Container & Prefab Guide by Monsa by James Whitaker

Hechingen Studio in book Container and Prefab Guide

Hechingen Studio featured in Container & Prefab Guide

Just before Christmas we got another lovely book through the post.

It’s a real treat to see our work in print and great to see how much it resonates.

The wonderful team at Monsa have dedicated quite a few pages to our projects Hechingen Studio and Starburst House.

A giant thank you to all involved!

Whitaker Studio featured in book Container and Prefab Guide

Container & Prefab Guide by Monsa features Hechingen Studio and the Starburst House.

Starburst House by Whitaker Studio in book Container and Prefab Guide

The Starburst House featured in Container and Prefab Guide

Hechingen Studio by Whitaker Studio in book Container and Prefab Guide

Hechingen Studio featured in Monsa’s book Container and Prefab Guide.

Amongst the leaves by James Whitaker

Whitaker Studio’s design for a tree house at Kew Gardens in London

Whitaker Studio’s design for a tree house at Kew Gardens in London

Another image of our competition entry for a tree house at Kew botanical gardens in London. Our aim was to allow as many people as possible to experience being high in a tree up amongst the branches listening to the wind in the leaves, feeling the texture of the bark and seeing the insects and birds up close.

Low-cost Desert Living by James Whitaker

Model of Casa Milagro by Whitaker Studio, a low-cost house for the Californian desert. To keep costs low the internal space is as compact as possible, but supplemented by covered outdoor space at each end of the house. The long south side of the house has large eaves to shade the house reducing its need for mechanical cooling.

12 months ago a lady got in touch saying that she would like to retire to the desert, to a plot of land that she bought with her late husband. The only catch is that her budget is very tight.

To begin with I dismissed it, thinking the task impossible, the budget too low, but the emails kept coming.

Now I’ve got the bit between my teeth. I want to see if there is anyway we can make something work. And not just anything, but something that is low-cost, low-energy, low-carbon and accessible, all packaged up inside a considered piece of architecture that enhances day to day life.

The task might yet prove impossible, but I think there might just be a way to achieving something here. And if we can, somehow, make it work then we will create a design that can be reproduced for other desert dwellers in need of a low-cost home.

If you know anyone who might be interested in this project do spread the word.

Model of Casa Milagro by Whitaker Studio, a low-cost house for the Californian desert. This image shows the covered terrace at the west end of the house

Model of Casa Milagro by Whitaker Studio, a low-cost house for the Californian desert.

Watchet by James Whitaker

Research for our magazine has taken me down some fascinating routes. Yesterday, at the end of our family holiday we visited the new East Quay building in Watchet, UK. We go to Watchet quite often but this was our first trip since the building had finished.

On the drive back to London I discovered Laura Broderick’s podcast where she talks to Georgie Grant from the Onion Collective about their journey to create something for their town. It’s a brilliant story! Give it a listen if you can.