At first glance The Bunkie seems like an architectural practical joke. The kind where someone decides one night to build a house using a second-rate logo from your local mortgage broker firm. That hypothetical someone is Nathan Buhler, and his oddball creation – a prefabricated, kit-of-parts delight that’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
The Bunkie promises this: no building permits required with a complete set of parts shipped anywhere in the world for fast and easy construction. It’s a business model that many have followed in the past, but few designs or prefab companies have infused the idea with such flair for the dramatic. If you look at The Bunkie head-on, it really does look like the stylized 2-D outline of your traditional American house – complete with the perfect gabled roof and tiny rectangular chimney stack.
The twist? There’s nothing even close to traditional about this contemporary prefab dream cabin. It consists of a single room, open on two sides with just enough room for one or two people to enjoy the views. The Bunkie can be built anywhere with common tools and a little bit of elbow grease. Even the most amateur of builders and tinkerers would be able to fully erect this compact dwelling in the matter of a few weeks.
The opaque exterior walls are wrapped in natural wood. The flexibility of The Bunkie’s prefabricated system of construction gives you certain discretion when it comes to final fit and finish. And if you’re looking for a bit more space, you can slam as many Bunkies together as your imagination will allow – as each module added is another function covered.
While an initial glance may have you laughing off The Bunkie – I assure you the design and functional validity of the system is unparalleled. You’ll quickly realize, just like I did, that The Bunkie is truly no joke.
Design: The Bunkie
Photography courtesy of The Bunkie
what is the square feet and how much?