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Thursday, June 21, 2012

Woven Willow Exo-Skeleton Construction For Micro Shelters/Domes...

Cross Ventilation is important! lol- This photo was just appealing to me in a cross-breeze manner, as today is day #2 here in MA where it was just around 100 degrees out. Yeowch! -and it isn't a dry heat....

Anyhow, something to consider here, even if it just is whimsical.....hear me out....


    When its outgrown its use, there's no dismantling, and no dump runs needed- a garden shelter like this would simply rot and return to the earth. That could also be considered its downside. It'd obviously make for a great kids fort. I have a similar plan/idea called "The Hunchback's Hovel" in my tiny housing/shelter book "Humble Homes, Simple Shacks".
      Whatever the case, I love this idea, and its something I'd like to try at some point. Its so simple too- just build a base, drill holes around the perimeter, stick the long branch lengths into the holes and tie them/bring them together at a peak, and then weave in the walls.
     I suppose you could also cover this with chicken wire layers, or hardware cloth, and then a few coats of ferrocement to make it a mini concrete dome home.....cob and mud building and wattle and daub techniques could also be combined with this skeletal approach too....

Just some ideas, and I thought it was a fun photo.....

-Derek "Deek" Diedricksen