In 2011, artist Bobby Niven and architect Iain MacLeod installed an artist residence in the Scottish Highlands that's based on the bothy, a traditional British and Irish hut used to shelter laborers, hill walkers and the like. Its popularity helped spawn successors and the project has now evolved into Bothy Stores, which offers a tiny house/cabin with similar styling for sale.
The Artist Bothy takes up a physical footprint of 5.5 x 3 m (18 x 9.84 ft) and comprises just 12.25 sq m (131 sq ft) of floorspace. Its interior is simple and essentially consists of just one large room. Optional furniture includes a ladder that reaches a small loft bedroom area, a bench bed, table, small kitchenette, and a shelving unit.
The Artist Bothy has no bathroom or even a toilet inside as standard, though the firm can recommend a composting toilet if required – still, this is obviously not intended as a full-time standalone home.
The dwelling is clad in corrugated Corten steel, which has a rusted look, as well as Scottish larch, with double-glazed windows and wood fiber insulation. The interior is finished in cross-laminated timber, with an oak floor. According to the firm, the prefabricated dwelling can be installed within hours once delivered on-site.
The Artist Bothy has fittings for both electric and water, and can also be wired up to solar panels for an off-grid setup. Integrated water drainage can be hooked up to a rainwater collection system and a chimney is fitted to enable the installation of a wood-burning stove.
The Artist Bothy is available from £39,000 (US$55,000).
Source: Bothy Stores
