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: Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
2008-08-12 00:55:00

Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
2008-08-12 00:55:00

Mood: busy

Hobbit House

This looks like a Hobbit House to me.

Tags: sustainable building

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bodhifox

August 12 2008, 06:08:17 UTC 12 years ago

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Agreed. I'd stay in it though.

markdeniz

August 12 2008, 06:35:08 UTC 12 years ago

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It's lovely though and actually in one of my favourite areas of the world!

wiredwizard

August 12 2008, 06:40:05 UTC 12 years ago

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I see Bilbo put all of his gold into bringing Bag End up to LEED Gold standards. =)

fayanora

August 12 2008, 08:21:02 UTC 12 years ago

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Cool! I want one!

A lot of people on Traipah, one of my scifi worlds, live in houses built into hills. Others live in houses built up in the trees. There are some swamp-dwellers who live in houses - even entire villages and towns - built on very sturdy stilts. Very few Traipahni people live in cities, and when they do, they build as many stories underground as they can, in addition to height.

The reason for the hill houses and the tree houses is simple: shade. Traipah is rather warm, in most areas. For example, neither of their poles have ice. At least, not the kind that Earth has. It does get to freezing temperatures at the poles during winter, but other seasons it is between 60 F and 40 F.

There's one race amongst the Ah'Koi Bahnis of Traipah who excel at genetic engineering. They've even modified themselves a bit, and one of the things they can do is make their skin light up really brightly. I don't doubt they have artificial lights that are modified living creatures. I also see it likely that they would share this technology. One could thus have a hill house with no windows, keeping it very cool in there, and light the place with cool bioluminescence. Among other "green" technologies. The Ah'Koi Bahnis and the Duenicallo are advanced races in harmony with their environment. I do know for a fact that they no longer use carbon-based or toxic fuels.

Wow!

ysabetwordsmith

August 12 2008, 15:55:40 UTC 12 years ago

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That's really good worldbuilding. I love studying how my characters cope with environmental challenges, too.

Re: Wow!

fayanora

August 13 2008, 11:00:38 UTC 12 years ago

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Worldbuilding, yeah. I freaking practically LIVED that world for years. It was a fascinating and yet frustrating world. It was the first time I ever came up with a culture that was advanced spiritually as well as technologically, and so as wonderful a world as it was, it was extremely difficult trying to figure out how to make a story in that world. So, attempting to dig around in there as much as I could to find a story idea, I practically lived in that world for a year or so. I even adopted their spiritual beliefs/religion, which I still follow to this day. Finally got a couple good novels out of them... by introducing them to humans. And I have now a plan for another novel in that universe.

So yeah, I came up with their language (several hundred words worth), their culture, the environment, obsessively for several years. This is, like, Tolkein-level worldbuilding. :-)

Re: Wow!

ysabetwordsmith

August 13 2008, 18:55:27 UTC 12 years ago

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Let's see ... my oldest setting is Hallelaine, my main fantasy world, which dates back at least as far as junior high. I've spent at least 24 years working with that one, so my favorite cultures -- like Waterjewel -- are very well developed. The most developed conlang is Seshaa, which is bigger than many of the foreign language dictionaries I own.

Like you, I find that my characters beliefs often rub off on me. It makes me careful about who I spend time with, in this world and others. I tend to favor functional cultures ... I get enough dysfunctional examples in real life. Sometimes my characters come up with solutions that I'd never think of on my own, that work. Some of their culinary advice is worth following too.

Re: Wow!

fayanora

August 14 2008, 03:06:15 UTC 12 years ago

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I've spent at least 24 years working with that one, so my favorite cultures -- like Waterjewel -- are very well developed. The most developed conlang is Seshaa, which is bigger than many of the foreign language dictionaries I own.

._O Wow.

Like you, I find that my characters beliefs often rub off on me. It makes me careful about who I spend time with, in this world and others. I tend to favor functional cultures ... I get enough dysfunctional examples in real life. Sometimes my characters come up with solutions that I'd never think of on my own, that work. Some of their culinary advice is worth following too.

Do tell!

Re: Wow!

ysabetwordsmith

August 15 2008, 04:09:36 UTC 12 years ago

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Most recently, I got hooked on labna, yogurt cheese. My desertfolk quickly informed me that it has -- in their experience -- fruit as well as herb or plain versions. I haven't found any recipes in this world for fruit versions. So I'll be trying some ideas from elsewhere.

Re: Wow!

fayanora

August 17 2008, 12:58:33 UTC 12 years ago

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Just take fruit-flavored yogurt as your base, I would guess.

Re: Wow!

ysabetwordsmith

12 years ago

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Re: Wow!

fayanora

12 years ago

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Re: Wow!

ysabetwordsmith

12 years ago

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Re: Wow!

fayanora

12 years ago

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wrathchylde

August 12 2008, 12:30:11 UTC 12 years ago

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I think it's adorable :)

themaskmaker

August 12 2008, 15:18:27 UTC 12 years ago

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Want!!!

elalyr

August 12 2008, 16:10:41 UTC 12 years ago

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I SO want to live in that house. I've looked into underground houses a bit, as they're pretty energy efficient. Apparently the only serious drawback is their tendency to suffer from condensation on the walls, which can lead to dampness and sometimes mold. But it looks like the Wales house has some good insulation, plus an exterior window for ventilation, so it should work pretty well. Fun! Wouldn't it be great to be a kid growing up in that house?