Comments on: Palladio’s Escape Cottage

By: Stephen Gatlin

Stephen Gatlin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:14:59 +0000

For Ricky: The 29K price for the house. What exactly does this include?

Stephen

By: Stephen Gatlin

Stephen Gatlin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:12:22 +0000

To Deborah: What house is it you bought? Where may it be had?

Stephen

By: Stephen Gatlin

Stephen Gatlin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:59:26 +0000

Reply: I think that the house may seem by some to be “overbuilt” is an integral part of the charm of the house. That is requires a crane to place the dome would not be unusual, say, in Germany, where houses, by American standards, are all “overbuilt”. To lighten up the house would, to me, make it look more conventional and signally less interesting. I myself, think (rather obviously from my remarks) that Ricky Newcomer had hit upon a stroke of genius with this cottage. The house has received divers observations, criticisms. I disagree with them.

By: Stephen Gatlin

Stephen Gatlin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:28:07 +0000

Where is the house?

By: Stephen Gatlin

Stephen Gatlin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 14:27:04 +0000

Where is the house? How does one see it?

By: Casa prefabricada de MADERA en estilo PALLADIANO

Casa prefabricada de MADERA en estilo PALLADIANO — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 07:02:35 +0000

[...] en Tiny House Design, que descubrió la existencia de este proyecto en la página de Facebook de Ricky Newcomer. [...]

By: Tyler Hafner

Tyler Hafner — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:35:30 +0000

I just wanted to say that I have personally seen this house in person. I did not go inside as I just dropped by, but in looking through the openings, it looks very nice. And because of the symmetry, and as Ricky would like to do is allow this design to be adaptable, I can easily see how minor changes and sections could be added to this house as needs change and money allows.

I believe this is definitely a good design for a couple starting out and want to strive for mortgage-free home ownership. Everyone has had good suggestions and I believe Ricky will be able to offer more design suggestions when he finishes this prototype.

Keep up the good work Ricky!

By: Carey Huffman

Carey Huffman — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:25:39 +0000

May I suggest “Wyn Wyn Home Designs” for your company’s name. The acronymn “Wyn Wyn” stands for “What You Need, When You Need,” and captures your company’s offer of building only what the customer can afford at the time of order rather than being forced to purchase the whole house all at once and therefore incurring debt and interest payments. Of course, it also suggests that both sides win during the purchase/sale as in “win win negotiations.”

Best of luck with a very attractive design. I also suggest offering a desing/build option that incorporates SIPs. Personally, I’ll never have the time to construct from lumber even a small house myself. However, if I could order SIPs for a home and assemble it by bolting one piece to another, I can see myself doing that much. Especially if I could order a few pieces at a time from a company such as yours.

By: Ricky Newcomer

Ricky Newcomer — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:45:11 +0000

Steve:

I can tell that you are very knowledgeable and
passionate about energy efficiency. Thank you
for taking the time to comment so thoroughly!

Efficiency is the goal here! Of energy usage (mainly because of the small size), Of material usage, Of land space, OF initial cost money AND Of long term ownership (reducing bank charged interest to ZERO). Efficiency in balance.

I am an OLD HOUSE fan. I love houses with identifiable historical style. To me, beauty is
just as important as efficiency. This cottage is
designed to be a blank canvas for people to finish and customize building on it’s basic
structure and classical form. I can’t wait to
see how people make it their own!

This house is designed to be lived in FULL-TIME.
It’s window sizes and placement are dictated by
symmetry, structure and the real funcionality of the plan. You’ll notice that windows need not to
be placed behind a refrigerator, range, washer, dryer, nor closets. These items function best against the walls and leave the precious floor
space for people. The large window awnings allow
for cross-ventilation even during a pouring rain!
Having tin on the awnings would sound nice too.

Some people will, no doubt, analyze Palladio’s Escape to make the most of it’s energy efficiency and I appreciate you for being the first to bring up the subject!

By: SteveR

SteveR — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:03:38 +0000

While I think that having some architectural details makes it attractive, I think there is a huge opportunity being missed here to add in passive solar *and/or passive cooling) and have this house function as an energy efficient system. The house seems fortress like and it doesn’t appear to be built for any particular orientation, with very few windows and apart from standard insulation, seemingly without energy usage in mind. I think that makes the design no improvement over existing houses today, only smaller.

I would think that a tiny house (any house really) built today should take advantage of every opportunity to operate into a future of diminishing resources. This is 2010! Where are the houses for the future I read about in the 70′s?.

Designing in passive solar with appropriate thermal mass throughout the house would seem like the minimal responsible addition to the design at this stage. The technology has been around for centuries already. But, it’s not a matter of just punching more holes in the walls and adding windows, it has to be designed from the start. The windows need to be the appropriate size, orientation and calculations made to ensure that the temperature gain is not excessive and balanced by the thermal mass for retaining heat throughout the night.

If designed properly, passive solar could account for the majority of heating requirements making a small house truly affordable not just at purchase time but for every year that someone lives in it.

Steve