This off grid modern solar house in California isn’t tiny or even that small… But since it’s 100% off the grid I thought it was a smart enough design to include here.
At 1200 sq. ft. it would make a great home for a family or person who spends lots of time at home. It’s called the IT HOUSE and is made of glass and metal in the middle of the beautiful desert landscape in Pioneertown, California. The design system used to build this house was created by Taalman Koch.
Don’t miss other tiny homes like this – join our FREE Tiny House Newsletter for more!
Prefab Off Grid itHouse
I encourage you to enjoy the rest of the home’s tour below:
All the parts are prefabricated off-site to reduce waste and labor and clients can configure and customize their IT Cabins, IT House, or IT Studios to their hearts desire.
The home is designed with passive heating and cooling in mind to help keep the temperature right. There’s also an amazing “floating” fireplace that I think you’ll really like.
Floating Fireplace
Interested in one of these? It’s called a Fire Orb. Isn’t it just awesome?
If you stay here you have to be mindful of water because yes, it’s completely off grid and remember, you’re in the desert!
Interior Shots
The windows and sliding doors are made of Solar Ban 60 glass coated with low-e to help with passive solar heating/cooling but the owners do admit, according to this article on Dwell, that the house gets very hot in the summer and really cold in the winter.
Solar power with a battery bank provides you with the hot water and electricity.
Bedroom with Beautiful Views
Probably one of the neatest parts of staying here is the silence because you’re in the desert and there’s no machines humming. Just peace and quiet. Also check out the tiny 200 sq. ft. studio version of the itHouse. It’s called the itStudio.
How you can stay in this house
Go to AirBNB to check availability and pricing and book directly through there.
Resources/Credits:
- Fireorb floating fireplaces
- Taalman Koch architects
- Dwell Article
- itHouse Official Website
- Boutique Homes
- AirBNB
More Smart, Tiny and Small Housing Updates just like this..
Join our free daily tiny house newsletter!
Alex
Latest posts by Alex (see all)
- Flamenco Tiny House by Baluchon - February 4, 2023
- 2008 Ford E-450 4×4 Timberline Box Van Conversion - February 3, 2023
- Custom Tumbleweed Tiny House with a Bidet - February 3, 2023
Perhaps the place could benefit from thermal shutters or some other type of insulation to use when needed. Another roof with air space in between it and the regular roof would help with keeping cool in summer, especially if you have blinds around it to shade the place. If it gets too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter then the design is a failure, or at least in serious need of location specific adaptations.
I think Alice hit the nail on the head as far as helping with the heating and cooling. More solar panels would help both. Solar air conditioning exists as well as hot water panels which could also be used for radiant heating. Both should work well in a desert location where there is always lots of sun. Interior curtains could provide privacy for those who don’t like to live in a fish bowl although they are making great strides in privacy glass which lets you see out but not in. The website needs work. I was unable to use any of the slide shows.
Too much house for me but do love the fireplace. The whole place is nice, lots of windows to clean. But again, we have to give it to Alice, good suggestions to assist the tem control.
“but the owners do admit, according to this article on Dwell, that the house gets very hot in the summer and really cold in the winter.”
Yes as soon as I seen all that glass I was going to point out how bad this design is for any climate. That house would be an oven in summer and an icebox in winter and practically unlivable.
BUT nice solar system!
LaMar