DIY tiny home builder thinks outside the box ... and then some

Faircompanies spend some QT in the backyard of the tiny house movement's junk-salvaging, convention-busting rock star, Derek 'Deek' Diedricksen, in a new video profile.

Thu, Oct 06 2011 at 2:41 PM

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The last time I checked in with Rage Against the Machine tribute band drummer, comic book writer, and DIY tiny home builder extraordinaire Derek “Deek” Diedricksen, the head-banging handyman with shoulder-length hair and a raucous sense of humor was the subject of a great NPR story in which he envisioned Shaquille O’ Neal bunking up in one of his inventive, pint-sized dwellings made primarily from salvaged materials. (Diedricksen was also profiled by the New York Times back in February).

Now, Diedricksen — sporting a new, more conservative 'do but the same very un-conservative attitude towards small home building — gets the faircompanies treatment in a new video that zeros in on his one-of-a-kind, backyard fort-inspired structures including the Gypsy Junker, the GottaGiddaWay, and last but not least, the Hickshaw (a “rickshaw for hicks”). Inventively constructed on the cheap from salvaged materials and unloved junk of all sorts, Diedricksen's creations aren't for the faint of heart ... or the claustrophobic.

Says Diedricksen, who labels himself as a ”tinkerer,” “bizarre-chitect,” or “lark-chitect, being kind of a fake architect:”

Tiny architecture, micro architecture seems very newsworthy these days. I've been doing this for literally almost 20 years or so and up until a few years ago I never realized there was a whole movement. I was just some schmo in my basement with a gigantic collection of tiny housing books, building cabins in the woods as an adult.

He continues, explaining the rebellious nature of tiny home building:

There's almost this whole outlaw aspect of it. I've kind of been a little anti-authoritarian most of my life, playing in punk bands and what-not and a lot of the housing codes and rules to me, while some of them make good sense, a lot of them are just ridiculous and very antiquated.

Great stuff. For more of Diedricksen, check out the embedded video titled "Tiny Homes as punk rock: Freedom from codes & loans" and be sure to head on over to his blog, Relaxshax. Even if you can't see yourself spending time in one of Diedricksen's hand-built macro homes, his insight and enthusiasm are infectious.

Via [faircompanies]

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