Have you ever wanted to sleep on a cloud? If you are living in, or visiting the Bordeaux region of France, you can sleep (for free) in a tiny cloud house constructed by Zebra3 and the Bruit du frigo collective until October 31, 2011. Le Nuage, or The Cloud, can sleep up to seven people and is located by a lake in St. Catherine Park in Lormont, France.
The cumulous structure is built of wood and plexiglass and is part art, part practical living. The Cloud was created as a refuge from urban life and has an open living plan and integrated beds. There is no bathroom and cooking is done outside. Reservations can be made on The Cloud’s Facebook page.
Photos courtesy of Zebra3 and Flodeau
By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]
This is probably an old debate or point of contention amongst Tiny Home owners, but to me, if I can’t cook, bathe or go to the bathroom in it – then it’s not a “home.”
This structure is a curiosity, and that’s it. For myself (and I can imagine many others of a like mind), I require something more substantial. If this unique design was actually liveable then I would be far more impressed with its builders.
Sorry to be a downer.
I have to disagree with your assertion that a home is not a home without a bathroom or kitchen. My grandmother lived in a 2 story home that had no running water (we used a well to bring water into the house), we heated up the water on a wood-burning stove (also used to cook with) since there was no electricity for baths, washing dishes, etc. At night we used kerosene lamps for light to read by or play games. If we had to go to the bathroom, we went outside to the outhouse. Her house was very much a home. Running water, the ability to cook inside, and a bathroom, do not make a home – people do that, the structure and the amenities (or lack thereof) within, are irrelevant.
No disrespect Kirsten and my family lived in NE and were pioneers – BUT – I also agree with Bill that if I can’t cook, bathe or go to the bathroom in it – then it’s not a “home.”
He did qualify his comment with the fact that it might be a “…point of contention amongst Tiny Home owners,”
My home HAS to have a kitchen and bathroom INSIDE to be a home.
Clever! I like the beds. Wonder what they could do with a rainbow? I could see making a tarp or canvas version for my granddaughter’s playhouse but it would end up looking more cumulonimbus in no time.
Bill, I don’t see you as being a downer, I just don’t see that you got the idea. There is no claim that this is a home at all…it’s simply a concept idea, art…er…fun! Maybe the word ‘house’ should have been ‘structure’ or something akin, but hey, for a free overnight spot in that region of France? There’s woods out there!
I agree with Bill, however, I don’t see this being portrayed as an alternative home; it seems to be presented as an alternative to a tent for camping. For that purpose, this thing looks pretty cool. It’s obviously just built as some sort of artistic project, but it looks like it would make for a fun camping trip.
I agree with Bill and Josh. It’s a nice shelter, but that’s all.
This structure could be a house with a couple of easy additions. A “kitchen” can be a tiny counter with sink and two burner stove top. Put a small fridge underneath, and you have a kitchen. Train sleeper cars, small ships, and the Japanese have all figured out how to make a bathroom out of a combination shower and sink, with a drain in the middle of the floor in a small closet size “room” on on one side of the door, as you enter. And a “wc” on the other. this works best with the entry placed at the end of the house. No need to add much extra space, but it becomes much more useable.
This would be a great treehouse!
I agree this is not a home, but double the width and it could be!
http://www.dezignwithaz.com/cloud-house-zebra-a-586.html
I think they could put a big ‘9’ on it so it would be sleeping on ‘cloud 9’? 🙂
It would make for a great camp housing. I agree, for a house (even a small house) would need at least a bathroom and/or place to prepare and save food. I think making one wider and/or longer could make it include those missing items. Perhaps one could add a ‘large rainbow from it and have it include the missing items. It would be neat to have it on stilts so the cloud be ‘up in the air’ like a cloud. I think it has lots of potential. 🙂
If it was up on stilts you could build a shower beneath it!
To those who say it would be good for camping,
Let me ask: Really?
I go camping to sleep under the stars, or if it’s raining, under a tarp. Seperating myself by choice to sleep in a plywood shell is even less appealing than sleeping in a tent.
A amusing design but complete lacking any practical applications.
All IMO of course!
I go camping to get away from the distractions of modern life. I don’t consider to be less of a camping trip if I’m sleeping in a cabin as opposed to a tent or sleeping under a tarp. I used to be an infantryman and a paratrooper in the Army, and I’ve spent more nights than I care to remember sleeping under, at most, a poncho. Many mornings I woke up and instinctively swatted at my face because there was some giant spider or other bug crawling on me. At some point I came to the conclusion that there’s nothing wrong with being comfortable when you’re camping, which is why I now always camp with a tent to keep the bugs away and sleep on a queen size air mattress! I wake up much more rested than I ever did sleeping in a bivy sack on the hard ground with bugs crawling all over me.
A hobbit house! Here is cost effective tiny house building at its finest!
http://www.carbonated.tv/wow/simon-dale-how-i-built-hobbit-house-wales-just-3000-photos
Frankly I’m astonished at all the negative comments! And I thought tiny house folks were imaginative, fun-loving, and creative. You all disappoint me.
I think it is whimsical and WONDERFUL!
And the craftsmanship and design of the interior is outstanding!
The little picnic on the lawn is a delightful finishing touch.
You nay-sayers should go live in caves (with plumbing).
I think it is cute and nice inside. I don’t believe a home must have a kitchen and bathroom inside. We built a home and didn’t have an inside bathroom until I was 10… the outhouse days. We did have a kitchen sink. That is now illegal in the U.S. courtesy of big business, so we are stuck with 30 year mortgages instead of building as you go. I read a comment by an old man “Americans are crazy to defecate in their house and eat outside.” I have a composting toilet to stop putting pathogens into our freshwater drinking supply. I laugh sometimes b/c it is a first cousin to that childhood outhouse.
There is so much imagination out there with these tiny homes. I love looking at these emails….maybe I’ll have one someday!