Last month, the Guggenheim Museum and Google teamed up for a very innovative online design contest.   That fact in and of itself is interesting as it is a very interesting and unexpected team-up. However, what is even more interesting is the fact that the contest, entitled the “Design It: Shelter Competition” involves designing the best tiny shelter.  Participants are encouraged to design a virtual 3d 100 square foot living/working space using Google’s new Google Sketch Up software, and then place the house on a map with Google Earth.  Both Google Earth and Google Sketch Up are free to download and use.

The  contest asks participants the questions: where would you build your shelter?  And how would you respond to the environment around your shelter? Obviously, Frank Lloyd Wright was inspired by the connection of a house to its environment. The Design It: Shelter Competition seeks to reflect and incorporate Wright’s fascination with the natural elements surrounding a house.

This contest is running in conjunction with the Guggenheim’s new exhibit, running until August 23rd, entitled “Learning By Doing.” The art exhibit features shelters that were designed by students of Taliesin, the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture.  Through the design process, the students learn various important issues involved in design.

The Design it: Shelter Competition is open to amateur as well as professional designers. You can read more about the contest and even enter the contest at the Guggenheim’s website. Entries are being taken until August 23rd which coincides with the last day of the Learning by Doing exhibit.  (If you happen to be in New York City between now and the end of August, definitely check out this exhibit as it sounds pretty intriguing.)

The Design It: Shelter Competition rules include the following:

You can build your shelter anywhere on Earth: from city to desert, hill to valley. You cannot remove any existing buildings, but you can add on to existing structures.”

Keep your shelter small—the interior/sheltered space can be no larger than 100 square feet (9.3 square meters), and entire shelter no taller than 12 feet (3.6 meters).

Your shelter must offer protection from the elements and provide a space for one person to study and sleep. Keep it simple—no water, gas or electricity allowed.

The students at the Frank Lloyd Wright School of Architecture will choose the finalists and public voting will take place from September to October 2009.

First, I just have to say, wow.  I can’t believe the number of thoughtful comments I received last week as part of the contest I posted for the copy of Jay Shafer’s Small House Book.  Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to respond!  You gave me some fantastic feedback which I plan to incorporate in the upcoming weeks.

Based on the random number generator I used, Mary will be receiving the copy of the book.  For those of you who won’t be receiving it, please don’t be too discouraged.  I have a feeling I’ll be doing something similar monthly, so keep your eyes out for future giveaways.

And keep those comments coming!  They are really helpful in terms of determining how I can better structure content on my site to meet your needs as readers.

(And if you didn’t happen to win the copy of the book, it can now be ordered from the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company website.)

Alright, dear readers.  I happen to have an extra, shiny, brand-new copy of Jay Shafer’s lovely Small House Book on hand.

As wonderful as this book is, those of you who’ve been following my story will understand that the last thing I need in my life is a duplicate copy of a book.  (Especially when I actually have two other copies of my own.)

So, for the next week, I will be running a contest to find a new, appreciative home for this book.

In order to “enter”, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post giving me your wish-list of what you would like to see on Coming Unmoored.  (For example: more info on how to build your own home, more personal anecdotes, less personal anecdotes, more pictures of Rumi.  What have you.)

I’m in the process of planning where my blog will go from here and I really want to make it something that is both entertaining and useful to our regular readers.

Next Wednesday, I will randomly select someone from everyone who’s taken the time to comment and mail the book to them.  (So please make sure to leave an email address where I can reach you!)

I look forward to hearing your feedback.

(And if you don’t happen to win the copy of the book, it can now be ordered from the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company website.)