Month: September 2010

Paul Elkin’s Emergency Shelter

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Paul Elkins previously share with us his Cadillac of Homeless Shelters and has come up with an idea for an emergency shelter that I though you would enjoy seeing.

This 12′ by 12′ square shelter design was influenced by the designer of the Hexayurt. This will be my 2011 Burningman shelter for my wife and I. It also has shown possibilities as a rapid deployment cold weather Emergency Shelter.

The design consists of 10-one inch thick 4’x8′ foil backed foam insulation panels. Like the Hexayurt, the panels will be supported with tape only. No structural framing should be needed. (I’m keeping my fingers cross) The design also makes for virtually no waist in construction material. The adjoining corners will be mitered for a tight fit, and when stored it will fold like an accordion into a 4’x8’x10″ thick light weight package. Set-up time shouldn’t take too long as only a few seams need to be tapped once it’s unfolded. To secure the structure from high winds, lines from a small aluminum cap will run down to each corner of the shelter.

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Amish Built Hunting Cabin

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Rhonda just brought this to my attention and I thought I’d better get it out there in case someone wants it. Amish Built Playhouse/ Hunting cabin – $3500 (New Albany) Playhouse Amish built, could be used as a hunting cabin or shed or art studio. 15 feet long 8 feet … Read more

Marc’s California Custom Cabins

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Marc Hyman from Santa Barbara, California contacted me a while back about his new business called Custom Cabins. It is so neat to see more and more builders considering small spaces. Marc shared his ideas with me, so I will let him tell you more about Custom Cabins.

After researching the market for the past 3 years, I have come up with a common sense approach to building small, tight, eco cabins.

In a nut shell, I do what most weekend / amateur / average eco dreamers can’t do for themselves. I deliver a properly framed and built shell of a cabin with a sturdy base, watertight walls and roof, and square walls. I avoid doing interiors in order to deliver a very affordable product. The average guy / gal can go to HomeDepot and buy flooring, shelves, wall coverings in order to complete the cabin themselves or with the help of a good handyman (handyperson).

This allows me to deliver an affordable, highly flexible / adaptable space.

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South Pass City, Wyoming

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Tiny houses are not a new thing and we can learn from our history. JT recently went on vacation in Wyoming and visited a couple of Ghost Towns along the way. He took pictures and shared them with me. I have chosen some of my favorite from the town of South Pass City, Wyoming. JT will tell us a little about them.

South Pass City is an old Gold Mining Ghost Town in Wyoming about 5 miles down a dirt road from Atlantic City.

Most of the Original buildings are still standing and have been restored to original condition inside and out with original furnishings. No boby lives in South pass City today, it’s a museum and walking through it is like walking back through time to the 1800’s. You will see a Hotel, Butcher shop, school house, jail that was later converted to a school house and more.

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Zambulance

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Drue one of my readers keeps me updated on things he discovers on the internet and recently he discovered this bike powered ambulance from Zambia. Drue says:

Zambia is a heck of a long ways off, but I found a bike company there that has an interesting product…the zambulance.

It is a bike-trailer ambulance, but looks like an interesting biker’s shelter. Certainly smaller and less useful for a tiny house, but not a stretch for a homeless person, bike camper, or emergency shelter in times of a disaster.

Photo Credits: Zambikes

zambulance

Here is what Zambikes says about their product:

The Solution – A Bicycle Ambulance Trailer a.k.a “Zambulance” by Zambikes

As a result of a Zambulance, communities have access to a free ambulance service. The clients
are now able to receive medical attention in less time. Whereas it used to take between two to
three hours to take a patient to a rural health centre that was 2.5 km away using an ox-cart, it now
takes an average of 30 minutes using a Zambulance to cover the same distance. Whereas patients used to sit on the back rack of a bicycle en route to a rural health centre, now clients can lie flat on the back of a Zambulance that is much safer and much more comfortable.

Additionally, the canopy of the Zambulance now provides privacy, especially important for the
expectant mothers. The canopy also shelters the clients from the heat of the sun and the rain.

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