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.

A company that inspected the Domes estimated that it would take more than $600,000 – or $43,000 per dome – to resolve problems with the structures’ delamination. Chris Adamson, a state-certified access specialist in UC Davis’ Design and Construction Management unit, estimated that it would cost an additional $300,000 to make the ADA improvements.

As a self-supporting unit, the Davis student housing department does not receive state or campus funding, and each housing area must operate as a self-supporting unit. A plan is in place to rebuild the Domes, but that could take up to five years. In the meantime, student residents are looking for alternative solutions to keep their inexpensive housing in a creative and supportive community.

Photos Courtesy of the Domes at Baggins End

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

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.

On their blog, Dunn and Runge discuss the details of living in an inhabitable art space. They have access to the museum’s Visitor’s Pavillion where there are restrooms, and they also have an emergency sawdust bucket for late-night bathroom needs. They are able to stay cool because of the good insulation of the island and the white color that reflects away the sun. The door and window provide air flow from the cool lake water. They cook with a solar oven, a small grill and use a cooler for their food.

Dunn and Runge will get a lesson in sustainable living during their stay from mid-June to mid-August on the island. Their plans are to grow their own food in floating pots, make their own furnishings, generate electricity with a bicycle and receive messages from others via floating capsules. The tiny floating island will also allow visitors. When the students raise a green flag on the island, guests may ring a bell on the shore to signal their desire for a tour. Visitors will then be picked up in a row boat and given a tour highlighting the efficient living space. When the island’s inhabitants are not giving tours they will create a message-writing centers for visitors to author their own anonymous messages, which they will release in floating containers which look like little floating islands of their own. The messages will then be posted on Dunn and Runge’s blog.

Photos courtesy of Jessica Dunn and Michael Runge

By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]

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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