People have asked us over the years, “if you were to build a simple home what would it look like”. So we decided to build one. Enter Biokabin, a modular eco-home made of wood.
At first we didn't know everything about it, but we were sure that house needed to belong to the place, to be healthy and to age well. But the real challenge was: could we build it ourselves without fancy tools, and to create a design that could work for other people as well?
Over the past couple years, with the help of architect and carpenter friends, we designed and built a modular home that can be as small as 100 square feet (one module) to as large as you'd like by simply adding modules. The components are cut in a factory and can be assembled with just a few people, and a wrench and a ladder (no need for a crane).
Living in small apartments and seeing very compact dwellings we also realized that it's not the layout, but the 3D-space that matters, so we wanted to design something high to allow for two-story setups. Style and quality were important so we used our collective experience of Scandinavian, Mediterranean and California design.
Soon we will be building the first three-module Biokabin Living as an ADU in our California backyard, but we would love to see it in other parts of California or Southern Europe (as a start). We can only produce ten the first year because we want to be able to focus on each one. Take a look: https://www.biokabin.com/
On *faircompanies https://faircompanies.com/videos/biokabin-our-modular-eco-home-to-snap-build-in-backyard-nature/
I would buy this if it were in the US. I have the perfect place for this!
I have 3 acres of land and these cabins would be amazing to build on it. I’d like to buy. Prefabricated bunker system with two exits and use it to connect the houses, and use it as a shared movie theater.
That looks top heavy WHAT ABOUT WIND STORMS ?😢😮
One summer in the mid-’60s, in NY, my family lived in a 2-room lean-to. The bedroom had 4 bunk beds there was enough room that a wall could have split that room in two. There were shelves for clothes. There was a screened window on each side. The was a toilet and a sink. The shower was private, but outside. The other room was the kitchen/😅all purpose room small not tiny refrigerator, 2-burner stove, sink big enough for a spaghetti pot. The entire short end of the cabin was 2 sets of French (folding) Doors that were screened. I am pretty sure there was a ceiling fan too. I would get up in the morning, have breakfast, run down to the lake, swim and read my books, only came back up for meals. After dinner we would read or play games, build a campfire and cook out and do campfire type stuff. If it rained, we would stay in the cabin, or go into town.
We were campers, and in all my years, I stll think that was one of the best vacations I ever experienced!
This reminds me of a company in Rockwood Ontario called Bunkie Life. They make cabins called bunkies, made of wood, and are kits that are intended to be easy to assemble. Studios, bunk house, etc. in one’s backyard or else where.
I love every single thing about this build. Three of them would probably be enough for me.
I think I just Saw Sir David Attenborough’s distant cousin 2:29😂😂😂
This is it!!!! This healthy, eco cabin is what the world is craving for! It’s exactly the kind of build I would like to have. Always interesting and enjoyable videos, but this one was something else. Thank you guys for showing over and over how much is there outside the box. Congrats from Argentina
How are the joints sealed? What about leaks and drafts?
I look into the world – and feel so shut. Then I watch this, and feel normal.
“Home became an investment, and we forgot the meaning of home. You want to have a home that improves over time, that she’s well. And you also want to participate in the beauty of a place”. “A dwelling is a soul – also”.
I love the idea of a modular cabin made entirely of wood and able to assemble by 2 persons. In the Netherlands they developed the Wikihouse into a little village. Same idea of modularity and diy build. The components of the wikihouse are made of CNC cut standard plywood throughout, no steel fixings (but of course glue for the multiplex). A big jigsaw puzzle.
Carpenter bees would be extremely challenging to get rid of if they worked their way into that roof space.
Hey Kirsten! Love the story of the making & building of the BioKabin prototype!
Personally not a fan of loft sleeping areas…..
would love to see more user friendly & safer loft access options for the BioKabin.
Look forward to seeing a small kitchen & small bathroom configuration in your build.
Your series have been a go to when I like to unwind and relax. Thank you for putting in all the work that made this possible!
Cool design, only thing that wouldn’t fly in California is the floor to ceiling window. Toddlers were breaking them and falling out/glass falling on them. Needs to be like 30 off ground and tempered
How is it insulated for a wet/cooler climate
Great! But how insulated are these cabins?
💚🔄♾️