Rolling Huts

Rolling Huts

by Christina Nellemann on July 27th, 2009. 9 Comments

When I first saw these huts on wheels, they looked a bit like an alien vehicle from Star Wars. The more I looked at them though, the more I fell in love with these sleek little houses.

Designed as a modern alternative to camping by Tom Kundig of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects in Seattle, the Rolling Huts are available for rent in the Methow Valley of Washington state. The huts are several steps above camping, while remaining low-tech and low-impact in their design.

The huts sit lightly on the site, a flood plain meadow in an alpine river valley. The owner purchased the site, formerly a RV campground, with the aim of allowing the landscape return to its natural state. The wheels lift the structures above the meadow, providing an unobstructed view into nature and the prospect of the surrounding mountains.

The huts are grouped as a herd: while each is sited towards a view of the mountains (and away from the other structures), their proximity unites them. They evoke Thoreau's simple cabin in the woods; the structures take second place to nature.

Each hut comes equipped with a small refrigerator, microwave, fireplace and Wi-Fi. A sleeping platform is perfect for two, and the modular furniture in the living area can be reconfigured to sleep two more. Each hut has an adjacent portable toilet, and full bathrooms and showers are housed in the centrally located barn a short distance away. There is a water faucet outside of each hut and a picnic table in front of each hut that seats 12. You can stay in one of these huts for about $80-$100 a night.

By Christina Nellemann

Urban tree House

Urban Tree House

by Kent Griswold on December 9th, 2012. 22 Comments

Daniel LiCalzi (Product Designer and Co-founder of sustainable design studio Design Since), transformed his 271-sq-ft Brooklyn apartment into an Urban Tree House modeled after Disneyland's infamous Swiss Family Treehouse. Daniel recently gave the SPACEStv Home & Design YouTube Channel a tour of his space and showed viewers how he was able to give such a tiny space the feeling of the open outdoors.

In the episode, Daniel showcases his newest "green" design products which include an AC unit covered with synthetic grass, a platform loft bed made of reclaimed metal and plywood, and a foot stool constructed out of reclaimed shoe soles. He also reveals these exclusive design tips on how-to open up a tiny space:

• Loft your bed – With a lofted bed, Daniel is able to utilize the space underneath and use his hollowed out steps for extra storage.
• Position tables and furniture towards a window – Daniel arranged his kitchen counter to point out towards the window giving the space a feeling of openness.
• Bring the outdoors indoors – AC units are an eye sore, but Daniel covered his with synthesis grass to create something beautiful that transitions the outdoors indoors.