The Cae Mabon Retreat Centre in North Wales has been building small, natural dwellings for their residents and visitors since 1989. This intentional community is located in the best of what nature can offer: in the woods, by a river, near a lake, at the foot of the mountains and within sight of the sea.
Cae Mabon’s principal creator is Eric Maddern, who was inspired to create the community after spending time with the Aboriginal people in Alice Springs, Australia. He wanted to create a place that was not the ostentatious beauty of the wealthy but the humble beauty of the simple and natural. The buildings he created are mostly made from timber, stone, reed, straw, grass, lime and clay and they blend in with their surroundings.
The Cae Mabon (Mabon’s Field) community consists of several different types of alternative buildings including a geodome, a Mongolian yurt, an Iranian shavan, cob cottages, two roundhouses, a straw bale hogan, a cedar cabin, a thatched shower hut with river water heated by a wood stove, a “loo with a view”, a sweat lodge and a wood-burning cedar hot tub.
People who live in Cae Mabon take part in working, building and gardening parties, and yoga and meditation retreats are regularly held here. The philosophy behind the community is to create a place of creativity and healing as well as a model of low impact, sustainable living.
Photos courtesy of Cae Mabon
By Christina Nellemann for the [Tiny House Blog]
These are cool looking. They remind me of elf and/or hobbit houses.
Are there any interior photos available ?
There are more on their site. Interesting place.
http://www.caemabon.co.uk/?page=296
Wow, lots of inspiration there! Love the ‘split-level’ stackwood chalet and washroom/shower, though it looks a bit crowded in with the other places around it. Lots of photos including some interiors on their website. Really love the Dragon snug (photo at website) been planning something like that for my place but not quite as grand.
http://www.jovoto.com/contests/300house/ideas/12400
I’m not on facebook or twitter so it won’t let me comment on the contest site, but my bed is 27″ wide and quite comfy enough for me. I’m no skinny minny either. I’ve slept on 24″ foamies in comfort often enough too. If you really need a wider bed you can make it a narrower couch by day that pulls out a bit for night, the mattress can fold to make a seat back. Gives you a lot more floor space which you really come to appreciate on days when weather keeps you inside. Also much nicer to sit on a couch where you can rest your back easily rather than perching on a wider bed.
It’s like Findhorn in Scotland! They made some BEAUTIFUL houses out of old whiskey barrels as well as using the surroundings to inform their designs on other community structures.
Julia, we did a post last year on the Findhorn whiskey barrel homes. They are really beautiful!
http://tinyhouseblog.com/dome/findhorn-whiskey-barrel-house/
Intentional spaces with a focus on creativity and healing–what a wonderful gift for all who visit and live there.
Here you can watch interview with creator of this place Erik Maddern: http://dobraidea.pl/2011/03/cae-mabon/
What a cool place to live or visit. I think it would be nice to live there (or live some thing like here near where I am). 🙂