Baggins End Domes
Baggins End, on the campus of the University of California, Davis is a small community of undergraduate and graduate students who live together in a bundle of round, white domes among several acres of community gardens, chicken coops, trees and flowers. Sounds idyllic, right? The students think so and are prepared to fight for their little slice of heaven. Recently, the university has determined that the domes are no longer safe for residential use and plan to shut down the Domes and Baggins End this summer.
The university’s student housing department said the Domes are not up to code, are not Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant, and not worth spending money on to salvage. Supporters of the Domes claim the university administration has neglected these issues for decades and is trying to make a land grab, motivated by budget cuts and pressure to squeeze every last dollar out of campus real estate.
Sacramento News & Review Article on Baggins End
Sacramento Public Radio Story on Baggins End
The Domes have been on the campus since 1972 and are constructed of three to four inches of polyurethane foam surrounded by a fiberglass shell. A few of the Domes are beginning to delaminate. Baggins End (named after the home of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins from The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy) is comprised of 14 domes housing 28 students where they emphasize cooperation and sustainability. The students grow a lot of their own food and raise chickens and a rooster named Chamomile. The Domes are around 450 square feet and contain a kitchen, living room, two bedrooms or a sleeping loft, heating and skylights. The students are allowed to perform their own construction projects and have access to the community’s free materials yard, fire pit, garden and tool shed, compost pile, greenhouse and the weekly potluck dinners. Each resident pays $2,712 for a year long lease. Continue Reading »
Indianapolis Island
What looks like an iceberg in the middle of a lake or a half-melted marshmallow is actually is an experimental living structure inhabited by art students. Indianapolis Island is an art piece created by Andrea Zittel and inhabited this summer by art students Jessica Dunn and Michael Runge. It is one of the eight works of art in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s 100 Acres art and nature park.
About 20 feet in diameter, Indianapolis Island is a tiny house made of fiberglass and foam that examines the daily needs of contemporary human beings. For the next four summers, the island will be occupied by one or two commissioned residents who are local art students. They will collaborate with Zittel by adapting and modifying the island’s structure according to their individual needs. Continue Reading »
Reclaimed Space
More Than Just Green, Reclaimed Space is Delivering Sustainable Living
Austin-based builder Reclaimed Space is turning a new leaf in the green building industry. Designing, building and delivering fully-sustainable “Spaces” out of reclaimed materials, Reclaimed Space is building sustainable, not just green.
Each unit is custom-built using locally sourced materials taken from deconstructed homes. Rather than letting good materials go to waste, they are recycled and put to good use after thorough inspection and restoration.
Reclaimed Spaces are solar and wind energy compatible, making much of the energy it takes to power the Spaces renewable, and adding off grid possibilities. The single-pitch roof makes it easy to use filtered rainwater for the Space’s water supply, and gives the solar panels a full day of sunlight. Built on skids and beams, the Spaces are re-locatable; upon completion, they are delivered to any site.
Reclaimed Spaces have endless functions and possibilities. Remote living becomes simple, with the off-site construction and sustainable design. For land owners or real estate brokers, adding a Reclaimed Space increases property value and desirability by introducing livable space. The units’ cost-effectiveness and small size allows for affordable community living or temporary lodging. Whether it’s accommodations for a weekend retreat, guest or workspace, Reclaimed Space has a solution.
Reclaimed Space makes eco-friendly, sustainable living affordable. Pricing starts at $25,000 and ranges from $115 to $160 per square foot, depending on each Space’s individual features. These living quarters start at 240 square feet and can be configured modularly for larger designs.
Potential buyers can visit www.ReclaimedSpace.com to learn more about the company, browse photo galleries and view sample floor plans. With the combination of its sustainable building practices and their use of renewable energy, Reclaimed Space is delivering sustainable living, anywhere.
Interior Sliding Door
Window View
Two Units
On the Road
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