The 2016 Shed of the Year competition includes some of the most innovative, wacky, and downright fun micro-architecture you're likely to see in one place. Highlights include a shed that can withstand a nuclear attack, a sustainable shed built using cobs, and a street-legal shed that packs a V6 engine.
For those unfamiliar with the UK's thriving shed scene, it's similar to the USA's tiny house movement, but with more novelty gnomes and a focus on offering somewhere for a garden-loving parent to escape to for a few hours, rather than a place to live. The scene is filled with passionate hobbyists who create all kinds of weird and wonderful small structures in their gardens.
The 2016 Shed of the Year shortlist is split into eight categories: Unexpected, Eco, Cabin/Summerhouse, Workshops/Studios, Entertainment, Budget, Historic, and Unique. Each category features four sheds.
The public can vote for a winner in each category until June 8, before an overall winner is selected later this year. Below, we've picked out a few eye-catching examples.
Dun 25
"My Shed is in fact a 3 man nuclear bunker," explains Jim Sherrit, proud owner of Dun 25, a former nuclear bunker located 20 ft (6 m) underground in a farmer's field on the outskirts of Edzell, Scotland.
Sherrit has spent the past three years restoring the bunker back to its former glory and the result is a testament to his patience and enthusiasm. Access is gained via hatch and vertical ladder, and power comes in the form of a battery and generator. It's pretty much a technology-free zone inside the bunker, but there are plenty of tools, charts, maps, and books to keep Sherrit busy.
Dun 25 is an entrant in the Historic category.
Fastest Shed
Kevin Nicks reckons his self-built shed-on-wheels is probably the only 100 percent street legal shed in the world and we're inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. It also packs a 200 bhp V6 engine, four wheel drive, disc brakes, air-con, electric windows, and remote central locking.
Nicks has clocked-up a top speed of 88.086 mph (141.7 km/h) on an airfield in his shed and hopes to reach speeds of over 100 mph (160 km/h) later this year. To date, he's covered around 5,000 miles (8,046 km) in it.
Fastest Shed is an entrant in the Unique category.
The Cob Shed
The Cob Shed was built by Charlotte Eve, Kate Edwards, and their 3 year-old son – not to mention a little help from over 200 people from around the world who have visited the shed to learn how to build their own cob sheds and homes.
The shed sports a turf roof, reclaimed windows, and doors. It features a floor and walls made from cobs (finished in lime render), which soak up the sun's heat during the day naturally and release it at night to maintain a steady temperature. A stained glass roof panel offers additional sunlight. The space is used for entertaining guests and as a home office.
The Cob Shed is an entrant in the Eco category.
Head to the gallery to check out all the other sheds, along with brief descriptions of their designs. Notable entries include a shed that doubles up as a home for an African crocodile, another designed to resemble an American cavalry bunker from the Vietnam War, and a shed that rises on hydraulic stilts to avoid flooding.
Source: Readers Sheds