I like the sound of the hybrid word “microdwell” so well that I might start using it every day, as in, “I have a bunch of crap to do today, but I am not going to microdwell on the small stuff,” or, “Yes, I know I need a haircut, but let’s not microdwell on it, OK?”
I jest, of course. MicroDwell 2012 is actually an upcoming exhibit at the Shemer Art Center, 5005 E. Camelback Road, that’s all about home construction with a conscience. And I do seriously recommend stopping by Shemer when MicroDwell opens on Nov. 17.
The home builders, designers, architectural students and others contributing to MicroDwell have been hammering away since October, building 11 small and simple structures on the grounds of Shemer, says Patrick McCue, one of the organizers. The builders come from all walks of life, he added, and are dedicated to building “green” with salvaged materials and by minimizing waste.
The rules of the game are that dwellings must be 600 square feet or less, self-contained, portable and modular. McCue said it would not be unthinkable to let the structures serve as actual dwellings. The owners-builders rely on alternative construction techniques and cost effectiveness, letting artistic and practical sensibilities work in balance.
The Nov. 17 opening should be quite the event: meet-and-greets with the builders, artists’ booths, unveiling of a sculpture garden, food trucks, demonstrations on welding and other topics, and last but not least, beer tastings from Arizona microbreweries. Stop by Shemer from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. to see the exhibit. The beer tastings begin at noon, and admission is $10.
If you can’t make the event, note that the exhibit will be at Shemer Art Center through December 31.
Read more about the micro-structures and the builders behind them at www.microdwelling.net.
Explore Art: Phoenix 
Thanks for spotlighting this event! We will be there – sculptor Kevin Caron has a piece in the new sculpture garden and we can’t wait to see the microdwellings. Now that we’re dwelling on it, or anything ….
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I live for puns, and thanks for that one! See you there!
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I’ll just keep trying to reply outside the box ….
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I am a big fan of the cabin. I feel like video gamers would liken the project to Borderlands in its raw material nature. It would be even cooler of that patio was PVs that you could walk on. Self contained, portable and modular are great characteristics–self powered would have sealed the deal, though likely made the installations noticeably more expensive. Anything we can do to have more people see and feel examples of smaller homes is a boon for a culture that has migrated towards the norm of building and living in more space than we need.
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Good points, T. Caine. People need to understand that smaller is not less.
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