The Free Spirit Sphere - inspiration for the relocatable home of the future
from Around The Home (444 articles)
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Image Gallery ( 16 images )Access to the sphere
The sphere is accessed by a spiral stairway and short suspension bridge. The two lower back suspension points of the sphere are tied horizontally to the two back trees, to keep the suspension bridge from folding. The door faces the "door tree" and the suspension bridge connects the two. A helical stairway spirals up or down from the suspension bridge to the ground or next level.
Construction
The wooden prototype spheres are made of two laminations of wood strips over laminated wood frames. The outside surface is then finished and covered with a clear resin, resulting in a waterproof and very tough skin, akin to that of a hand-crafted boat. "The skin is strong enough to take the impacts that come with life in a dynamic environment such as the forest," says Tom.
The first prototype was a 2.7metre diameter sphere constructed of yellow cedar while the new prototype is 3.2 metres constructed of sitka spruce. "The grain and texture of the wood shines through," beams Tom. "The insides of our spheres are wired for power, sound and telephone. And mine also has a notebook computer and good speakers. It's a great place to watch DVD's."
The original 2.7m sphere had two 1170mm (46") windows. The 3.2m has four windows and a 560mm (22") skylight. There is a small flat floor area in the centre of each sphere much like a camper (or caravan).
The original 2.7metre sphere, known as "Eve" to the Chudleighs, has closets on either side of the door. These function as partial bulkheads and reinforce the door opening. There is a double bed on one side centred under the 4 ft window. A settee with table is placed in front of the 4' window on the right. The back wall opposite the door provides a galley area with counter and cupboards. A circular shelf, with an opening at the door, rings the ceiling. The shelf reinforces the attachment points and provides easy access storage.
Eryn - the new 3.2 metre sphere prototype
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