Artist Retreat
By Mike Beamer
The main goal of this project is to create a space that will draw talented artists to Sisters, Oregon and provide them with an enriching experience of the area while facilitating the creation of great works of art.
The living and working functions are separated into their own units which face a common porch providing an expansion of perceived space and a connection to the outdoors. The modular construction sits lightly on the ground and is easily transportable on the back of a flatbed truck. A steel exoskeleton provides a rugged structure to which Structural Insulated Panels are bolted, providing a continuous layer of insulation.
The project aims to have net-zero impact, through the use of PV panels, capturing rainwater, and composting all waste. Contact with each of these systems will enhance the user’s awareness of personal consumption.
More information about this and other projects can be found here: http://sistersmobileartiststud
Bend me, shape me: Space saving furniture
Tiny houses usually necessitate thinking out of the box when it comes to furniture. Standard furniture for “regular” homes may not fit into a tiny house, so several designers have come up with some interesting and innovative designs for space saving furniture. Interestingly enough, while most of these designers think out of the box, their designs fold up into boxes!
Trick
Trick is the name of this multifunctional furniture that can be used as a bookshelf, a chair, and a dining set. The minimalist multifunction furniture is made from Milan based industrial designer Sakura Adachi.
Mini House ONE+
Described as a lego set for adults, the Mini House ONE+ was designed and built by the Swedish company Add a Room. The ONE+ houses are designed to start out as a basic 15 square meter (approximately 161 square feet) module which can be added on to as needed in many different configurations. Add a Room will design the ONE+ to an individual’s needs, build it within a controlled, covered environment and deliver it to your site.
This concept is based on a cooperation between Denmark and Sweden and choosing high quality materials from both countries. The system includes decks and deck covers as well as an indoor or outdoor kitchen, a mini bathroom, beds, wardrobes, full insulation, plumbing and electrical fittings. Continue Reading »
Blu Homes Origin
There has been some recent news for fans of Michelle Kaufmann and her beautiful prefab homes. Michelle’s company, MKDesigns, has been acquired by Blu Homes, a privately owned business that builds homes with quality design, sustainable materials and leading technology. Michelle will be serving as a design consultant to Blu and they will continue to work with her designs including the Glidehouse, the Lotus and the Breezehouse.
The new MK designs will use the Blu folding technology in their building construction, and will be available nationally. Blu is unique in that they ship and set their own homes with teams directly from their factory. Continue Reading »
Burlington Microhome
Moonlight in Vermont? Sunlight might be better for this tiny solar powered home built by Alex Carver and Christopher North of Northern Timbers in Vermont. The Burlington Microhome is a 100 square-foot modular house that is off-grid and ready for additional modules to be added to it if needed.
Northern Timbers built the microhome with design help from landscape architect and metal artist H. Keith Wagner.
Much of Northern Timbers’ work reinterprets the traditional Vermont vernacular by introducing new applications of diverse materials into the residential setting, resulting in homes with a practical yet creative aesthetic. Continue Reading »
Rolling Huts
When I first saw these huts on wheels, they looked a bit like an alien vehicle from Star Wars. The more I looked at them though, the more I fell in love with these sleek little houses.
Designed as a modern alternative to camping by Tom Kundig of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects in Seattle, the Rolling Huts are available for rent in the Methow Valley of Washington state. The huts are several steps above camping, while remaining low-tech and low-impact in their design.
The huts sit lightly on the site, a flood plain meadow in an alpine river valley. The owner purchased the site, formerly a RV campground, with the aim of allowing the landscape return to its natural state. The wheels lift the structures above the meadow, providing an unobstructed view into nature and the prospect of the surrounding mountains.
The huts are grouped as a herd: while each is sited towards a view of the mountains (and away from the other structures), their proximity unites them. They evoke Thoreau’s simple cabin in the woods; the structures take second place to nature.
Each hut comes equipped with a small refrigerator, microwave, fireplace and Wi-Fi. A sleeping platform is perfect for two, and the modular furniture in the living area can be reconfigured to sleep two more. Each hut has an adjacent portable toilet, and full bathrooms and showers are housed in the centrally located barn a short distance away. There is a water faucet outside of each hut and a picnic table in front of each hut that seats 12. You can stay in one of these huts for about $80-$100 a night.
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