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Tuesday 20 November 2012

LIFE ON WHEELS: 15 OFFBEAT AND AWESOME ROLLING HOMES



Life on Wheels: 15 Offbeat & Awesome Rolling Homes
By Steph,
Web Urbanist, 16 November 2012.

Mobile homes don’t have to be cold, boring, toxic plastic spaces that came straight off an assembly line. These 15 (more!) off-the-wall recreational vehicles, from converted school buses to cutting-edge gadget-packed modern mobile homes, make living on the road more comfortable, fun and aesthetically pleasing than ever.

The Land Yacht by Ron Boyd

Image via: Facebook

Ron Boyd built this custom-made house truck in the early 1980s, and took it all over the country, from the west coast to the Mississippi river. It’s now permanently docked at the Frank Waters writers institute in El Salto, New Mexico.

Stunning School Bus with Wood Interior

Images/more info via: wpi creative

From the outside, this looks like an ordinary school bus - but the interior has been transformed into a cosy, well-organized living space panelled with warm, inviting wood. It’s home to a young couple in the North Cascades area of the Pacific Northwest.

4 Beautiful Renovated Airstream Trailers

Images/more info via: hofarc

Architect Matthew Hofmann transforms run-down vintage airstream trailers into beautiful, bright and open living spaces, offices, studios and backyard getaways. See lots more photos and get more info on these shiny, modern mobile homes.

Bufalino Apartment on Wheels

Images/more info via: dvice

‘Bufalino’ is an apartment on wheels, a tiny three-wheeled recreational vehicle with just enough room inside for one person to store their belongings, lay down or cook a meal. The vehicle was made of lightweight materials to make it as economic and fuel-efficient as possible. Says designer Cornelius Comanns, “‘bufalino’ encourages users to explore the surrounding off beaten tracks. meanwhile the furnished interior consisting of a bed, two seating units, a cooking zone, a basin, storage space, a water tank and a refrigerator offers the comforts of a home.” [More information and photos]

Eco-Friendly VW Van Camper

Images/more info via: dornob

The VW bus is an icon of the 1960s, but this update retains its classic look while bringing it into the 21st century with a bio-diesel engine, GPS and solar power. The roof pops up and two awnings emerge from the sides. It’s got a fridge and freezer, a home entertainment centre, and a kitchenette built right into one of the doors.

Rolling Huts

Images/more info via: tiny house blog

These mobile huts look like miniaturized versions of modern homes inside, while outside they have somewhat of an unusual appearance. Tom Kundig of Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects [Rolling Huts page] in Seattle designed ‘Rolling Huts’ as a modern alternative to camping and a major aesthetic improvement over conventional RVs. [Rolling Huts website]

UNIMOG Modern RV

Images/more info via: owi.bz

A Belgian couple purchased a Unimog, which is a multi-purpose four-wheel-drive truck, and transformed it into this incredible custom RV. For six months out of the year, the couple travels around Europe in their modern mobile house; the rest of the time, they live in a garage converted into a slightly larger home, using it as their bathroom.

EarthRoamer Converted Jeep Wrangler

Images/more info via: diesel station

A company called EarthRoamer [EarthRoamer XV-JP page] converts standard Jeep Wranglers into rugged campers that can go virtually anywhere, modifying them with ‘loft tops’. While from the outside it looks like there’s just a tent on a platform atop the Jeep, that roof portion actually extends the interior to 9 feet in height so it can accommodate a queen-sized bed, a solar-powered refrigerator and water supply. It doesn’t come cheap: prices start at $77,000.

DIY RV Remodel

Images/more info via: roomzaar

Nearly all RVs come with flimsy plastic interiors that feel anything but cosy and comforting. One couple decided to change that, giving their old RV a DIY makeover with aqua and dark chocolate textiles, laminate flooring and faux tiles in the bathroom.

The Opera Travel Trailer

Images/more info via: tiny house blog

This dramatic, eye-catching camper looks like an unremarkable pop-up when it’s closed and trailing behind a vehicle on the highway. But once it’s open, it makes for quite a sight. Modelled after the Sydney Opera House, the Opera travel trailer has two electrically adjustable beds that can be transformed into one, a private ceramic toilet, two sinks, a top-loading refrigerator, a water tank and pump, LED lighting and a teak veranda. It even has a boiler for hot water, hot air heating and a wine storage cabinet. See more photos at Tiny House Blog.

Classic Pop-Up VW Vanagon

Images via: johndolsen

The classic VW ‘Vanagon’ camper definitely didn’t have all the awesome bells and whistles of the updated model, but it was a pretty cool vehicle for its time. [More information]

Wothahellizat

Images/more info via: autoblog

If you’re wondering about the name of this monstrosity, read it out loud. Built by Australian photographer Rob Gray in 2006, who wanted a home base while traveling the Australian wilderness to take nature photos, ‘Wothahellizat’ must be one of the most ambitious recreational vehicles in existence. Among its many amazing features are an over-cab bedroom with a hydraulically operated roof, a self-supporting back deck that folds up for travel, 8 solar panels, a real toilet and all the amenities of a standard camper. See more photos at Autoblog.

[Source: Web Urbanist. Edited. Some links added.]


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