Meet Simon, Jasmine, Cosmo and Elfie. They look a little tall to be Hobbits, right? This Welsh family found a unique solution to the high-cost of housing while also indulging their desire to live closer to nature by building a small eco-home into a hillside. It took them a few months, a few thousand dollars, and a tolerance of mud and slugs.
Often when we feature incredible spaces created by parents, one or both of them turn out to be trained as architects or designers, but dad, Simon Dale, is just a regular guy. This kind of building is accessible to anyone. My main relevant skills were being able bodied, having self belief and perseverence and a mate or two to give a lift now and again.
Some of the eco features include:
- a skylight to let in natural light
- solar panels to fuel lights and electronics like a cd player and computer
- a refrigerator cooled by air coming underground through the foundation
- water supplied by gravity from a nearby spring
- collection of roof water for use in the garden
- a compost toilet
See more photos and read more about the house and the building process at Simon Dale's website. What's next for this family? They're participants in the Lammas project - along with eight other families, they'll be swinging their hammers again to create Wales' first self-built eco-village.
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Wow, i think this home is beautiful!
It IS awesome!
It also reminds me of Billy Crystals' house in Princess Bride, or maybe some Gelflings' abode... Do you think he watched Dark Crystal, much?
I wish it was my house!
drop a match and you are toast.
Wow! I love this and wish I had one of my own as well!
wow- its like being a Hobbit! how fun! its so lovely. but i have to agree with joebelts- its a big fire risk. but then again so are all homes i suppose.
That is really cool!
fabulous... my boyfriend definitely wants to live like this. he plans all the details in his free time. but goodness, i would miss crown moulding and straight walls.
Barbara S,
Reserve the room above the 4-car garage for that.
;-)
Oneformybaby,
Maybe one day we will wisen up and start using bricks instead of wood framing for our housing. It's worked in Europe for centuries and house fires are not the problem they are here in the States.
Magic
Joebelt, a major reason we don't use much brick is earthquake.
Each area builds with what is suitable, practical, available, and affordable.
Florida has a lot of masonry homes, the thermal mass works, and they are prone to humidity damage.
I work in a brick building, and it is not suitable for habitation. The mildew, the constant upkeep inside and outside of the walls, and the inability to handle dynamic earth conditions all lend to a somewhat unstable construction.
We do need to build differently, absolutely. However, one area's wonderful option is not always best for another area.
I would like to live in an earthship in the future, but not someplace where the water table is only 3 feet below the surface.
Absolutely beautiful!
In india all buildings are build using reinforced steel bar,cement concrit.Bricks are used only as fillings for walls.I thought this is earthquake resistante.
salt
That's amazing!
It's gorgeous!!!
I love it and I want to live there!
Beautiful construction with the tress branches and the light is beautiful.
I like the refridgeration technique too.
I wonder if that is possible in warmer climates.
My great grandparents had small refridgeration cupboards in their home ,but this was in Oregon where it is cool enought most of the time.
This is one super-cool house. I want one!
Simon Dale should start a business consulting on how to do this.
I agree with Dblitz. I would love plans to create something like this on a smaller scale, say for grandchildren.
I'm skeptical-let's see if this place is still standing in another couple years. Looks like a mold magnet to me.
The coolest! If we can ever break the working to pay for stuff cycle we've got it made. Looks like you are there....congratulations!
wow this home is amazing, i work a 9-5 office job and im interested in getting away from it all, so my new goal is to investage and start planning my own self build
My favorite part is actually Jet'set's Dark Crystal reference.
wow. just awesome. thanks for sharing!
WOW - That is SO amazing!!!! Beautiful!
I love this house so much. I've dreamed of living in a house like this since I was a little kid, but I thought maybe houses like these were make-believe. So glad to know they're not!
I want to make a house like this when I grow up :)
And telsing2---since all their house is made from the resources around them, and if you have the right stuff, mold can be removed, this shouldn't be too much of a problem.
I am a city girl and yet I want to live here! This home just looks like it's filled with positive intentions, love and care, and good people.
So lovely.
For those who expressed concerns about longevity of this home, this type of straw bale or cob home has been being built for centuries, particularly in the British Isles where the climate is well-suited to it. It is fire-resistant too. Many are being built on the West Coast of Canada and the U.S. as well. This family's home is particularly beautiful.
Would love to see a follow-up post about this family. Is the house still standing? Are they still living in it?