Architecture Student Builds Himself an Amazing Tiny House in the Middle of the Desert
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Dave Frazee, a student of the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture has taken all the theory he's been learning and created one of the most amazing tiny houses we've ever seen. The Miner's Shelter is a guest house in the middle of the desert close to Wrights famous Taliesin, Arizona. Frazee built the structure on top of the ruins of an actual miner’s shelter. Now the glass-clad box provides guests with a comfortable single-bed retreat in the middle of the desert.
All that was left of the original miner's cottage was the stone chinmey and concrete walls which Frazee used as a base for his tiny house. A steel and glass box sits atop this solid foundation.
The house blends right in with the surrounding desert thanks to rusting steel which mimics the red colours of the desert.
The glass front and side windows provide plenty of light during the day, while and night candles and oil lamps keep the cabin well-lit. The awning-style windows open fully to provide cooling cross-ventilation. The stone fireplace can be lit with the chimney radiating warmth into the small space at night.
In the footsteps of Frank Lloyd Wright, the Miner’s Shelter’s design responds to the land, cantilevering over uneven places rather than levelling the natural rock or existing structure there.
The concrete ruins also serve as a patio area, with the structure overlooking the concrete pad, which is partially enclosed like a patio. Inside, a small L shaped shelf is the only structure other than the bed, which can be used to hold books or more importantly, candles. A few pictures are hung on the dark plaster walls, but the windows provide a picturesque view, directly into the desert.
Each year, students are assigned to create a temporary shelter in the desert near Taliesin, but Frazee’s Miner’s Shelter remains as a permanent fixture for other students and guests to enjoy.
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