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| Jeffrey L.
Zucker, LEED AIA |
| Matthew B.
Ackerman, LEED AIA |
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On
A Cold Winter Evening
At this time of year, I am reminded of the winter that
I spent in my
cabin in Ohio, and the year that led up to it. It was during my
“back
to the land” phase in 1974, when I built what affectionately came to
be known as “The
Football”, so named because the floor plan faintly
resembled the outline of the pigskin projectile. Located in
the hills
of Southern Ohio, the cabin was intended to be a full scale model of a
portion of the larger house that I was going to build. The
intention
was to live in the model until the rest of the house was built, then
tear down the original part and finish up the house.
 Being on a limited budget, I made use of the
materials that I could
find. An old log barn that had fallen down yielded the poles for
the
vertical members. A bridge that was being ripped out provided the
beams. Siding was gleaned from the scraps at a nearby lumber
mill, and
the windows were found at local junk yards. The cabin was topped off
with
metal roofing from the same barn that the logs had been obtained from.
The summer was spent digging, sawing, nailing and sweating.
Little by
little the cabin took shape, and by early fall, I was able to move
in.
Total cost, $37.45.
It was a frugal existence. No insulation. No heat. No electricity
or
running water. Bathing was done in the creek that ran in the
ravine
below the house, which was quite an experience in February. I
cooked
on an open campfire or with a propane stove. At one point, I had
to
kill a rattlesnake that ventured too close, and made a meal of it (it
tasted like shrimp, without the seafood flavor).
One cold and crisp winter evening, I climbed into the loft, and piled
on all four of my sleeping bags. They were my only means of
staying
warm. In the quiet of the night, the snow began to fall. As
it
drifted between the gaps of the siding, it fell on the only exposed
part of my body, my face. I can still feel them, like tiny frozen
pinpricks, keeping me awake and reminding me that I was alive.
Here’s to an excellent New Year for you and all your loved ones.
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| Green Technology
of the
Month: |
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New Vacuum Insulated Panel (VIP) Technology
Yields an R-20 in Just 2 Inches 
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| Green Product
of
the Month: |
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StoTherm™ EIFS System Provides Superior
Insulation Performance |
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| Green Builder's Tip of
the Month: |
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Insulated Window Shades
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| Green Project
of the
Month: |
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US Environmental Learning Center Earns
"PassivHaus"
Certification, One of The World's Toughest Energy Standards
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CATALYST
ARCHITECTURE is an award winning, full-service architectural design
firm located in Prescott, Arizona. We specialize in educational,
commercial, master planning and custom residential work, with an
emphasis on high-performance design, and caring client relationships.
At CATALYST, our
mission is to creatively transform the space and budget needs of our
clients, with the opportunities and ecology of the site, into
functional and sustainable solutions that move the spirit.
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