Wanted common area for people, not cars. Built a Pocket Hood
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- Опубликовано: 9 окт 2021
- On an empty lot next door to a popular craft brewery, the Blockhouse team wanted to build housing that would fit a buzzing Spokane (WA) neighborhood. They carefully placed micro and skinny units around some old-growth trees to create a pocket neighborhood (interior gathering spaces for the community), leaving just a few parking spaces at the property’s edge.
The Blockhouses were partially prefabbed - making it easier to save the trees - from cross-laminated timber (CLT) that serves as both structure and interior cladding. The wood, sourced from small-diameter and sometimes diseased or dead trees, helps to clear the local national forest for forest fires.
They covered the entire roof of Perry Street Brewery with solar panels in order to achieve net-zero status. Each of the eight units - from the 960-square-foot skinny homes to the 260-square-foot micro studios - has a smart wall that helps to control climate based on use and weather conditions.
www.blockhouselife.com/
On *faircompanies: faircompanies.com/videos/want... 
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THIS is the kind of community-conscious, multi-dwelling higher density building that makes sense. It is sensitive of the existing neighborhood, mindful of its landscape, and could be a replicated model for affordable and sustainable urban housing.
There's a lot of great elements here. The only thing I would do differently is designing with the sun in mind. I would like to see passive solar heating elements and roof overhangs to shade windows in the heat of summer.
@@cupbowlspoonforkknif Yeah, and maybe even plastic mirrors to place outside to reflect more sunlight onto the windows, to heat the house passively in the colder seasons. And that windmill could be put in function with a small motor, to generate power, and have that element of movement to draw people's attention towards that shop.
If it was fully accessible from the ground floor that would be amazing!
Just need to extract the profit-making so it is of, by, and for the residents.
Love the intent and the aesthetic, but wish this was actual housing instead of ab&b. This concept could work incredibly well for the elderly and disabled. 💜
Much love the perception of what housing is in your mind is what is lacking vision. We are not all creatures of same habits.
@@jaynedo326 there are housing crises all over the world; I don't think any "vision" was lacking in the comment; if anything it was opening up the discussion to inclusivity of all people. Short-term rentals are really only financially viable for the owners and do little to nothing to house people who actually need it on an ongoing basis. It's not called "housing" if it's a vacation home for people who don't struggle to put a primary roof over their heads.
@@jaynedo326 'vision', you mean profit seeking. Making money.
really cool - it would be even cooler if they were able to capture the roofs for patio areas and space to grow veggies and berries.
They did.
There are probably code limitations that prevent them from having a roof with a full sized stair for easy access. But it is nice that resident's can still access it, even if it's via a very steep stair.
The last thing I want, is to interact with my neighbors!
I don't know how you fund this project, but I have enjoyed these videos immensely over the last years. I really think you're doing a great service by indirectly getting people excited about different designs and lifestyles. I think your channel alone does a great deal to spread these ideas. Thank you very much for doing what you do, it has certainly inspired my own choices regarding development
Very cool. We need much more people doing things like this. There is a huge opportunity in infill projects. I would love to embark on some kind of project like this.
We need mostly planning and zoning to get on board.
@@Dbb27 Agree. It it happening in some places.
@White Raptor News What are you, some kind of soothsayer?
@@Dbb27 get on city councils and change it
They sacrificed build space for community space!
That's a WIN for me! That's a company that understands that a place to live is a community - not a cell block.
Very fresh look. I bet people who live nearby can't walk past it without looking in.
and saved space for the trees 🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲
FR
I can’t debate any of the construction criticisms, but I do love the idea of being purposeful, leaving the old trees, and using wood inside and out. Happy that Spokane is home to this project!
That guy had SUCH sleezy startup energy. Green washing and buzz words galore.
I love all the electrical being exposed. In South Africa I have built 3 houses with plumbing and electrical exposed! So much easier if you have to fix something. Love that you did what we do in the farm. Walk the area and mark the area without taking out trees. My grandfather built the farmhouse surrounding a tree. It was part of the house. Beautiful.
Great idea, with still maintaining quality of living. It'd be nice to have pocket hoods like this for adults with physical disabilities. I notice that there are steps at every entrance here. Accessible housing tends to be more expensive, and people with physical disabilities have more difficulty in employment.
Exactly my thoughts. We're an afterthought - when we're even considered.
I think it's good for people who are homeless who need an affordable set up from homeless shelters .Also it would be a step up from just reminding room and shared living space . That way you have privacy and space of your own.
Maybe this isn't the place for someone who's wheelchair-bound. I noticed all the steps, too. Maybe that wouldn't be the place for me. I don't want to be a burden, and I can find and design spaces that are right for me. Making EVERYthing wheelchair accessible puts a burden on the vast majority of people, who've been SUPER-accommodating in so many ways to people like me...
Part of my attitude towards my disability is that I don't want to be a burden. I make sure I'm highly skilled at something that doesn't require me to do anything physical, and then I pay my own way.
@@harrymills2770 Okay but this attitude is WHY you think you could be a burden. If spaces were just DESIGNED with differing abilities in mind, it wouldn't even be something you'd need to think about. Spaces would just work for you the same way they work for everyone else. Which is how it should be.
And not everyone with a disability CAN be "highly skilled at something that pays well". Remember, physical limitations can often be accompanied with learning difficulties.
@@harrymills2770 We're wheelchair *users* - and "our place" should be wherever non-disabled people live.
I’m so glad and grateful for your channel Kirsten. All kinds of alternative living that purposely incorporates green concepts and living off-grid is ESSENTIAL for the well-being of the planet 🌿🌎
Really, very EXCELLENT!!!
I fully believe in incorporating the existing trees into the design!!
I think all states should implement a policy that all contractors and designers must include existing trees. With a penalty for every tree that has to be cut down and be required to plant new trees for every one cut down.
🙏💜🙏
I would love to have a home of my own and that little micro studio is perfect!!
💜🙏💜 thanks for sharing!!!
Comparing this to any tiny house community and the first things that you don't see are wheels and axles-love that and leaving the old growth made all the difference!
I agree and it feels more like a home not a trailer. Technically the bigger ones aren't tiny homes.
Great project! Thoughtful. In the early 1970's they tried this design in all wood and it rotted. They've obviously overcome this. Surfaces, flashing, drip edges, pitch...all of it to carefully manage water with grace. Bravo.
Nope. It's all gonna rot and mold in ten years if they don't put a pitched roof on it.
@@bkbroiler8069 I have flat roofs and they are fine. But they must be pitched.
This should be the new benchmark across this ENTIRE world
ABSOLUTE EXCELLENCE 👍👍👍
Take a shot every time that guy says "right"
Can't drink that much!
@@dontcare3430 not with that attitude you can't....you should be able to do it at least once 🤣
Lol I was smoking bud and taking a hit everytime he said that. Pretty loaded now 😤👌 10/10 would recommend
@@thedaredevil1907 I'll try the bud route.
Safer for everyone involved.
Or every time he says “Sore thumb” 🤣 cool place tho.
The first bed seemed to have dead space in the top/header. Storage space with doors on both sides would have been a great addition. All and all a cool concept!
I thought the same thing, but Id put big things up there like the Christmas tree or large suitcases and whatnot, so maybe leave the doors off is a better idea. As long as its strong enough, people will put stuff up there.
I like the community feel, but for me, I would need garden space, and lots of it! A community growing and sharing food is what I am looking for or wish to create.
A really clever idea, like living in nature, but in an urban environment, increasing housing density, by going up, building smaller rooms, but without making them feel small due to using wood everywhere , plenty of light and a view of tree foliage rather than direct view of the neighbouring building. People seem to be much happier in these mini communities, there’s less loneliness as people feel more comfortable getting to know people in a small community and there are usually community buildings and shared outdoor spaces which provide opportunities to socialise with other members of the community. Beautiful and very well thought out design. 👏👏👏
With Spokane being a 'hot' housing market, the last thing they need is more high-end short term rental units. These are incredibly cool, but I would have rather seen them try and help residents find decent long-term housing.
Thought the same thing. There is no "community" with short term renting.
Flip the concept around upon it's head in your mind. This is in a commercial area, the units are too small for proper homes anyway, and the short term rentals will eat up all the demand for that service, potentially leaving more homes around the neighborhood to be rented or owned by families. Government needs to lead efforts to build substantial public housing.
Yes, there are commercial properties on one side of the property. But you can clearly see several single-family homes on the other side of the property, on the same street. And the aerial shots clearly show this thing is in the edge of a large residential area.
@@Nphen The government efficiently and expeditiously provides for our every other need, we should definitely put them in charge of housing too.
@@Nphen You sir are a genius
Awesome idea and the houses is perfect for that area, we need more of this in Sweden where i live. Now a days its more remove everything and then build stuff. Better to do it like the Blockhouse people, try to not remove the trees and build around em.
Brilliant!! Was a nice surprise to see this community in my home state! Nice upgrades Spokane 👍🏼
Well thought block houses blending with nature and neighbourhood. Excellent!
Awesome! Owns property, pays himself back, easy takedown and he still owns property. Just Awesome!!
Plus design n building materials!! Beautiful!!
Thank You!
Its neat but, seems to be bnb for $100/per night for a 240. So affordable?? Those trees don't qualify as "Old Growth" but, were left intact so kudos for that site plan. However, pruning & cleanup are going to be an ongoing issue so curious how its going to be later on. Also a lot of the needed root zone has been covered & what's left may not be enough to sustain them viably. Love for a city forester to comment on the longevity of that sites extant trees. Still much better than a glass box on a cleared parcel.
100$ a night is cheap in areas like this.
@@paxundpeace9970 $100.00 a night for only 240 Sq. Ft. in Spokane Washington in the winter with NO nearby parking...Who could be so desperate!?
It looks like the roots were not “covered” up. Seems they put raised foundation.
I 2nd how covered the root zones are especially for such large trees. Maybe if the structures were so close to the trees. If this were in a hurricane zone I'd worry about falling branches.
@@rare.phukin.spotted.halibut have you ever heard of summer limb drop?
I’m a country dweller but I really like the style of these buildings and layout. The grounds are wonderful with the mature trees and oasis feel. All the wood really give the complex and earthy feel. I can see people being very happy to live there.
This is terrific! I love how they integrated the dwellings into the existing tree group. What a great way to add density without it sticking out like a sore thumb. Well done!
Spokane is a cool city. My sister moved up there about 15-20 years ago from California. Over the past decade most my siblings, then my parents ended moving up there too. It's got most the stuff a big city has without all the expense, although prices are going up. The only drawback I see is the winter weather....
Absolutely amazing! So cool that they can actually reuse the dead trees and not destroy the forest! Beautiful homes! ☺️♥️
Wow those homes are stunning! Any homes that huge trees remain that are not cut down. Is the only place I would live. I must have my huge shade trees wherever I live. And always have!
I hope the future of living spaces are as practical as this.
Wow ! This development ticks so many good boxes. Love the use of CLP/CLT. Here in BC 🇨🇦, Structurelam is doing some amazing builds with their products.
Love this local content !
Beautiful community!❤️
They're being practical, house size wise, materials wise and they're being one with the nature by having more trees and plants!💚
Amazing!
No more concrete materials to keep the heat but the materials let the air flow. 👍
Plants release more healthy air for humans and it gives the "happy" vibes to residents which is good for not only physical health but also MENTAL HEALTH! This idea is so AMAZING! 🤩
A great neighborhood. 👍👍👍
I Live in 480 square feet the key to a small space is organization and some storage. I love to recycle I've helped all my friends furnish their homes I'm the recycle queen. This is so awesome to see and watch thank you!
so, right?
Very nice work, great that he did this with his team 🤩👌
Love this concept of community.🇨🇦
Those flat rooftops are going to leak forever and ever. Super nice that they kept the old trees!
Perfection. Designing and creating pocket neighborhoods is my passion.
This video would be good for most City Planners to view and take seriously.
Beautiful neighborhood,
city within city..
Excellent video dear Kristen
Very cool. I love this type living style. My wife and I lived in a small private estate community in the chicago area that was absolutely fantastic to be a part of. There were community orchards and gardens with common garage, snow removal garage and refuse handing etc. It was great. It's not for every one.
This could be a nightmare in areas where termites are major issue, especially in the Southern US. Using steel to surround the bottom exterior of the structure may help in that regard. However, wherever that isn't a concern, this is an excellent idea. Great use of space & preserving the trees for shade & privacy. Less materials & ease of construction also should keep costs down.
I'm pretty sure termites are a major issue in most of the USA, not just the South.
Use cedar that's rot/pest resistant. Shou sugi ban will also make it water-resistant and gives the darker color.
Termites are not an issue in NE WA State.
Termites aren’t an issue in treated soil. And guess what I have seen them do in block houses? They do tunnels up inside the block walls and eat up the rafters. And they are absolutely everywhere.
If termites become an issue you treat for them. Happens every day in all parts of the country.
Great video, beautiful sharing 👏👏💕💕
Beautiful designed, and I Loved hearing about their design philosophy & the CLT. The shot of them lowering the panel w the plumbing & electrical lines in place was super neat! Glad to see more and more design firms following these trends.
I think it would be so cool to have small businesses run out of structures like this. Built in clusters to make things easy to access. Beautiful functionality on these units. 🖤
I do like the concept of no car around residential area. Not only feel like living in resort but also safe for kids. Big trees can absorb the air and noise.
Loving the aesthetic 💖
Kristen does such a great job with her videos. I was surprised to see this one, which is a bit of a commercial for Vaagen Timbers. The wood is sourced from restoration projects and is the most eco groovy wood on the planet.
I love that my sweet city has accomplished some sustainable and unique home choices. Congratulations!🌲💜
Love the concept of these “composite wood” structures. Leaving large old growth trees amidst the buildings. That said, having such large trees, so close to the buildings has its own maintenance, and health care for the trees challenges. I hope the trees care is part of their model. Secondly, what is the insulation value of just having wooden walls? Certainly viable for a temperate climate, but not likely to translate to either a desert or frigid seasonal environment. Lastly, thank you both for all the videos you’ve created over the years, it’s truly inspiring to learn about folks all over our planet who are building sustainably. 🙏☮️
If they don't have unicorns it will be a hard no for me to purchase one.
Spokane has got to have some cold winters, and I believe those panels are a common choice for LEEDS certification, so they must do pretty well as insulation
R value of wood is 1.4 per inch. Not bad, but needs to be supplemented by additional insulation
Very cool sharing community. "You have to find unique communities to team up with." And these spaces bring the goodness with unique people with a similar sharing, reciprocal mindset. So good. Well done. Thanks for sharing, Kirsten!
Thank you for this content, it's so valuable, I hope you understand the magnitude of what you do, thank you 🙏💗
I want to live here so bad! Perfect balance of community, nature, and eco friendliness. Some of Kirsten videos showcases eco friendly/sustainable homes that is far removed from the community, although I found it cozy, but a bit lonely. This however, oh my God... Simply gorgeous!
Absolutely genius. Finding people that can coexist is going to be the next step.
( little rainwater harvesting, some solar and space to grow some vegetables would be nice. Just a little)
I feel this needs to be a trend, good aesthetics but still very functional and eco friendly!
That composite timber should NOT have those cracks in it. Sign of incorrectly seasoned and bonded timber. Allows ingress of pests. Why it would usually be hidden by facing materials.
Relax, it's not OSB or ply.
BINGO
@@taterkaze9428 have you ever seen OSB crack? And are you kidding? OSB would SWELL AND FALL APART as siding, no one would ever consider that. This is a very serious issue not to mention gaps in the walls!!
I was gonna mention "uuh, too bad theres no renewable energy production included", but then he shows the PV farm on the neighbors roof which is a great way. In fact, most people or companies dont even think about this opportunity.
What still bothers me is, that he calls the inhabitants "guests". Now I dont really now about the US, but in Europe this is kind of a chiffre for super high rental cost and bad overall rental conditions because people arent really tenants and thus dont have the same rights.
First world problems.
It's a hotel, not a community.
Thanks Kirsten once again, great content, we have followed you around the world! We are renovating a very small awkward home, which is 100 over years old in Crete and your vlogs have made us look at the space again and reassess our design, many thanks!!!
OH MAN! I missed you guys while you were in town!
This development is gorgeous.
built as a community neighborhood , this would be a very good place to raise children. In a way it reminds me of the little neighborhood parks in London, where the people in the buildings surrounding the park have keys to enter but they are not open to anyone to the neighbors. And those parks are really used by the locals.
I love to live in a community like that I hate driving ten minutes to 30 minutes to get anywhere and then park in a massive parking lot of nothing. then drive another 30 minutes. I miss living in a town where I only drive to get to work. Keep it going
I think there might have been some opportunities with playing off the wood in the shower that were missed. Maybe a sauna wood theme. Also a skylight there maybe instead of the window could help breath more life in a sauna/wood themed bathroom. Just some thoughts. Again, i think this is a great development.
Love the idea of a Blockhouse, I Love the smaller spaces , The Natural wood and the Trees!Great Video! Blessings!
🌲🏡🌲
Good people doing great things 👍
i love it he kept the old trees
A wonderful idea and very well executed!
It’s super cool & lovely use of space. Excellent job bro👍🏼
Wow! So nice! Sizes of houses are practical too
Really liked how they created a community feel that would lend itself for interaction with your neighbors. I also liked how they kept existing trees and built around them so that it felt more organic. And I liked that they didn't go very modern with exterior materials. I was surprised that for a 960sf unit the living room felt a bit tight and the kitchen was almost non-existent. And though I certainly liked how they sourced wood from diseased or dead trees, thereby repurposing materials, I found the design of so much wood throughout the space a bit too monochromatic for my personal taste.
On a separate note, I have been following your channel for quite some time, and I love your varied content. I was curious, I notice that you never seem to ask what the costs of things are when you film anything to do with apartment renovations or builds. As you can imagine, people would love to know the costs of things to see if it is something that they too can pursue/accomplish. Is this a conscious choice?
How fun! You’re in my hometown.
Great comment OP. I wish they'd give a little data even in a separate link, such as energy consumption per sq meter or air exchange.
@@acchaladka agree partially, maybe costs or ball parks especially in the diy,'s.
Like Dutch style that
What community. It’s an airb&b 🤷♀️🤦♀️.
Doesn’t help the housing crisis. Just another motel
That is a very lovely built development. I love that exterior and interior.. Greatly done.
Gorgeous and very green..love it🦋🦋🍀🍀🍀
Normal construction would normally include a vapor barrier under the interior finish wall material. Is this inviting a mold problem? Are exterior walls insulated? Spokane does not have a temperate climate.
Did not realize these are day to day rentals. I got the impression this was more a micro community.
I'm also concerned about the cracks of the woods are explained to be normal from a brand new house.
@@KKresent yeah... If I was to buy something I would not be happy with these, they will spend a lot of money in repairs, he said everything here was thoughtfully set out...uh huh. Sure.
I'm sure these buildings have exterior insulation and vapor barriers as well as a rain screen. They wouldn't be able to build them without adhering to regional code. From inside to outside the wall section is probably something like this: CLT - peel and stick or fluid applied water/vapor barrier - insulation - airgap and rain screen. The point is having the physical structure be inside the building envelope instead of outside where it would see greater fluctuations in temp and humidity. This also means there is probably very little thermal bridging. I wouldn't be surprised if these were actually extremely efficient.
Actually, to be pedantic, Spokane does have a very temperate climate. Sometimes people lazily use the word "temperate" to mean "warm" but that is not the case; "temperate" just means summers aren't blazing hot, and winters are cold but not at arctic levels.
That’s why I’m not impressed at all. Just taking homes off the housing market that were previously there and added a business. Kinda defects the whole idea of community. Airb&bs need a cap Enough already. We have a huge housing crisis that is only going to get worse. This doesn’t nothing but make it worse. No thanks.
I think the thing that sells this community is the human scale of it. One of my favorite ski resorts in the US is Telluride because of the human scale of the village. There's a vibe to small communities like this that I feel instinctively drawn towards and the builders here did a great job of capturing that vibe.
Nicely done.
I like that they intentionally left old growth trees. Hope to keep seeing more of that
Take a shot every time he says "right"
X.X
You find the best stuff. Thank You ✌❤
Great design. Way more conscious than cookie cutter. Awesome ! May anyone come and visit?
Wow! great storage in the bathroom!
So much to love about this property! I would totally live in a place like that. My biggest problem was that it was new construction and not mobility accessible out the gate, which they really could have done easily. Hopefully for the next project it’ll be designed with more communities in mind.
It’s a business an Airb&b. They built to make money not provide housing I doubt they care. Sorry to say. I wish it was accessible and actual homes
Now THIS is actually super nice
What a great place to live!!!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I saw this on another video, but not as detailed as yours. This is so cool, all of it, the way it was set up and the way it was built.
I love how they saved all the old-growth trees when designing the neighborhood. That CLT looks amazing. So cool that they are using wood harvested from proper forest management. It's a little sterile inside, but nothing a few living plants couldn't fix.
It seems like a nice concept for a community but it's far from self-sustaining. They need large areas for growing food crops. I didn't see anything like that. Where are the farmers/gardeners/ranchers/bee keepers?
I thought about bees, too. But I lean towards attracting and building homes for mason and other solitary bees. It takes skill and a lot of time to tend to European honeybees and their hives, and they're dying of colony collapse syndrome. And I don't think we will be changing the problems in time for European honeybees. They're European, not native North Americans. They're a monoculture, which isn't safe. Mother Nature doesn't use monocultures. Solitary bees naturally evolved on our continent. They don't waste time or energy making honey. They take care of themselves. They're just workaholics who pollinate and reproduce. They have no worker bees... every bee is a queen, who lays eggs, with a little pollen food pellet for each egg. No wasted energy. And they aren't being affected by CCS the way European honeybees are, and work even harder. No time and energy wasted making honey. Variety is what is natural and saves ecosystems, not a single monocultured bee specialist. Solitary bee homes are so easy to build from scrap! They could be attaching them to every structure and tree. Kids would have fun. And solitary bees don't sting (unless you sit on one) because there's no hive to protect. All they do is pollinate by crashing into flowers, and lay eggs for future bees. They're safer, more industrious, and don't waste energy. We should be supporting them. You can find a very good episode about solitary Mason bees online, on PBS's "Growing a Greener World." No one wants to become a beekeeper. I don't. But I've got solitary bee homes that were made from simple scrap, paper tubes and twigs, and they do find them and move in. Honeybees swarm and move away to new locations when they overpopulate. Solitaries don't.
@@MarySanchez-qk3hp Yes to all the above. Lol.
This was fun!
Keep’em comin’ Dirksen Fam!
Mahalo🙏
Such awesome units!
this is part of the future we need more of.
Very appealing building process and styling
this is as clean as it gets in every since of the word
So nice! Wonderful job!
I love this property design. Beautiful and great use of space. ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️
Very interesting community concept.
Very impressive! Humans CAN do wonderful things! 👍😎🇨🇦💜⭐
man i really wish this wasnt just a hotel, this concept could be a very nice actual neighborhood
Yes, this is a real Pocket Neighbhourhood !
love this concept ! Great job.
Overall, a nice addition to the city. Great ideas here for infill housing. Add a community garden and shared covered picnic/grilling area, and it would be perfect. I also think the Murphy beds are crying out for those desk shelves that swing down and the stuff on it is undisturbed.
It’s not a community if it’s just another Airb&b. Not helping the housing market actually hurting it. Taking the previous homes there off the market