Lloyd Kahn (born 1935) is arguably the most influential pioneer of the DIY building movement that emerged in the counterculture of the 1960s. Besides being trained as a carpenter and having built many homes by hand, he also has a special talent for presenting information in an easy-to-understand form, a skill he puts to use as editor-in-chief of Shelter Publications, where he releases books on building and fitness.
His first contact with the craft of publishing was in 1968 when he became a key contributor to the creation of the Whole Earth Catalog, which led him to publish two books on dome building and then, in 1973, the book Shelter (which went on to sell over 300.000 copies).
The name Shelter is significant here, as it describes the essence of why we build. When we speak of architecture we think of monumental structures or at least buildings for an elite, and not of the homes built to meet our most human needs. This is what I find so empowering about Kahn’s emphasis on building traditions outside the architectural canon: The message that you can still create your own home, without being rich or a professional. Much of what is presented to us today under the label #cabinporn has little to do with this utopian spirit that encourages a forgotten self-efficacy beyond what money can buy.
doorofperception.com/2023/02/lloyd-kahn-shelter
Good evening Lloyd,
I hope this message finds you warm and well! I’m sitting here on the North Shore of Lake Superior, where temperatures are dipping to forty below this week!
My wife and I purchased some land this past summer here in Minnesota, and we’re giving it a go. Learning from all of those who’ve inspired the movement for so many years. We put up our yurt right away, and are strategizing the gardens and cabin to come.
We put out a video on our winter setup at the yurt, and your “Small Homes” gets a cameo, as Sam prints a linocut on top. Thanks for all of the inspiration you’ve published and made available for the average folks like our selves. We’re still out there finding our way on the land!
Peace & health
Zach (Payton)
Hi Lloyd,
I was out walking this morning along our local canal in Wiltshire UK and had to send you these of tiny homes working as they should! 🤟
Unknown boaters keeping warm and cosy on a –3 degrees C (27 degrees F) day. Canal frozen solid as well.
Cheers, Dean Mawdsley, UK
Photo from our good friend yogan carpenter in France from his newly published book cabanophiles.
See www.yogan.over-blog.com
@yogancarpenter
Next up for yogan is translation of our book Home Work into French.
256865
Sunday, 0.4″ in about 5 minutes
Boat-trolley built of recycled materials. Greg’s home on the road.
See Greg’s many builds and musical instruments: gregryan.us/ryan-co-design-build
256937
Lloyd,
I first saw that 1917-18 drawing your father did a few years ago and I knew I wanted to have it as a tattoo someday. I finally was able to make that happen with an artist here in Phoenix, Arizona named Kyle Huskey. I chose him for the task as he does very well with fine line work and texture. Attached is a photo of the tattoo. I think he did the drawing justice!
Thank you,
Ben Garza
Cottonwood, Arizona
My dad did this drawing when he was in high school (Lick-Wilmerding) in San Francisco in 1917-18 or so. He had to go to work after high school, so never got the chance to develop his artistic side. I put it on my blog two years ago and lo and behold! I’m sure my dad would be blown away.
We have a totally world-class array of music programs on KWMR, which is about 15 miles down the road.
Shorty is on every other Thursday night, but you can get her archives. I think they stay up for a couple of weeks.
kwmr.org/broadcasts/42388
If this has expired, go here: kwmr.org/archives
and fill in the “Show Name”.
My Santa Cruz roommate George Kovalenko and I went down the San Lorenzo River on our surfboards in 1955, during the biggest flood in Santa Cruz history.
The water was up over the parking meters on the main street. It was a gray, drizzly day, and George and I put in by Paradise Park and got swept down the river, along with cars, uprooted trees, sections of houses, and refrigerators. Every bridge across the river had collapsed; it was pretty scary.
Morons!
When we got out down by the ferris wheel at the river mouth, the cops said they were going to arrest us, but they got diverted by other emergencies and we slipped away.
These 67-year old photos were almost illegible. Rick Gordon performed some Photoshop magic to get this much out of them.
Note: I was interviewed by Jessica York, a reporter for the Santa Cruz Sentinel yesterday for an article on our adventure.
