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Micro Cabin at Big Sur: 90 Sq. Ft. Passive Solar Timber Cabin


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This 90 sq. ft. micro cabin is really more like a DIY passive solar cabana. It’s a 7′ x 9′ structure with redwood bark clad from a local sawmill. All but one of the walls open for ventilation (passive cooling).

And a living roof up top to make it even greener. The cabana cabin is named the Hawk House and is designed by architect Alex Wyndham.

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90-sq.-ft. Micro Cabin with Passive/Solar Design

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Let me open it up for you and give you a peek below:

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When you go inside all that you’ll find is a bed, chair and a desk. That’s it.

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And as I said earlier, 3 of the 4 walls open up to let the sea breeze in. 🙂

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And the living roof has native wildflowers planted on it.

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In the photo above you can see how the tiny house blends right into the scenery.

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The plot of land where its built overlooks a panoramic view of the ocean so when you open up the glass doors you can be whale watching while you lay in bed. Now that’s awesome.

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Above you can see how the cabin can cool off with the cross ventilation as you open the walls.

Or you can activate passive solar heating thanks to the glass doors that allow the sun to heat the space (see above).

This means free heating and cooling. 🙂

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Finally, above, you can see how it was designed and built.

Photos and Diagrams by Alex Wyndham

Learn more about the Hawk House at Alex Wyndham’s website.

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Alex

Alex is a contributor and editor for TinyHouseTalk.com and the always free Tiny House Newsletter. He has a passion for exploring and sharing tiny homes (from yurts and RVs to tiny cabins and cottages) and inspiring simple living stories. We invite you to send in your story and tiny home photos too so we can re-share and inspire others towards a simple life too. Thank you!
{ 7 comments… add one }
  • February 4, 2014, 6:21 pm

    Absolutely adorable!

  • Rich
    February 4, 2014, 9:01 pm

    beautiful siting, aesthetics et al. No mosquitos or bears?

  • David Ridge
    February 4, 2014, 10:44 pm

    With this house being built where it butts up against the hill, how are they controlling termites and other critters? The question part would also apply to the roof!

    • Linda
      February 5, 2014, 10:17 pm

      I was thinking the same thing!

  • Darcy
    February 5, 2014, 12:03 am

    What a waste.

  • curt
    February 5, 2014, 12:55 am

    this reminds me of a camping shelter-I would guess- that the place is not designed for full time living- I bet its part of a bigger estate- the soil roof is fun- I would have liked to try and tie the roof directly into the hillside- think prairie dugout or sod house-some cob construction for the back walls – I do like the thought of having some swallows — and in reality –the place was not built to last 1oo years- twenty years out of the structure and you are doing pretty good. I wonder if the siding and lumber was cut on site- notice the tree stump? The sides lifting up is interesting- I do wonder if it was necessary. overall- it would be ok to hang out for a afternoon and then walk up to the main house for dinner- Or to have a romantic evening and watch the sunset with a bottle of wine- or a full moon over the ocean–and drink a beer. – oh and as far as termites– looking at the design it look like only four places are resting on what looks to be cement block piers- so the main structure is not directly on the ground- The deck out front could be another story.

  • Gail Banter
    June 27, 2016, 2:02 pm

    Unique, if not trouble free, a cozy nook, ,Can two fit in? Alone I would feel like a mole In a hole, but it certainly has its charm and winning points: I.e air conditioning, and good camouflage.

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