Orient Inspired Off-The-Grid Tiny House

While tiny homes are all awesome, they do start to also look alike after awhile. So it’s really nice to see some of them designed in unique styles. The Lilypad is an example of a beautifully designed and furnished tiny house. The interior décor was inspired by traditional Moroccan and Indian style and the result is quite mesmerizing.

The Lilypad measures 248 square feet, but it’s interior layout features cleverly spaced lofts, which make it possible to have an open central space with a full height ceiling. The reason why the owner Anita decided to downsize to a tiny home was so she could pursue her dream of becoming an animal massage therapist. The Lilypad was built in collaboration with Lina Menard of Niche Consulting, and Small House Oregon. It rests atop a 24-foot long trailer, and is 8.5 feet wide and 13 feet 5 inches tall at the highest point.

Height and openness of the interior were the two main concerns for Anita, and both have been wonderfully realized. The tiny home features two lofts, with two staircases leading to them. One of the lofts is a sitting room, while the other is the bedroom, and they are both lined with decorative lattice screens similar to the jali found in traditional Indian interiors. Storage space is cleverly concealed inside the stairs, as is the litter box for Anita’s cat. The stairs also hide a pull out table. Colors and textures from Morocco and India used throughout make this tiny home feel like a traditional home or tent in one of those countries.

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1. Tiny House Inspired by Japanese Minimalism
2. Tiny Home Inspired by Traditional Japanese Architecture
3. Another Awesome Tiny Home

Floating City-State to be Built by 2020

The Seasteading Institute along with several investors, are proposing the building of a floating city-state, which could serve a variety of purposes. For one, it could be used as a real life environment for trying out new models of government, as well as serve a host of other functions when it comes to preserving and bettering the world we live in.

According to the Seasteading Institute, the creation of floating cities is the first step in fulfilling their “8 Great Moral Imperatives,” namely feeding the hungry, enriching the poor, curing the sick, cleaning the atmosphere, restoring the oceans, living in balance with nature, powering civilization sustainably and putting an end to war.

It is the belief of the Institute that to fulfill these goals, we must make use of the oceans in new ways. Oceans provide a lot of potential for accommodating the growing global population, as well as offering a source of food, and generating sustainable energy.

A floating city-state like the one proposed by the Seasteading Institute would offer all of the above, with the added bonus of finding new ways of government, which do not lead to such inequalities as the current systems do. In a way, floating cities would also be independent of current governments and would be able to separate themselves from a country simply by floating the city to a new location. While this seems like a utopic idea, there would doubtlessly be a lot of legal and other problems associated with it.

Deltasync has already created an initial design for this floating city. It would comprise a series of modular platforms, which could be slotted together. The platforms would either take the form of 164 x 164 ft (50 x 50 m) reinforced concrete squares, or pentagons with 164 ft (50 m) sides. A platform created out of these would be able to support three-story buildings.

The designers factored in apartment buildings, terraced housing, office space and hotels, so such a city-state would really deserve the name. The initial concept proposes 11 modules, which could house 225-300 full-time residents and would cost an estimated $167 million to build. The platforms could also be reassembled at need, by shifting the platforms around.

The Seasteading Institute is certain that a market for this type of city-state does exist, and they are currently in the process of developing it further to achieve a price suitable for the market. They are also looking for a nation willing to host it in its waters and offer it relative autonomy and political independence.

Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:

1. Freedom Cove is a Gorgeous Self-Sufficient Floating Home
2. Micro Homes That Can Be Build Between Buildings
3. Underwater Floating House

Sustainer Homes Made of Shipping Containers

The company Sustainer Homes recently unveiled a shipping container home that can also be taken completely off-the-grid. According to the company, the main reason for constructing these homes was offering the younger generation a flexible and rent-free living option, which is becoming a must for many. The homes are also mobile and facilitate low-impact living.

Sustainer homes are meant to be primary residences, though they can also easily be used as hotels, holiday accommodations or emergency shelters. They are available in various sizes, ideal for one to two people. The basic version measures 323 sq ft (30 sq m) and can be purchased for about $82,500 (€75,000). They also have larger, family-sized containers available, while they are also currently developing offices, as well as container homes that can be deployed in various different climates.

Repurposed containers are used to construct these homes, while the interiors are made out of ECOboard, which is a low-energy material made out of pressed grass. The containers are heated via a heat pump and sustainable materials are used for insulation. The homes are also fitted with a solar array and wind turbines for energy production. Using both of these technologies, the company estimates each container is capable of producing about 5,000 kWh of electricity per year, which should be enough to cover the energy requirements of the inhabitants. The containers are also equipped with a 20 kWh battery system. In future, they also plan on integrating this system with the Toon smart thermostat and create an app that will monitor battery level, solar array energy production levels, energy usage and forecast the weather.

The drinking water comes from collected rainwater that is filtered to Dutch drinking water standards. The used water is also filtered using a helophyte filter and then returned to the ground. Toilet waste is treated to eliminate the bacteria and then composted.

The prototype of the first Sustainer Home was completed this month and the company is now testing the design.

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Detecting small metallic contaminants in food via magnetization

Researchers have developed a practical metallic-contaminant detector using three high-Tc RF superconducting quantum interference devices for food inspection. While the detection of small metallic contaminants is important for food safety, the sensitivity of currently existing methods is insufficient. The developed method that uses SQUIDs and a digital filter dramatically improves inspection sensitivity; the method could clearly detect a small steel ball with a diameter as small as 0.3 mm.

Take Construction Data’s Skyscraper Quiz

Do you know skyscrapers? Could you identify a famous skyscraper with just a picture and clue? Take our Skyscraper Quiz and find out!

Unique Mobile Tiny Home

As tiny mobile homes grow in popularity their design gets more and more imaginative too. Architects Kelly Davis and Dan George Dobrowolski have recently completed one such tiny home, which they called the Escape Traveler. This home is basically an RV, which means that it is exempt from standard building codes and zoning bylaws.

The Escape Traveler weighs between 10,000 and 12,000 pounds, and rests on a 8′ 6″ wide trailer, which can be attached to a car, meaning it can easily be towed to just about anywhere. The home features a spacious living area with a fireplace and a sofa that can be turned into a bed. The home also features three lofts, which separate the lower level of the tiny home into three areas, namely the bathroom, living room, and a kitchen/dining area. The bedrooms are located in the lofts. According to the specifications, the home can actually accommodate up to six people.

The kitchen is full sized with ample counter space and a two-burner induction stovetop. The bathroom is also quite spacious for a tiny home, and features a shower, sink and toilet. There is a large dining table that can sit six, and can also be used as a worktable. The home features an on-demand heater, and can even be fitted with a washer and dryer. The home also has large windows that let in plenty of natural light, and offers ample storage, is completely climate controlled, and boasts of minimal power consumption.

The exterior is clad in cedar siding, while recycled maple planks were used on the interior. The roof is metal, and the home was insulated using foam insulation.
The price is pretty steep though; the basic version costs $65,400, while a fully equipped version can be purchased for $82,400. The latter includes a lot though, such as a bathroom with a full size tub, a kitchen with full sized appliances, and more.

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Construction Data’s Hot Projects – July 27, 2015

Listed below are Construction Data’s Hot Commercial Construction Projects for the week of July 20 – 24, 2015. Our Hot Projects showcases three projects from each state in our coverage area and are a combination of the most viewed projects in Construction Data’s Construction Lead Manager database by our customers. Alabama 2015-N-Village Point Park Preserve […]

Residential Community Wrapped in a Living Wall

MAD Architects have designed a new residential community in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, which will feature a large living façade. The housing development will be raised high above the street and is dubbed 8600 Wilshire. Its designers aim to bring nature back to this inner city neighborhood. Apart from the living wall façade, the complex will also have a large enclosed garden.

The 8600 Wilshire development will span 25,900 sq ft (2,406 sq m) and the architects describe it as a sort of “hillside village.” On the street level, it will offer commercial space, and above this floor the residential area will sprawl. The latter will be located on a big floating plinth wrapped in vegetation. On top of this there will also be a number of luxury villas and trees.

The finished complex will have 18 residential units in total, which will include five villas, three townhouses, eight condominiums and two studios. On one side the units will overlook the street, but have complete privacy on the other, where they will overlook the garden. The courtyard garden will be planted with native plants and trees. The garden will also feature a fountain of sorts, which will feed water into the pool located in the lobby of the complex.

The living façade will cover an area of roughly 5,000 sq ft (465 sq m), and will feature native Californian plants, which require little water, such as various species of vines and succulents. Windows will dot this façade to let in ample amounts of light into the units located in this part of the structure, as well as aid ventilation.

To irrigate the living façade, an automated system of micro-drip emitters and sensors will be installed. It will be possible to monitor this system remotely and around the clock. This will make it possible to only use as much water as is needed and not waste it. Furthermore, the excess water will be collected in a custom designed gutter system, which will feed the run-off back into the pump system.

There will also be a water system installed into the roof, which will meet the Standard Urban Stormwater Mitigation Plan (SUSMP) requirements. The latter is a best practice system, which is required in the area, and ensures that pollution of the storm water run-off by new development projects and redevelopments is kept to a minimum. This water will be used to irrigate the garden in the courtyard.

Construction of 8600 Wilshire will begin in October 2015.

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Unique Eco-Tourism Hotel

Eco-tourism has been all the rage there last few years and Natura Vive, an adventure company from Peru, has taken the concept to all new heights, literally and figuratively. They have recently completed a hotel, called the Skylodge Adventure Suites, which is basically just a number of transparent pods set into the side of a mountain. As such they have minimal impact on the environment and offer a unique way to experience the natural beauty of the mountains.

The pods are constructed out of aerospace aluminum and weather-resistant polycarbonate. Each measures 24 feet by 8 feet, which is large enough for a bed and some storage. The pods are also fitted with a composting toilet, which are separated from the rest of the living area. Needless to say, the views in the entire pod are amazing.

Every “room “of the hotel features six windows and four ventilation ducts to keep the air inside fresh. All the lights are powered by solar energy. Despite being a very barebones place to stay, the rooms do offer a degree of comfort. The beds are comfortable, and room service in the form of a precooked dinner and wine can be brought up for you. Breakfast is served on a platform above each of the pods, weather permitting.

The pods are suspended 400 feet above the valley floor and are only accessible by climbing up 1,400 iron rungs, which are set into the mountain face. To descend, guests can either hike down or zipline.

From a distance the units are barely visible and they do have a very minimal impact on the surrounding environment. Staying here is definitely a more eco-friendly way to enjoy spectacular mountain views than would be offered by a traditional hotel. But staying here is certainly not for people suffering from vertigo.

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