Recyclable Trailer Trash

“Glen Small had this vision of creating mega-structures with plug-in architecture, so instead of having urban sprawl you have these cluster structures. The remaining open space is for wild animals.”

-Peter Fend

The architect behind the design pictured and the subject of the above quote are one and the same, Glen Small. In the late 1970s, Small birthed this idea of a modern, sustainable system of low-income housing that took up a minimal urban footprint. Emerging from his original notion of a “vertical city,” Small’s structure would stand 500 feet tall, composed of layers of modular homes, specifically Airstream trailers. More importantly, the design was based on sustainability, and the recycling of air and natural ventilation; the project was aptly named the “Green Machine.” Though thirty years old, Glen Small’s optimistic concept should receive more exposure in the studios of today’s young architects, as it is a magnificent example of attempting to solve a problem in a unique fashion.

While Jimmy Carter was in office, the “Green Machine” was to be realized in Santa Monica, California. The urban planning was there, the designs and specifications were there, and most importantly, the funding and public backings were there. A Los Angeles city planner put his full support behind Small’s initiative, in hopes the housing scheme would foster connections among otherwise unrelated communities. In addition, a councilwoman Pat Russell played a major role in gaining the support of the city. All the pieces of the puzzle were in place, until the presidency shifted to Reagan. Then, the $1.5 million dollar endeavor was deemed too expensive of an “experiment” for public money. And so the project was killed.

In a recent interview, Small was asked if the “Green Machine” would still be a viable development today. He responded, “I don’t think the price went up that much. You can still buy a used Airstream trailer around that price and space frame systems have developed even more advanced and cheaper. Sure, it is even more feasible now.” So when the desire to replace the classy glamour of today’s existing trailer parks with a creative and environmentally friendly system arises, it is certainly well within reach. And if there were any qualms regarding the aesthetics and their integration within an environment, there are already more overstated and less sustainable buildings dotting our landscape. Glen Small’s “Green Machine” is the proverbial one stone, solving multiple problems such as sustainability and low-income housing, and should regain public knowledge and support if not public project funding as well. Some of the more enthusiastic advocates are already off to a good start.