Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Take in Panoramic Desert Views in This Off-Grid Cabin

Take in Panoramic Desert Views in This Off-Grid Cabin

An entrepreneur-turned-DIY builder expands his eco-friendly Yucca Valley property with this translucent desert structure.

After selling a successful car parking app (called ParkMe), Los Angeles-based tech developer Sam Friedman craved an absorbing, hands-on experience somewhere far away from the California city's infamous car culture. When he discovered a neglected but sprawling property of 112 acres in the Yucca Valley, a short drive from Joshua Tree National Park, he boldly snatched it up. Its centerpiece was a run-down, poorly designed, 1,600-square-foot geodesic dome. Armed solely with determination, Friedman, with the help of his pals, gut-renovated the skylight-topped structure in 2017, renaming it Hawkeye House.

Now, Friedman has enlivened the property with a petite new cabin.



The walls of this contemporary one-room cabin are covered in insulating polycarbonate siding.



Large expanses of glass lead to the deck and panoramic desert views.

With the help of Venice, California-based Stephen Vitalich Architects, Friedman spent three months building a 160-square-foot cabin. The final scheme was designed to appeal to sustainability-minded, outdoor adventure enthusiasts. Myriad hiking trails can be found just mere steps from the cabin's wrap around deck.



A table and chairs encourage alfresco dining on the deck.



Even in the chilly evenings, guests spend ample time on the deck thanks to a warming fire pit.

Originally, Friedman planned to build a group of these cabins on site, "but before I do that, I wanted to see how guests would enjoy it, how it held up in the elements, and if it was a good idea in reality," he says. "So far the feedback has been wonderful and it has had an occupancy rate of close to 100 percent every day for the last two months."



Like the Hawkeye House geodesic dome, the cabin is fully off the grid, powered by a small 12-volt system.



As a construction rookie, Friedman learned a number of lessons while putting together Hawkeye House, and although he describes the cabin as a more seamless experience, it came with its own set of challenges. As a new build instead of a renovation, foundation needed to be poured, for example, and a pier and girder system put into place. Reminiscent of a greenhouse, the cabin also flaunts open framing, so nothing could be hidden in the walls.

High on the desert, the cabin's greatest draw is its environs.

Hawkeye House runs on a full solar system with an inverter and the cabin, equally green, is fueled by a smaller, alternative 12-volt power system, including a duo of 300-watt solar panels and USB chargers. "Finding the right fixtures, lights, heating elements, and fans-that also looked okay-was somewhat difficult. We are basically running the same system as an RV," Friedman explains.



Natural light fills the white-and-wood cabin.

Although the structure is simply framed with wood easily sourced from any local home-building warehouse, the multi-wall polycarbonate siding creates a distinctive contrast. "It’s a unique choice to provide an indoor/outdoor feeling while also offering some insulation," Friedman explains. A Cor-ten steel roof, he adds, was chosen because of its significant weathering capabilities: "It rusts quickly and stays at a certain level without going beyond and sacrificing any structural integrity. We thought by choosing a rusting steel it would look like the cabin has been there for years. It blends in with the natural environment."



With a well-stocked kitchen and grill, there is little incentive to leave the property.



For a change of scenery, guests can enjoy the warm, rustic kitchen.

It is this landscape, remote and mystical, that bolsters the cabin’s personality. Solely comprised of an airy bedroom with pops of black and peekaboo views, it magnifies the mighty surroundings with a wraparound deck, where guests can sit down to breakfast, unwind on a cushioned bench by the fire pit, or just spend the afternoon with a book and cup of coffee planted down on the tree-stump table. A kitchen and bathroom, complete with outdoor shower, are contained in separate buildings.



An outdoor shower lets guests fully connect with nature.



Lovely woodworking even graces the bathroom.

Julia Ehrlich, a stylist friend of Friedman’s, handled the interiors of the dome, but for this contemporary cabin, the dedicated Friedman and his friend Nick Stolz made all the furniture by hand. Fittingly, says Friedman of the wood pieces, "We got a lot of inspiration from Donald Judd."



The cabin's floor plan.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×