Introducing The Common Cabin
A new open source design for simple shelter, and source of space for community organisations.
“Our intention with this design is that it can be built by anyone, stand for many years, and if need be, be taken down in just a day to be rebuilt elsewhere, or even repurposed as a different type of building”
— Harrison Gardner
The concept for the Common Cabin was to create a simple, achievable, replicable building that can be taught on our Build School course, whilst creating a versatile design that can be easily constructed by a novice builder.
To date, more than 500 people have learned to build the Common Cabin on our 5 day Build School programme. Each participant experiences what it feels like to create a real building, supported by classroom sessions on the basics of construction, practical skill development and hands-on practice. Our research shows that people leave twice as confident in their ability to complete a building project themselves, which many have gone on to do.
“With so many buildings these days ending up in landfill, we’re hoping the design can start a conversation about how circularity can be simply incorporated into everyday building and DIY construction.”
— Harrison Gardner
The Common Cabin was created by our co-founder and creator of Build School, Harrison Gardner, with the plans now openly available.
The design fits within the planning exempt 25m2 garden studio guidelines whilst maximising outdoor covered space, head height and natural light. It is modular by design, so that the wall components can be rearranged or the building made longer if desired.
It is totally deconstructable and if removed from use or site will leave no trace behind. Simplicity is the goal here, because creating shelter does not need to be complicated. The bulk of the cabin is made up of three repeated components which easily bolt together to form the shell structure of The Common Cabin.
The design is available for open source use and can be accessed on our community app, The Commonage.
We built a model Common Cabin at The Common Knowledge Centre in 2023 as additional teaching space, incorporating natural insulations such as hemp flax fibre, sheeps wool insulation as well as wood fibre rigid board insulation.
The building is taped and sealed and has a heat recovery unit installed to ensure sufficient airflow and energy conservation. The external wood of the building is treated using the Japanese Yaki-Sugi technique and sealed with linseed oil while the decking and unique external cladding are made of recycled waste PVC. To bring the model Common Cabin to this point of completion as a beautiful, very well insulated office space we used materials that would cost approximately €16,000.
The Common Cabin design can be easily adapted for a range of uses.
Apply to receive a Common Cabin Starter Kit for your community
We are offering six social enterprises in Ireland who want to catalyse a building project in their community the opportunity to receive a Common Cabin starter kit worth €3k, along with a place on our Build School programme valued at €850. We’re interested in hearing from social enterprises who feel the community could come together to finish the Common Cabin with a meitheal.
Applications close 19th June
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The starter kit includes the basic shell of the building, which comprises:
15 x Prefabricated Wall Panels including two built to accommodate windows
17 x Prefabricated Roof Trusses
Please note that the starter kit will need to be collected. The kit will be approximately 12m3 with the largest pieces sized at 5m x 1.2m.
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The cost will depend on a number of factors, for example:
The end of use of the cabin, for example if you choose to use it as a simple storage space, or meeting room with insulation and double glazed windows.
Where you choose to install it and the type of foundation you choose to use eg ground screws, concrete etc.
The extent to which your community can come to together to complete the build
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Only social enterprises operating in Ireland are eligible to apply for a Common Cabin Starter Kit programme. Rethink Ireland, one of our key supporters, defines social enterprises as organisations focused on social, societal or environmental change, rather than maximising profits for their owners or shareholders. Other criteria in order to apply are as follows:
Main person applying is 18 years of age or older.
Entities must be not-for-profit organisations at the point of, and may include companies limited by guarantee, trusts, cooperatives or other legal forms that satisfy the not-for-profit requirements. They may also be registered charities, but this is not a requirement.
The following are ineligible: individuals/families, sole traders, for-profit companies (such as companies limited by shares that are not registered charities).
The project must address a critical social issue
The project must provide evidence that it is up and running
The project must be based in Ireland and make its main impact in the Republic of Ireland
Applicants must come from an entity that has a not-for-profit legal form, e.g. a company limited by guarantee, a co-operative, a trust, a charity.
Collaborators & Supporters
Common Knowledge is deeply grateful for the support of its partners in bringing the prototype Common Cabin to life. The natural and sustainable materials were generously supplied free of charge by Ecological Building Solutions in Ireland. The screw pile foundations were generously supplied free of charge by FMF Systems. Construction materials were sourced from Cullinans Hardware locally, while the unique recycled PVC external cladding was sourced from Pretty Plastics in the Netherlands.
