Historic houses are generally considered too small for contemporary living. As such, people attempt to gain space by creating large additions. At the same time, one’s relationship with the outside has gotten weaker over time as large building additions take up yard space.

This renovation of a typical 1950’s three-bedroom house attempted to produce a new way of living, working, sleeping, and building in suburbia. The bedrooms were removed, leaving the entire existing interior open. New mobile structures each enclosing a garden, patio, and conditioned space, were placed in the backyard for sleeping and meditating. These simple, inexpensive structures become lanterns that play with light both day and night.

Each structure was built in under 10 days and for $7000.

The structural frames were modular and easily un-bolted for re-use on another project or another property.

(Photography by Bill Timmerman.)