Homes

Home Homes

This Family Built A 100% Sustainable Floating Offgrid Eco-Fortress

Growing up, most of us had a friend whose parents owned an impressive house, but I guarantee none of us had a friend with a place like this. Owned by Catherine King and Wayne Adams, this eco-fortress of sorts can be found floating off the coastal inlet of Cypress Bay in British Columbia.

7_Freedom-Cove-700x400

They call it “Freedom Cove” and the colorful offgrid home consists of a series of 12 structures. They share the place with their two children, Eleanor and Alistair, and seem to have a great system in place that has allowed them to live a self-sustainable existence for 20+ years.

4_BC-Freedom-Cove

There’s a greenhouse and garden system that provides food year-round. At one point they even had a hen-house, but were discouraged by the frequent attacks by hungry sea creatures. The family takes advantage of the heavy rain during the winter to collect water, and uses a waterfall nearby in the summer. Electricity comes courtesy solar panels and photovoltaic generators.

2_Freedom-Cove-BC

5Freedom-Cove

A wooden walkway connects each of the unique structures and the bright pinks and blues accenting the entire layout do more than hint at the couple’s artistic skills.

3_Freedom-Cove

The couple earns extra income from their art – Catherine is a painter, writer, and wood carver, and Wayne sells carvings and candles in nearby gift shops.

7_Freedom-Cove1

9

Below you can see the workshop where Wayne does most of his carving, along with some close-ups of the finished candles.

6 10

If you’re in the area and want to check this place out, your in luck because curious visitors can take a boat tours of Freedom Cove or a sea kayak tour to get a personal tour.. In fact, they encourage visitors to spend time on the fortress.

This certainly has to be one of the most impressive offgrid homes we’ve seen. While the lifestyle isn’t for everyone, those looking for inspiration to escape mainstream society and forge a life of their own can find inspiration in their story.

Thanks to http://www.vanguarddivers.com/

A See-Through Church That Suspends Disbelief

Spaces of prayer and worship have traditionally been designed create suspension of disbelief in order to give the users a grander sense of a higher being. This church, designed by Belgian architects Pieterjan Gijs and Arnout Van Vaerenbergh, does just that by appearing to be completely see-through.

02 03

Layers of rusted steel ribs are stacked upon each other with spacers that create gaps between each piece. The result is a structure that is more translucent than it is opaque, allowing light, air and views to flow into one exterior wall and out the other.

04 05

The ephemeral church blends majestically into the surrounding Belgian hillside, especially when backlit by the rising or setting sun. It won’t protect you from rain, wind, floods or snow, but it will provide a serene setting to appreciate the things greater than yourself.

06 07

09 10

01

10+ Stylish Prefab Homes That Won’t Break The Bank

While we love seeing all the upscale prefabs marketed as sustainable and low-cost solutions, they often seem overpriced, which flies in the face of the sustainable values that guide their vision. These are ten of the most affordable and versatile prefab homes that prove you don’t need a deep bank account to get a stylish home.

1The Escape Cabin

This gorgeous RV model can be towed anywhere you want, and comes fully outfitted with all the modern finishes you could dream of. With roughly 500 square feet of space, and plenty of options, it’s a great choice. Starting at $79,000.

Back