EcoMonk Hut

Urbana, Illinois

The pavilion began a prototype for the EcoMonk Portable Dwelling. When those initial experiments concluded, the framework was re-purposed as a seasonal writing and contemplation space.

To create a fully usable outdoor space, the original frame was wrapped in dark-toned insect screen. Then, an internal layer of 1x2s was used to create a slatted surface that screens the neighboring garage and transforms the harsh afternoon sun into playful striped shadows. It then folds into a sitting surface and then becomes the floor of the hut

The angled roof contains solar cells that can power LEDs or a laptop computer. A primitive V-shaped gutter channels the rainwater to a small cistern.