Tag Archives: japan

How to Design a Nuclear Fallout Shelter

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Michael Janzen

Nuclear fallout shelters have been stigmatized as the ultimate prep for the paranoid and the butt of many jokes. But now that we’ve all been reminded that nuclear accidents can happen, nobody is laughing anymore. My hope is that nuclear … Continue reading →

Posted in How To | Tagged fallout shelter, half-life, japan, nuclear accident, radiation, shielding | 12 Comments

Treehouse Hideaway cafe in Harajuku

Posted on March 30, 2010 by Michael Janzen

My friend Jared Braiterman has been in Japan for many months now and blogging about his adventures at Tokyo Green Space. Here’s what his blog says about his project: Tokyo Green Space examines the potential for micro-green spaces to transform the world’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Projects | Tagged cafe, japan, Jared Braiterman, Kobayashi Takashi, Tokyo, Tokyo Green Space, treehouse | 3 Comments

Tiny House Cluster Under Glass

Posted on February 27, 2010 by Michael Janzen

This was sent to me by Joseph Sandy, who has also helped me out a bit on my Who’s Next entry.  It’s a house in Buzen, Japan designed by the architects at Suppose design office that’s more like a cluster … Continue reading →

Posted in Construction Method | Tagged Buzen, cluster, glass roof, japan, Suppose design office | 18 Comments

Tiny in Tokyo

Posted on January 5, 2010 by Michael Janzen

These tiny hotel capsules were originally created about 20 years ago to provide an inexpensive lodging option for those who might have missed the last train home. They measure about are about 6.5-feet deep, 5-feet wide but zero standing room. … Continue reading →

Posted in Sustainable Living | Tagged homeless, japan, jobless, new york times, Tokyo | 5 Comments

Earthbag Eco-village in Uganda

Posted on September 5, 2009 by Michael Janzen

While I make my living as a web designer my education and training is as a potter… which has given me a particularly close bond to… well… dirt. Construction techniques like adobe, rammed earth, cob, and earthbag are really beginning … Continue reading →

Posted in Community Design | Tagged community, earthbag, eco-village, ecovillage, japan, japanese, uganda, village | 1 Comment

Architectual Furniture

Posted on February 23, 2009 by Michael Janzen

I spotted this on LittleDiggs tonight. It’s a great fold-away furniture concept from Japan that packs a kitchen-in-a-box, a bedroom-in-a-box, and an office-in-a-box. The designers call it architectural furniture, furniture combining architectural functions. No matter what you call it, it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Interior Design | Tagged architectural furniture, furniture, japan | Leave a comment

Transformer Truck

Posted on December 22, 2008 by Michael Janzen

Here’s an interesting concept from Japan, a truck that transforms from box truck to tiny house. When closed it looks almost like any delivery truck but when parked the top can be flipped open with the help of some air … Continue reading →

Posted in Design Concept | Tagged camper, japan, transformer, transformer tiny house, truck | Leave a comment

Small House Design Techniques Increase Perceived Size

Posted on July 30, 2008 by Michael Janzen

I just stumbled on this National Geographic video on YouTube. It describes a small (not tiny) house in Japan where the architect used many simple design techniques to increase the perceived size. The actual footprint is 320 square feet and … Continue reading →

Posted in Projects | Tagged japan, japanese architecture, japanese tiny house, tiny house, tiny house design | 1 Comment