Cob: FWD from Shay Salomon: Small Houses

[Mark Piepkorn]

Forwarded Message

From: Shay Salomon <Wbhwbhwbh at aol.com>


The May 2000 edition of The Last Straw will be on the topic of very small
houses. I'll be guest-editing the issue. I'm hoping you might be a
contributor.

You probably already know that the average new American house has almost
doubled in size since 1950, from 900 sq ft to 1600 sq ft. Most new straw
bale homes fit this trend. Maybe you already know how important it is -
ecologically, financially, and socially - to change the fashion, and how
much the readership of TLS stand to gain by learning how to build, and
live, smaller.

Can you help me create an edition that helps our materialist side to think
beyond the material - in this case straw - to all the spirit, ideas,
details, history and customs that make small structures the most graceful,
peaceful, attractive alternative?

Articles, interviews, essays, reviews, drawings, graphs, poems, and
photographs are all interesting. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO WRITE A WHOLE
ARTICLE, BUT HAVE A FEW PARAGRAPHS OF ADVISE, PLEASE SUBMIT THAT. If you
don't want to write, but are willing to be interviewed, tell me. If you
don't write well, don't worry: write it and I will make it read better.

I'm seeking articles about the following topics:

*an explanation of "ecological footprints" 
*determining ecological cost
*financial cost comparison
*the SH (small house) as a temporary structure (while you build something
larger)
*international examples and comparisons
*historical examples and comparisons
*statistics and graphs about the increase in room, house, lot, etc size
*square feet vs round feet 
*small houses/thick walls
*cultural significance of size
*examples of families living in small spaces
*examples of people in SHs in very cold places
*urban examples
*sb duplexes, apartments, etc.
*tea houses, meditative spaces
*little domes and vaults & lumber-less structures
*size and ego in the building industry
*design details in SH's: lofts, storage space, color, light
*using outdoor space 
*children's spaces and size
*how to get along with other people in a small space
*"the smallest house - or how to know when not to build"
*marital problems and the too-big project
*a list of benefits of building small
*drawbacks to SH's - what to watch out for

Please don't wait to send me a short note if there's any chance you can
submit something. PLEASE NOTE: I HOPE TO HAVE WRITERS LINED UP BY
MID-DECEMBER, SO PLEASE RESPOND ASAP.

Shay Salomon
(520) 882-0985
1050 S. Verdugo
Tucson, AZ 85745


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Guidelines for interested writers

Generally speaking, I prefer short, tightly edited articles. A high
idea/space ratio saves ink & paper. I'm not sure how much space you should
take. If you want to write about your house itself, I suggest that you
write just a few paragraphs, send me a floor plan, and photographs of any
particularly clever detail that relates to small, compact design, or that
relate directly to some point you make in the article. If you have a clear
picture that shows the house to be charming or beautiful, send that too,
but remember that the magazine is B & W and pictures come out moderately
well only. A picture of yourself also helps readers to engage in the writing.

I am particularly interested in the experiences of people who have lived in
their small houses for a while (the longer, the better). People who are
living with their children or other relatives in tiny spaces are especially
sought. However, all experiences and stages of building and dwelling are
needed!

One section of the journal will show four or five small houses, their floor
plan, perhaps some photographs, and a few paragraphs about them, with a
strong emphasis on their size. If you'd like to write about your own house,
consider answering these questions:

1. What led you to want to build small? (Feel free to go back to an event,
a book, a childhood experience, etc., as well as a "rational" choice about
money time, ecology, etc.)
2. How did you design the house? How did you choose the size of rooms (if
there are any)?
3. Are there any aesthetic/technical/design tricks or details to point out?
4. How much money did it cost? How much labor?
5. What would you have done differently?
6. Suggestions for others

If you'd like to take on another topic, for an essay, or a report on the
larger picture, choose from the list I sent, or choose your own. It's
important to tell me ASAP what you generally want to write about, so that I
can pin your name to that topic, and seek others to attend to other topics.

I understand that some writers don't write well this way. Some writers just
have to sit down with a pencil, go at it, and see what comes out. If you
are like this, please try to sit down soon. That way, we'll know better how
to fit it in, even if it doesn't exactly fit into any of the boxes I've
listed.

PLEASE NOTE: I HOPE TO HAVE WRITERS LINED UP AND PENCILLED IN BY
MID-DECEMBER, SO PLEASE RESPOND ASAP

Thanks for helping to make this an excellent, and useful edition.