Simon Dale is a family man in Wales, the western part of Great Britain. His interest in self-sustainability and an ecological awareness led him to dig out and build his own home—one of the loveliest, warmest, most inviting dwellings you could ever imagine. And it cost him only £3,000, about $4,700 American dollars!
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what kid — and kid at heart — hasn't always wanted to live in a treehouse? well, now you can, thanks to a number of enterprising architects and builders. britain's blue forest treehouses has been building fanciful structures high above the ground all across europe. the company makes gorgeous treehouses for play, shelter and gardens, using fine woods, traditional water-reed thatch roofs and hand-split shingles. the work doesn't come cheap, but you can customize your dreams and inspire your friends and family for a lifetime.
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in 1994, a hairstylist in benoit, miss., named joann ussery lost her 1,400-square-foot house to an ice storm. ussery had a relative who worked in aviation, and the two came up with the idea to salvage a continental airlines 727. it cost her $2,000 to buy the plane, $4,000 to move it to her lakeside lot, and about $24,000 to outfit it comfortably. ussery did much of the renovation herself, and took advantage of the ample windows and storage bins, as well as the lavatory. ussery told reporters that she was mainly attracted to the idea because of the plane's low cost and durability.
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churches have also been reimagined in new ways, from thumping nightclubs to modern homes. adrian wright converted an 1870s anglican church in east cambridgeshire, england, into a beautiful living space, which he sold in 2007. wright recently purchased another victorian anglican church and is repeating his success.
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It stood empty for most of the last decades, until local businessman Patrick Mets hired Brussels based architecture firm Bham Design Studio in 2007 to convert the former water tower into an amazing family home.
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in the fascinating chris smith documentary “home movie,” viewers meet an affable couple who made a comfortable home on the sweeping plains of the midwest — in a decommissioned missile silo. the self-proclaimed pacifists relished the challenge of turning an object of mass destruction into a welcoming abode. they aren't the only ones. a number of relics from the cold war have been converted into homes and for other purposes, from storage to an astronomical observatory.
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earthships are “mad max”-looking structures made of mud and reused materials, such as old tires, bottles and tile. earthships take advantage of the cheapness and availability of building materials and are well-insulated. many include solar panels or other renewable energy sources, as well as water-recycling systems and green roofs. quite a few are made surprisingly cozy and even beautiful inside, with ornate detailing and a high degree of customization and expandability.
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One look at this house in the Fafe Mountains of Portugal will have you thinking of the Flintstones. The structure was built simply buy putting 4 boulders next to each other, and relies on a fireplace instead of electricity. The simple retreat has become a tourist destination, as well as a challenge for people to become more in touch with basics.
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This "Crazy House" draws people from all over to Bispingen, Germany to take a gander at the famous upside-down house. Touring the residence is just as dizzying as the exterior, with all of the furniture and utilities screwed to the ceiling...or is it the floor?
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lots of resourceful people have converted boats into living quarters on dry land. one example that stands out can be found on south bass island in lake erie at put-in-bay, ohio. after 50 years of service on the great lakes, the henry ford-built benson ford was sectioned by an enterprising ohio couple, who turned the elegant cabins into a private residence.
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architects and homeowners are gradually discovering the benefits of shipping container homes. it turns out that the strong, cheap freight boxes make pretty useful building blocks. they can be loaded with creature comforts and stacked to create modular, efficient spaces for a fraction of the cost, labor and resources of more conventional materials. shipping containers can be easily insulated and climate controlled, and they are being deployed as disaster-relief shelters and modest vacation homes. in stacking configurations, they are appearing as student housing and even luxury condos.
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emerging from the rain forest of vancouver island, british columbia, are the futuristic designs known as free spirit spheres. the 'treehouses for adults' are handmade from local wood and suspended from the tree canopy. the spheres are recommended for meditation, photography, canopy research, leisure, wildlife watching and other activities. some are available for rental, and do-it-yourself kits are offered. there are separate bathroom spheres.
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