Reclaimed Space takes Dwell on Design by Storm

At the Dwell on Design show in Los Angeles last month, Reclaimed Space proved once and for all that recycling is super exciting, especially when it comes to home-building. Featured in Dwell’s big west coast exhibit was dwellSpace, Reclaimed Space’s newest prefab model. A smash hit at the show, the 400 square foot home sold for $75,000 on ebay after the event, $10,000 of which was donated to Habitat for Humanity. Ecofabulous and Jeffers Design Group stepped in to help out with decor, scouring ebay for interesting furniture and intriguing decorative doodads.

Apart from wiring and plumbing, Reclaimed Space builds almost entirely of locally sourced recovered materials. Following principles of passive solar design, all of the company’s homes feature cross-ventilating windows, roof overhangs, open floors, solar panel compatibility, low-e windows, and heat-reflecting aluminum siding. Single pitch roofs allow for easy rainwater collection, and sink waste water is reused for toilet flushing. They’ve even figured out how to use recycled newspaper for insulation. All in all, it’s an efficiency dream come true. And lest we forget our favorite feature, each model carries a unique story, owing to the history of the materials from which it was built. The home showcased at Dwell on Design, for example, was built from century-old Oak wood rescued from an old barn. With such potential for individuality and differentiation between homes, we think Reclaimed Space is making a very savvy step into an important market niche in the prefab housing world. After all, we all want to know where our food comes from; why not our homes too?

Check out the pictures below. You’ll find more on dwellSpace, preceded by a look at Casita 1, the first model built at Reclaimed Space. In some respects we prefer it to the later for its charming, understated vibe.

Casita 1 Exteriors: