The Vacation Home You Store in Your Garage

Illustration by Jason Lee 1. Windows would be clear vinyl
2. Nylon or canvas fabric ceilings would be supported by baby-buggy-style framing
3. The shells would be made out of a plywood subtrate covered by a metal laminate Illustration by Jason Lee

Most people pack up the summer house come fall, but designer Michael Jantzen foresees a time when they'll pack it away instead. Jantzen's concept Hide Away house, made predominantly of fabric, folds up for storage. Yet it features all the comforts of home, including hot water, electricity, a bathroom, and heat. During the off-season, hard shells store the water-gathering devices, solar panels, sewage treatment tanks, and other off-the-grid necessities, as well as the fabric walls and ceilings. Everything fits into the back of a pickup truck.


Jantzen is working with Advanced Structures of Marina del Rey, California, to make his Hide Away house a reality. There are no firm plans for production.