Photo by Camille Ireland
SunRay’s creations just take my breath away. I mean, that top platform of the tower on the right. How can anyone conceive of something like this, let alone build it? Let alone climb up there? He told me that when he was in college and doing renderings of structures, his teacher said he was going to have to build them himself, because nobody else would.
This is on his 10 acres in Sedro-Woolley, Washington.
There are a dozen or so pages of his fantastical buildings in Builders of the Pacific Coast.
Hey, today is Friday the 13th! (My mom, who was born on a Friday the 13th, claimed that it was actually a lucky day.)
www.instagram.com/mille.ireland
www.buckfiftyandhammer.com
About Lloyd Kahn
Lloyd Kahn started building his own home in the early '60s and went on to publish books showing homeowners how they could build their own homes with their own hands. He got his start in publishing by working as the shelter editor of the
Whole Earth Catalog with Stewart Brand in the late '60s. He has since authored six highly-graphic books on homemade building, all of which are interrelated. The books, "The Shelter Library Of Building Books," include
Shelter,
Shelter II (1978),
Home Work (2004),
Builders of the Pacific Coast (2008),
Tiny Homes (2012), and
Tiny Homes on the Move (2014). Lloyd operates from Northern California studio built of recycled lumber, set in the midst of a vegetable garden, and hooked into the world via five Mac computers. You can check out videos (one with over 450,000 views) on Lloyd by doing a search on YouTube:
What a beautiful building! I guess that Sunray does not live in a place where the City building inspector is going to come and point out building code infractions?
Stands to sense, if it’s unlucky for some, it’s got to be lucky for others.
Hi Lloyd, been enjoying your reports back/photos of trip to Italy.
Ran across this, and seemed like something SunRay or you might cobble together for your yards..grin.
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-hot-tub-pool/calgary/wood-burning-hot-tubs-the-lone-ranger-1630-00/1588751901
If you click on the photo, and go through the pics, few different “options”. Just thought you might get a kick out of these
Is Sun Ray still alive? My friend says that he had passed, but I can’t find anything online that confirms that.
I saw SunRay and Bonnie in August 2022, he seemed well then!!! I’m going go text and see if all is well with them and will report back.
SunRay passed away today or last night.
We are bereft of our genius hippie and community member.
I’m sorry to hear about SunRay’s passing. He was my favorite organic architect of all your books, and I just realized his 10 acres is a 45 minute drive from where I live. Does anyone know who I might contact to pay a respectful visit?
Hey Loyd, My deepest condolences for your loses. Leaving loved ones behind is a load, but I’m convinced there’s more to having a soul that simply recycling into the earth over and over. Possibly it’s Emerson’s idea of the Oversoul. Anyway, you’ll cross paths on some plane in the future and feel the love.
90? Wow!! That makes me a childish 74!! I’ve been following your books, and others since the begin. Heck, I still have my original Last Whole Earth Catalog, Handmade House, Wood Butchers. on and on. And I’m from Upstate SC, an area in many ways still working through the dark ages. Inspired by your world I build a lovely repurposed home and shop along a gurgling hardwoods stream in the early 70’s. Always self employed. Nearby I established a 76 acres riverfront woodland preserve, outdoor music and event venue, river access, etc. Currently arranging for it to remain a community asset forever upon my wife and my demise. Folks like you have been a big inspiration to show the way and that we can get it done.
My wife and I have travelled much of the globe, seen the good, beautiful and the other side. We chose to follow the beautiful. We never met but crossed paths several times. I knocked on your door but you weren’t there. Swapped a few emails, etc. Just wanted to express my most sincere condolences and sincere thanks from one on the many people you helped guide along an alternative, but usually better path. Happy trails to you!!