Alternative Housing Projects
Small House Project: Life In A Cave
Jan 7, 2018 revised Jan 13, 2018
Jan 7, 2018 revised Jan 13, 2018
Tiny Earth Cover House Concept
Initial Drawings – Designed by SJ
Initial Drawings – Designed by SJ
My thoughts on RVs and the "Small House Movement" Dec 26, 2017As I’ve mentioned I follow with interest the “small house movement”. Like many aspects of society I think our views on ‘what is normal’ is being questioned and could very soon face widespread disruption. Right now we live in a highly regulated living environment that is integral with market capitalism and consumerism. Those who do well by this system — the landlords and government bureaucrats are fearful of change and they will resist forcefully. But more and more creative and ambitious citizens are rebelling to our lack of basic freedoms that many struggle with and others who are are simply unaware, or can comprehend that there may be another way to live one's life. In San Francisco, where my daughter works, a typical livable apartment goes for $4000/month. This is doable if you make a nice income working in Silicone Valley. But those who don’t, or those who have marginal job opportunities, or no job at all, are not welcomed within the ‘the system’. So they are shunted aside, outcast. Today the acting mayor of San Francisco, a Democrat, looks the other way as the homeless lineup in their cars and RVs on a stretch of road in the heart of the city. The way it’s going we can expect many more young people, and older citizens as well, who will not be able to afford the lifestyle that we have been conditioned to see as ’normal’. The fact is most of us today live a lifestyle that’s not sustainable for a healthy planet. We need to reduce our personal footprint and reduce our accumulation of ’things’. Most of us are very aware of the toll that all our ’stuff’ is imposing on us. Yet we are coerced to go out and buy more stuff. It’s the way this flawed system works and it has to change. The solution for many, mostly older people, will certainly have to be ‘extreme downsizing’. But that only addresses part of the problem. The other part is the natural desire for young people to go out and explore the world and not be chained down by a mortgage or heavy debt that often results in them having to live in their parent’s basement. The ‘system’ is squandering the energy of our young people. The idea of a nomadic lifestyle is the opposite to the traditional rooted lifestyle which house ownership and it’s freedom robing mortgage payments impose. Right now it’s the older generation who have paid off their mortgages who are ‘hitting the road in shiny new RVs. Kids just can’t afford it and are discouraged by overprotective, (or jealous) parents. We need to give some thought to how we structure societies for a sustainable future. To make our children self reliant. To make them believe that they can forge their own future in a way that is in sync with a changing and sustainable world. They need our encouragement to pursue something daring, new and better. The ’small house movement’ might not appeal to many older adults who fear change. But this idea has to be attractive to younger people — especially if the proposition is affordable and mobile. This is were new thinking and good design needs to be applied to make this idea more aesthetically appealing for a newer generation. Let’s face it there are very few people who find current RV standards acceptable. In fact some living conditions on RVs are quite unacceptible. But there are signs out there such as high end van conversions that are very livable but they are also very costly. But recently I ran across a mobile ’trailer’ design that is well thought out which may inspire others to build a similar affordable and attractive small house/RV format. I know people who live for months or even years on a sailboat in far worse environments than this. This is a concept by a young Italian architect along with his ideas on compaculized living which is very impressive. If this kind of thing can be manufactured in a high volume I can see it being very affordable. But first the law needs to change to make anything like this possible on a large scale. I myself have contemplated buying a small van and converting it into a cheap RV. See ABOVE for my Ford Transit Van design. There is considerable energy in persuing such a project and there is also the challenge of ‘getting away with’ living in a vehicle such as this. It’s very intimidating. |
Old Projects I Built
Second floor sliding doors, deck and stairs. About 1994