The Red Rockers’ Dome Commune in Colorado in the ’70s

April 14, 2023 at 9:44 am

The Red Rockers’ 60-foot dome in Colorado, built from math in Domebook One. Jack Fulton and I dropped in on them unannounced on a snowy Saturday night in 1972 when we were on a trip shooting photos for Shelter (published in 1973). We lucked into a venison dinner and then a rock-and-roll band in a small nearby town.

The Rockers had moved to Colorado from LA and built the communal dome.

But as time passed, couples wanted more privacy and began building little outlying sheds.

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Mortise and Tenon Attic

April 12, 2023 at 3:30 am

Attic in Kelmscott Manor (near Oxford, UK), home of William Morris, founder of The Arts and Crafts Movement in England. Photo by Frederic H. Evans.

From the chapter of my forthcoming book Live From California: Breaking Free in the ’60s titled “Studying the Art of Building,” which details my trip to England to study real building after giving up on domes.

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Interview in The Last Straw Magazine

April 3, 2023 at 3:30 am

TLS: “Can you describe your book making process?”

Excerpt:

LK: “The way I do books is I assemble a lot of information and then I start doing layout. It’s kind of based on the principle of ‘if you don’t quite know what to do, just get started and the momentum will carry you along and you’ll figure out what to do.’ That’s kind of the way I’ve been with building as well. Unfortunately I never got to work with a master carpenter. I started out building my own home and had to figure it out as I went along.

I love putting books together. One of my favorite things to do is the layout of a book.

I do it with scissors and scotch tape, the old school way. Then it goes to Rick who does the work in Photoshop and InDesign. He prepares the files for the printers.”

Full interview here:
www.thelaststraw.org/getting-loose-with-lloyd-kahn

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Whatever Happened to Geodesic Domes?

March 29, 2023 at 3:30 am

Kyle Thiermann interviewed me a month or so ago about geodesic domes. Kyle and I met each other through our mutual good friend Chris Ryan. (Both Kyle and Chris write on Substack, which I intend to do when I finish the book I’m working on now, Live from California.

I drive my old RV down Kahn’s dirt road and park outside his house. He purchased the lot in 1971 for six grand. He built his home with materials from a salvaged lumber from torn down Navy barracks at Treasure Island. Abalone shells decorate his yard and shimmer in the gray winter light. He greets me with a matter of fact “Hello,” then offers a calloused paw. Kahn has a white mustache, long white hair, and knife holstered at his hip. He looks a bit like an outdoorsy version of Albert Einstein. When I comment on the knife he leads into his toolshed, showing me how I can fashion a blade myself.

‘Do you want a skateboard?’ He offers, pointing to three that lay on the corner…

thiermann.substack.com/p/whatever-happened-to-geodesic-domes

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4 x 4 Mitsubishi Van

March 27, 2023 at 3:30 am

1988 Mitsubishi Delica van of Sam and Raquel, who call themselves the YogaSlackers. They’ve done a lot of maintenance and building on the van and take major trips, one of them up to the Arctic Circle.

In our latest book Rolling Homes.

Note: See comments by YogaSlackers!

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Into the Storm

March 10, 2023 at 5:51 pm

About 10:30 last night, wind howling, rain pouring, I got suited up full Patagonia rain gear, sou’wester hat, put on head lamp and went down to beach and faced the storm.

Wind so strong, raindrops felt like bullets on my face. I experimented leaning into the wind; I could lean forward maybe 10-15 degrees and the wind held me up.

Waves were pounding and there was lots of surf froth, like whipped cream. Decided not to shoot pics since doing so would spoil the experience.

Back home to shot of whiskey and hot bath.

There’s so much you can do to boost chi by engaging the elements.

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