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The Calm Before the Storm

There are a hundred things to attempt to convey, none of which are directly relative, but all of which are (in one brain, anyway) important. The trailer will be delivered in less than a week, and at that point there's no choice but to begin. So, to begin, let's start with a simple prelude... This post is an introduction to ideas to be explored through the building process. More will show up, and some will prove to be less interesting than they seem now. While the build will be clearly documented on this site (and that's the main focus!) the merits of which toilet is a better choice or which trailer to buy will not be a primary avenue of exploration, and that is mainly because there are so many excellent resources out there for that information (many many of which have been applied to this house, and it is indebted to!)

Otherwise, there are any number of ideas that come to the surface in such an endeavor- ripe for exploration. This tiny house build marks TRANSITION. Of course it does; it's a house on wheels. Can you think of a more difficult dichotomy for an architect? But this transition is going to be explored through built form, and that seems something worth recording - to see what comes of it. The design explores PROPORTION. It explores the possibility of COMBINE-ABILITY, a non-word that should clearly be a word, and how a house can grow as a person or family does - physically, mentally, psychologically (not the house. the people). It explores the ROLE OF TINY HOUSES in the housing market. In fact, HOUSING in general, in Western culture. And to be more specific, it will look at things like the role WINDOWS play - meaning fenestration, not as in Windows vs. Apple's Yosemite, which is my preference but not of any consequence here. This is something not often discussed in many contexts. We think of windows as giving us access to our surroundings, but sometimes I see them as agents in separation - safely keeping us from actually inhabiting our surroundings. And this build will explore SPACE - how it's used, how it's ignored, and what difference does it make anyway?

This tiny house build is, if not clear yet, an exploration, and if something worthwhile comes of it, then...it's an opportunity.

Here's to opportunity!