Comments on: Concrete Canvas Shelters – Just Add Water

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 02:50:47 +0000

I saw a one of a kind structure very similar to this in the Mother Earth News magazine in the early 1970′s. I guess it is an idea who’s time may finally arrive.

By: Michael Janzen

Michael Janzen — Tue, 19 May 2009 03:07:39 +0000

Ralph… I love it! Yes you’re right your solution is several shades greener, but I don’t think we’re missing the point, just maybe not thinking extreme enough.

By: Ralph

Ralph — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:14:40 +0000

You guys are missing the whole point. The whole point is to build small and make it as green as possible. Make it low impact with all the creature comforts of the 21 century. I like taking small dia trees and flexing them into an arc to build my dome. I live in it and when I die, the structure dies too.. No impact.

By: Michael Janzen

Michael Janzen — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:43:57 +0000

Good point Stephanie. It could actually be an even better solution in a region like that because it could serve an immediate emergency shelter but could continue to be used well after that and be less likely to be damaged by future tornadoes.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Fri, 15 May 2009 21:32:16 +0000

I think this sort of quick structure could make an ideal storm shelter for tiny house dwellers living in tornado alley…especially if it were bermed or buried.

By: Michael Janzen

Michael Janzen — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:53:22 +0000

Well… he’s in good company LOL

By: Tim R

Tim R — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:50:06 +0000

Yeah, that Tim R guy is really full of it!

By: Michael Janzen

Michael Janzen — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:41:57 +0000

“But I don’t know if that could be done within the weight limits of a trailer.”

I guess if you had lightweight additives and a binder you might be able to craft a thin lightweight shell.

But you know, in a previous post, someone suggested fiber-glassing foam like a surfboard to make a lightweight shell. That seems like a really interesting idea to me… except that it would be tricky to keep green.

Here’s that post where that comment was made: http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/2009/05/13/ultralight-teardrop-trailer-for-a-bicycle/

By: Tim R

Tim R — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:36:57 +0000

Thanks for all the ideas Michael!

I did find a little about burlap-cement construction:
http://www.zetatalk.com/shelter/tshlt04g.htm

About the chia-house idea, I was reading years ago about building a ferro-cement dome. The author said that if you wanted a more organic look to coat the outside of the dome with a mix of potting soil, grass seed, sand, and just enough cement to make it stick. Keep it wet and within a few weeks you should have a chia-house.

I’ve also had the idea of using ferro-cement to build a tiny trailer house. It would sorta look like a quonset hut on a trailer. But I don’t know if that could be done within the weight limits of a trailer. It would be different though.

By: Michael Janzen

Michael Janzen — Fri, 15 May 2009 17:33:31 +0000

Actually they say you can use any water, like seawater. The steady stream part would be a challenge. I guess you’d need a water truck.