time! The show is open to the public and I would be grateful if you would share it with the Tiny House Blog Community for me.

The Show is Saturday April 17 from 5-7 in Alfred NY. It will be outside between the Town Hall and the Box of Books (4 West University). You can find a campus map at http://www.alfred.edu/map/
I will be really thrilled if any Tiny House Blog readers are there!

Tired of dorm life? Three students, striving to live off the grid, made different choices. At Appalachian State, a student lives in a teepee in the Blue Ridge Mountains; another built a geodesic dome on campus at Juniata College, in central Pennsylvania; and as a class project, a graduate student has built a miniature house and rolled it onto Alfred University, in upstate New York.

Go read Education: Alternative Living

Photos and Intro from the New York Times.

Ann has added a new page “New Structure” to www.protohaus.moonfruit.com. There are images of models for the next design and some information there. I am going to let Ann go into the details below:

These models represent the next step of the ProtoHaus project. We are in development of an additional structure that will function as a multi purpose space. First, it will be a light-weight model. ProtoHaus weighs in at 9,500 pounds. A light-weight model (under 1,500 pounds) will be easier to move at short notice and will require less fuel to transport. Second, it will be a mobile education unit.

We would like to take the project on the road without having to break down our whole system. Third, it will function as an extra bedroom where we may house guests. Forth, it will act as an office space. Finally, it will be our vacation home at the beach, in the mountains or even in a commercial parking lot.

Each model has its own advantages and drawbacks. Ann is leaning toward the vardo-conastoga-shepherd hut-airstream hybrid.  I am curious what your choice would be.

Please vote below.

Ann will begin at 12:20 and the event will be over at 1:10. There will be an open house right after the lecture. If you are in the area and would like to come Ann would be happy to see you there! The address is: Alfred University · 1 Saxon Drive · Alfred, NY. You can find a campus map at http://www.alfred.edu/map/

I am really excited, today Ann Holley emailed and sent me updated pictures of the ProtoHaus in its new location and a picture of the finished interior (last picture below).

This is one of my favorite designs for a tiny house on wheels and I will let you in on some news. A plan for this home will be available in the not to distant future. I will let you know here on the Tiny House Blog, the plans will be available in the Plans Page above.

You can see the previous post on the construction of the ProtoHause here.

Okay here is the update from Ann:

Hello Tiny House Blog Readers!

ProtoHaus has arrived in Alfred, New York! We have set up on Alfred University’s campus next to the Environmental House and we are settling in nicely.

ProtoHaus is part of Ann’s graduate studies in the Sculpture and Dimensional Studies program. So far we have had lots of positive response. Neighbors, including permanent town residence as well as students, have been curious and friendly embracing us warmly.

This is all very exciting and encouraging since a big part of the project is about sharing what we are doing with the community. It looks like Ann will be holding a seminar on a Friday in November and we will be in touch to announce the date as it approaches.

Also, we plan to have an open house in the near future (date to be determined). We welcome visitors and questions. Please visit our website www.protohaus.moonfruit.com if you want to know more.

Ann Holley

by Kent Griswold (Tiny House Blog)

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