When architect Karl Wanaselja built his home in Berkeley, California the junkyard became his urban forest for materials. For months he visited one of three local yards looking for car roofs and Dodge Caravan side windows. The windows became awnings and the roofs became siding for the top floor of his home. Wanaselja designed the home with his partner (in business and life) Cate Leger. They liked the look of the old cars, but they also believe firmly that reusing trumps recycling. They reused more than just cars to build their home. The lower half is sided in poplar bark, a waste product of the North Caroline furniture industry. Exterior wood is salvaged redwood and the fences and windowsills are on their second life. Because they wanted to blend into the neighborhood as much as possible, Wanaselja and Leger played with perspective to create a home that looks small on the outside, but feels big on the inside. The home is only 14 feet wide on the ends, and it pitches forward and pinches in at the ends so from the street the home looks small. And it is just 1140 square feet- more than half the US average- and only 700 square feet on the ground floor. “It’s kind of like Dr. Who’s TARDIS. He’s got this little phone booth, he goes in and then it’s a giant space inside so it’s kind of.” In this video, Wanaselja and Leger give us a tour of their home, their car part shed and their shipping container architecture studio in the backyard.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
#1 by CriticalTh1nker on December 28, 2011 - 1:23 pm
Very resourceful; an idea that given Americas propensity for wastefulness, should go national (but probably won’t, in a culture that still adheres to the pretentious, “bigger is better”) concept. You should bring what you’ve started, to Japan; where between the efficient recycling practices and maximization of space being widely utilized ( as seen in “micro homes”)…You could expound upon what is already nearly perfect and welcomed by most.
#2 by InFlameProductions on December 28, 2011 - 1:30 pm
nbahahaha doctor who police box reference i love this guy. it’s bigger on the inside!
#3 by nevyn1 on December 28, 2011 - 1:36 pm
@zehnsechz you are absolutely right, but this could make junkyard owners aware of the materials they could ‘harvest’ and then it could become functionally re-purposed.
#4 by cktalons on December 28, 2011 - 1:40 pm
What’s it like upstairs?
#5 by ja3syr on December 28, 2011 - 1:58 pm
This is amazing and My Heart Jumped when he mentioned the Tardis! Love Doctor Who. Love your videos. Thank you for uploading
#6 by zehnsechz on December 28, 2011 - 2:50 pm
the car roofs are cool kewl but seems like it is more artistically repurposed rather than functionally repurposed.
#7 by MultiAhka on December 28, 2011 - 3:03 pm
financial freedom? passive income?
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#8 by sthawkonthetube on December 28, 2011 - 3:38 pm
@ Ishmot2.Code in the state of California is more stringent than any other state in the US. We have earthquakes, building here is an adventure.
As for a non existant problem, if more people were doing this sort of recycling it would save thousands of hours, dollars and fuel that is currently takes to recycle a car. One person isn’t much of a dent obviously, Think of the money saved, the jobs that would be kept here in the US. Now almost all scrap steel is shipped to China to be processed
#9 by Ishmot2 on December 28, 2011 - 3:54 pm
@1jostory If I tried this where I live they’d throw the book at me, even if I used normal material like masonry, But because they are Old Hippies in Berkeley saving the planet it’s okay! If people really wanted to save the planet they would build out of masonry,like I said: Answer to an nonexistent problem, Taking some hoods out of the junk yard (although this house would look cool at Lake Mead) does not save anything but some hoods out of the junk yard.
#10 by Ishmot2 on December 28, 2011 - 4:24 pm
@JL2813 Answer to a nonexistent problem.
#11 by Suwai0303 on December 28, 2011 - 5:07 pm
Less is more! This is a great model for the next generation of architecture.
#12 by JL2813 on December 28, 2011 - 5:52 pm
Great example of the power of individual ingenuity!
#13 by 1971mgb on December 28, 2011 - 6:45 pm
@falcon02012
Why would he risk it all in a collision?
#14 by 1971mgb on December 28, 2011 - 6:48 pm
@falcon02012
It’s in Berkeley. He is an architect. What do you think?
#15 by 1971mgb on December 28, 2011 - 6:48 pm
From a designer and builder of my own tiny home 130sq ft. My kudos on your inventive take on reuse of materials. Beautiful design!
#16 by theforgottenwork on December 28, 2011 - 6:58 pm
This is a beautiful, well planned, and well sourced livable sculpture. It is quite an impressive labor of love. Bravo!
#17 by MultiAhka on December 28, 2011 - 7:52 pm
Try it FREE for 90 days to start your own Internet Home Business!
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#18 by adaisychain5 on December 28, 2011 - 8:11 pm
A great example of extraordinary craftmanship!!!!
#19 by peachxvivien on December 28, 2011 - 8:57 pm
Absolutely loved the Doctor Who reference! <3
#20 by nicolasboullosa on December 28, 2011 - 9:48 pm
@sofiamedia We took some shots during our visit to the Wanaseljas. You’ll find them on our Flickr photogallery. Look for our Photostream at Flickr on the directory “faircompanies”. Once there, browse through our photo sets and you’ll find “a green home built with salvaged car parts – berkeley, CA”. You can also perform a Google search and it will come up one way or another. Cheers.
#21 by sofiamedia on December 28, 2011 - 9:51 pm
I love the siding! Are there photos of this project somewhere?
#22 by blackmetal350 on December 28, 2011 - 10:50 pm
rust awaits
#23 by MrGraygrizz on December 28, 2011 - 11:06 pm
Very cool, different house!
#24 by juniper30 on December 28, 2011 - 11:27 pm
That’s an HOA’s nightmare.
Excellent!
#25 by falcon02012 on December 29, 2011 - 12:27 am
Do you have full coverage or liability