The art, the shows, the dancing, the fires and fireworks are all wonderful, but personally, my favorite part of Burning Man is visiting the camps and admiring the multitude of styles and designs of shelters. These shelters (most of them specific to Burning Man) are built to create shade from the blistering sun, as blocks against the wind that sweeps across the desert, and to protect Burners from the ubiquitous dust that gets over everything. Each year I’m in awe with how the artists transport these structures across the country and erect them in this stark desert, only to take them down again a week later.

This year the weather couldn’t have been better. The dust was minimal, the winds were mellow and the temperatures were fairly low. In fact, you needed a shelter warm enough for the very cold nights that affected most Burners this year. Here are a few of my favorite tiny houses of Black Rock City 2011.

A few years ago, the Hexayurt prototype was displayed at Burning Man. Now, you can find Hexayurt villages scattered all around the city. The reflective siding blocks out the sun and keeps the interior about 10-20 degrees cooler.

This was another version of a Hexayurt that could accommodate a taller person.

The owners of this shelter built this shade structure, the Otic Oasis, and a few other structures using interlocking pieces of wood without glue, nails or screws.

Another wonderful structure was a re-creation of the New Orleans French Quarter where you could snack on shrimp gumbo or pizza from the Black Rock Bakery.

Math Camp’s structure was based on geometry (of course).

Pandora Camp was built around a shipping container.

Lenny Camp had a lighthouse as a central beacon.

This camp began to take on a Wild West feel…

…while the Dusty Swan pub gave this camp some luck o’ the Irish.

Modified trailers were popular again this year, including this fiberglass trailer shaped like a toaster…

…a ladybug toy hauler…

…a trailer with it’s own bike rack…

…and a beautiful Airstream all decked out with a bright yellow shade.

If you don’t have a trailer, you can always sleep in a tent…or is it a fish?

Maybe you’d rather sleep in a shark?

This year, I saw a lot more wonderful desert-style structures like this Moroccan tent…

…and this yurt with a tie-dye theme.

Some traditional tents are altered, and scarves or curtains are added for shade and beauty.

Some tiny houses at this year’s event were REALLY tiny…

…including this one used for both shelter and storage.

Several structures were excellent for climbing around on, including this Asian inspired beauty…

…or this purple tea house.

This yellow pagoda had a great view of the city…

…so did this Sky Lounge.

This lifeguard shack was located on the Esplanade (the main road in front of the city) and came complete with lifeguards who rode around on motorized surfboards.

However, this structure has become one of our favorites. We climb it whenever we get a chance and are affectionately calling it “The White Spaceship.”

Photos courtesy of Christina Nellemann

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

Sir James started his life as an 8×12 dual axel car trailer from California Custom Trailers. The trailer came licensed with brakes and everything for $1,700. The house was made with a welded iron “cage” and then wood, tarpaper and plywood layers were all bolted into the cage. It’s 7 feet wide by 12 feet long and it took 4 months to build. Sir James is Michel’s second of four original designs.

The outside wood was burned to create the patina they wanted and then oiled. Both Christy and Michel realize that this extra design adds a lot of weight, but they love the look of it. Sir James has been exposed to horrible wind, snow, sleet, rain, hail storms and six Burning Man events and has come out looking better than ever. Christy and Michel primarily use Sir James for camping, including yearly Christmas/New Year’s trips to Death Valley.

Inside Sir James is a rear kitchen and a bedroom with a center bed, hallways and separate doors on each side for easy access. When I visited their rig, they used the wall behind the bed to hang up their numerous costumes for the event. I was surprised how cool and dark it was in the bedroom area. They have a large storage locker near the hitch to carry a wood burning stove, fire wood, a spare tire, and tools.

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

For only a week out of each year, Black Rock City, the home of Burning Man, is the fourth largest city in the state of Nevada. While the festival participants’ camps are only temporary, a lot of work goes into creating a comfortable, beautiful tiny shelter. These tiny “houses” have to be able to withstand up to 80 mile an hour winds, have to protect their inhabitants from the desert heat and cold, and the notorious dust storms of the Black Rock Desert. It also helps if they are colorful and attract attention. It makes them easier to find in the mass creativity that is Black Rock City.

Our neighborhood of 3:15 and Inherit in Black Rock City, NV

While at Burning Man, you “live” in the city. When someone asks you where you live, you say something like, “On the corner of 7:00 and Chaos, right next to the giant spaceship.” (referring to the horizontal “C” street and vertical number street of the Black Rock City map). This year’s city was 9,460 feet in diameter and included 44 miles of streets. It helps to know exactly where your tiny house is located.

To the un-Burned eye, Black Rock City looks a little beat up and run down, but when you are in one of the most inhospitable places on earth, any little bit of comfort is appreciated. The inhabitants of Black Rock City are an amazing group of people with extremely creative ideas and skills who create little laps of luxury in the desert.

These are some of my favorite tiny houses of Black Rock City:

Hexayurts were quite popular this year

So were tipis

I even found a half-finished gypsy wagon down the street

A very well insulated yurt

This structure has a central living area and a loft for sleeping

A beautiful, handmade truck trailer

This geodome uses solar panels for power

The Oliver trailer owned by Chris and Cherie from Technomadia

These tiny houses were built for storage and sleeping

The trailer of the Hollywood Death Squad

Our neighbor converted a toy hauler into a tiny shelter with French doors

This dome was used as a steam room

A lovely pink setup at the entrance to Kidsville

This mutant vehicle, also a shelter, was towed by a tractor

The inhabitants of the VW Bus Camp travel in groups

You can even have a white picket fence in Black Rock City

And my all-time favorite…

The Neverwas Haul, one of the best known mutant vehicles on the Playa