Earthships of Airbnb
Earthbound spirits cruise at low altitudes 🌾
In 1972, Architect Michael Reynolds built a house using old beer cans as bricks, preaching, as he continues to do today, “radical sustainability.” He went on to codify his idea as something called Earthship Biotecture, which is also the name of his building school in Taos, New Mexico.
There are a few central tenants involved in building an Earthship, but sustainability, autonomy (most are off the grid), and the ability to be put together by non-experts are the biggest pillars. While the wild and vast majority are in the American west and especially in and around New Mexico, because of that last bit—and the easy access to plans from Earthship Biotecture—there are structures like these all over the world. There’s even an app now to teach you how to build one.
And! Excitingly and for us who are suped up about Earthships—but might not want to live in one (yet)—there are plenty to rent on Airbnb. Worth noting: Reynolds hosts several Earthships himself (a Superhost, even), which is fun. Below: A few of Treehouse’s selections.
Technically speaking, an Earthship can take any aesthetic style, but of course, for our purposes, we’re focusing on those that fit into a fairly narrow lane: those with either the window-and-terrarium heavy, Lautner vibe (a “thermal wrap” in Biotecture-speak) or the more dome-ish, spiralized adobe, Cal Earth Institute feeling.
However it’s packaged, as Reynolds says, “Earthbound spirits cruise at low altitudes.”
🛸
Bonita Domes | Joshua Tree, CA
Encounter Earthship | El Prado, NM
Casa Bajo Tierra | La Calera, Colombia
Prana Residence | Litchfield, CT
Big Sky Earten Home | Gallatin Gateway, MT
Domeland | Terlingua, TX
Taos Mesa Studio Earthship | Taos, NM
COCOON | Choye, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
Listings*
Would you like to take a bath in steaming hot Cedar wood dust? The Osmosis Sanctuary and Day Spa in Freestone, CA has you covered. In Cedar. (LINK)
Positively gripped, watching Bald Eagle parents-to-be Jackie and Shadow attend to their nest. Hatchlings coming soon; in the meantime, that view of Big Bear Lake is worth gazing at. (LINK)
A quote from Vivienne Westwood, via Primary Essentials’ newsletter. Inspiring, but also a slap in the face, was was her way, “Buy less. Choose well. Make it last. Quality, not quantity. Everybody’s buying far too many clothes.”
*Imagining this section as part Classifieds, part linkable tidbits (as above). If you’re interested in placing an ad in this section, email me by hitting reply.
A note
A thank you to all you early subscribers especially those of you who already pledged to receive a copy of the print zine! You support, at all strata, means everything and I am both chuffed and embarrassed by the outpouring. Thank you. More to come!