I thought it'd be fun to share some actual photos of the BUILDER LivingHome, since up until now, we've only been showing renderings.  The home was designed by KieranTimberlake, built by LivingHomes, and assembled in about three days on the IBS exhibit floor.  Can you imagine putting together an entire house in that time?  I picture Steve Glenn running around with a megaphone, Ty Pennington style, shouting, "We only have four hours, people!"  The modular modern home was designed to meet LEED Platinum certification and includes 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms comprising roughly 2,466 square feet.

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I find this off-the-grid cabin in Northern Ontario to be quite interesting.  It’s a 1,000 square foot retreat that practically hovers out on the water.  Molly’s Cabin is located a few hours north of Toronto in a place called Pointe au Baril.  Outfitted out with a bedroom, living room, library nook, kitchen, dining room, and small loft, the L-shaped floor plan intermixes the interior and exterior.  Can you imagine how serene it would be to chill and fish and sleep in a place that sits gingerly on the edge of the water like this?

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Bill Randall built his architectural practice doing solar and energy-efficient design, but recently, he's had an itch to get into small, sustainable housing.  So last November, he launched thesimpleHOUSE, and the concept has already been given an Honorable Mention in the 2008 green dot awards.  thesimpleHOUSE is all about providing simple, contemporary, green house plans at an affordable price.  You can order your choice of the expanding line of plans from prices of about $475 — a straight up deal when you think about it.

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Experts from the NAHB and Better Homes & Gardens Magazine released some interesting research at the International Builder's Show in Las Vegas last week.  They found that Americans aren't interested in McMansions or large homes anymore, they're looking for something more practical.  They're looking for economic and cozy spaces with neat organization.  What's interesting, however, is that the same group that presented this research, the NAHB, is also the group behind IBS and The New American Home.  So despite the fact that consumers want smaller homes, the NAHB brings out a New American Home of 8721 square feet — it's a veritable Temple of Opulence.  I guess you could file this news in the ironic category. 

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This is Hidden Creek Eco-Village.  It's a little bit different kind of suburban development that attempts to reconcile the demands of single-family home buyers with the problems of sprawling housing developments.  First, Hidden Creek is full of communal features, such as neighborhood trails, car parks, front porches, central mailboxes, and shared streetscapes.  Plus the homes are densely sited to maintain open, natural spaces.  Second, Hidden Creek is surrounded by the natural environment: there's a nature preserve on the north, a creek on the south, and natural grasses and trees everywhere else.  To maintain the integrity of the site, homes were placed around existing trees and landscaping.  Third, all the homes have been custom-designed for each site to allow views of the surrounding landscape and nature. 

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