HOUSING
Eco-Architecture and Sustainable Building
Building a home that is not only passively carbon-neutral, but entirely self-sufficient in the energy, water, and food requirements of its occupants seems a difficult task and it is. The requirements in terms of infrastructure, labor, costs to go “off-grid” in the Socorro high-desert are astounding compared to just buying a house in the suburbs, but technically, even with its enormous upfront impact, going off-grid is the most sustainable way a person can live. We’re taking this concept to the next level by building a 150-person, fully off-grid, self-sufficient, high-desert eco-commune. This will include dozens of personal residences, several communal buildings, and a few manufacturing facilities for the various onsite cooperative-businesses. By designing a community around communal resources, we reduce inefficiency, redundancies, costs and materials. Suddenly, establishing the infrastructure to go off-grid isn’t so out of reach. Maybe for the individual it is, but not for the collective. We’re not only driven by a desire to live sustainably ourselves, but to demonstrate to others the feasibility of establishing a community like ours and its revolutionary implications for a deeply flawed society. Self-sufficiency is a guiding principle in all that we’ll do in establishing and growing the eco-village, but we’re also committed to radically expanding access to this kind of lifestyle. Our current goal is building self-sufficiency for twenty-five initial collaborators, but we hope to quickly expand to sustain over one-hundred full-time residents fully off-grid. This will require massive infrastructure buildout, which will come at a very high-cost, both pricewise and in terms of the environmental impact such a major construction project would carry. In a show of transparency and statement on the environmental toll of civilization, Happy Castle will track and estimate its complete and full carbon impact throughout the course of its evolution. Over the next decade, we’ll strive to not only neutralize and erase our carbon-debt, but also achieve the status of having a genuinely carbon-negative impact on the planet. Happy Castle Art Camp will be a carbon-sink. Through permaculture planning onsite, we intend to slowly regenerate the badly degraded desert-soil by incrementally amending it, planting native-species, and promoting water retention. Eventually, we hope to establish moderate organic farming operations onsite, sustaining a variety of fruit trees, landscaping plants, and beehives onsite. We don’t just want to sever our dependence on an unsustainable and unstable supply chain, but actively participate in the environmental-regeneration of our planet. This brings us to the third-tenet in our ecological mission: growth and political advocacy. We can do our part to help our dying planet, but if we’re going to truly effect the change we want to see, then we need our message to spread. As an organization, Happy Castle is bound by these ecological principles and will always commit a portion of its resources towards the ultimate goal of accelerating a carbon-negative civilization. Many of us have always felt this calling, longing for years to buy our own homestead, live off-grid, build our own home, grow our own food and produce our own power, but for one reason or another we couldn’t make it happen on our own and didn’t have the right people to help us. Happy Castle is collecting the right people and building a community. If this sounds like you, then come join us and be a part of forming the future you want.
As we embark on the mission of building a thriving, off-grid desert community like Happy Castle, the choice of housing is crucial. Three of the best building methods for this type of project are Earthbag buildings, Superadobe structures, and Earthships. Each style offers benefits in sustainability and cost-effectiveness that work in harmony with our low-cost start-up goals and challenging desert environment, but they also come with unique labor requirements, costs, and advantages.
Earthbags, Earthships, and Superadobe
EARTHBAG DOMES
Earthbag construction is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to build a home and will likely make up a bulk of initial housing throughout the eco-village. Developed by architect Nader Khalili, this design uses long tubes filled with earth and stacked on top of each other in ascending rings to create self-supporting, dome-shaped structures. The stacked bags are typically plastered over to provide a finished surface and prevent degradation from the elements. The design is perfect for desert environments, blending ancient building methods with modern sustainability principles. The main benefits of Earthbag construction are:
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Sustainable and Affordable: Earthbag construction utilizes local soil as it's primary building material, making it extremely affordable compared to other types of architecture.
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Simple Design: Little to no heavy machinery is required to build a livable Earthbag Dome, making this an accessible method for those with minimal building experience, a trait many of our initial members will likely share. A few of us have already taken workshops and built homes using this very technique and can effectively instruct incoming collaborators.
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Durability: These buildings are resistant to fire, flood, and earthquakes. Additionally, the substantial thermal-mass helps regulate interior temperatures which is a necessity in the desert.
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Efficient Dome Structure: The dome shape naturally disperses heat and provides stability, making it ideal for extreme climates. Lower maintenance: The compact, dome design results in fewer exterior surfaces exposed to the elements, reducing long-term maintenance needs.
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Low Environmental Impact: Earthbag buildings require minimal resources, both in terms of materials and energy use. Using materials from onsite reduces emissions generated during manufacturing or transportation.
The only major tradeoff with Earthbag building is how labor-intensive it can be. We plan to someday have dozens of members living and working at Happy Castle full-time, but in this initial startup phase, we’ll likely face serious internal labor shortages. Still, a group of 10 beginner builders can erect a 15ft diameter dome in less than three-weeks, but it definitely won’t be easy work. While the materials are affordable, the process is physically demanding. Each bag must be filled and stacked by hand, requiring a large time investment unless many hands are involved.
Hyperadobe Structures
Hyperadobe, is a refinement of the earthbag technique, and is basically the same principle, but allows for structures besides domes. Like Earthbag domes, building with superadobe still involves filling bags with local earth or sand and stacking them to create strong, durable walls, but whereas Earthbags gain much of their structural integrity from their inherent dome shape, hyperadobe uses concrete to amend the soil and specialized mesh bags that allow walls to be built straight up and then fitted with a traditional lumber frame roof, allowing for more familiar building styles. It shares many of the same benefits as Eathbag Domes, being affordable, sustainable, simple to construct, and providing significant thermal mass.
The major unique advantage that hyperadobe has over Earthbags is it's design flexibility, allowing for far more diverse building types than just domes. Earthbag domes have a maximum diameter of about 22ft., limiting even the biggest domes to about 380sqft of interior space. Since hyperadobe doesn't rely on the dome structure for strength, the walls can be built into any shape or size, even traditional rectangular designs. So while Earthbag Domes are great for individual residences, hyperadobe makes an excellent choice for those common buildings that may require higher square-footage, like the town hall, bathrooms, and cafeteria.
Earthships
Earthships are more complex and sophisticated than earthbag buildings. Designed by Michael Reynolds, they’re passive solar homes that incorporate recycled materials like tires, bottles, and cans, and are built to be totally self-sufficient. They often include features like rainwater collection, solar power systems, and indoor gardens.
The benefits of using Earthships for a project like ours are pretty obvious:
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Energy Efficiency: Earthships are designed to maintain a stable interior temperature and harvest 100% of their required energy directly from the sun without connecting to the grid.
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Water Self-Sufficiency: Earthships often include systems for rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling that ensure maximum utility from scarce water resources, allowing for daily consumption, indoor-farming, and even flushing toilets.
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Recycling and Sustainability Focus: These homes are often built from upcycled materials, such as old tires and bottles, reducing waste and costs.
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Off-Grid Capabilities: Earthships are built for total independence from the grid, with solar panels, rainwater catchment, and sustainable waste management.
The main tradeoffs with traditional Earthships is their high labor and technical requirements. Earthships are far more complex to build and require specialized knowledge or training, which can drive up costs if skilled labor is needed. The Earthship Academy operates here in New Mexico and offers classes and assistance to people looking to build these styles of structures, but it often comes at a cost that is quite comparable to that of traditional construction. Of course, unlike traditional building methods, Earthships have a much lower environmental impact on the planet and offer long-term savings and security from self-sufficient systems. While this commitment to building with material that would otherwise end up in a landfill is admirable from an environmental standpoint, Happy Castle will focus heavily on affordability and feasibility in Phases One through Three. However, long term self-sufficient integrated systems like those of Earthships will be integrated into the commune until we achieve net-carbon-negative as an organization.
While our long-term vision for Happy Castle centers around sustainable, earth-built structures, we recognize the vital role that mobile housing—motorhomes, RVs, skoolies, buses, and vans—will play in our early development. To support our growing community, we’re creating shaded camping spaces with water and electricity hookups, providing a comfortable and functional space for residents living in vehicles. This way members can still live comfortably while building more permanent structutres.
This is more than just a temporary solution. As we build our first domes and establish Happy Castle’s foundations, these powered spaces will allow residents to live onsite while contributing to the larger vision. Looking ahead, we plan to launch a cooperative Skoolie Conversion Factory, offering members the opportunity to develop valuable skills in sustainable construction, while building additional housing stock for their community, as well as generating income for the cooperative. By repurposing retired school buses into off-grid homes, we can extend our ethos of self-sufficiency and creativity beyond our land, becoming a regional provider of both affordable housing as well as the educational empowerment to be part of the larger solution. As our permanent housing expands and we gradually phase out long-term vehicle living for our residents, these shaded, powered sites will transition into premium camping spaces for future guests—offering a comfortable stay for visitors and additional income opportunities for the community.
If you have a vehicle-based home, we encourage you to bring it to Happy Castle Art Camp! Whether you’re rolling in with a fully converted skoolie or a simple van setup, you’ll find a welcoming space here. Join us onsite in building something incredible—one dome, one bus, and one community at a time.
Motorhomes
Skoolies and Vans
The Happy Castle
Special School Bus
Mobile
Dome School
MOBILE SUPERADOBE DOME CAMP
At Happy Castle, we believe in bringing our vision to life with ingenuity, resourcefulness, and a bit of desert magic. Enter The Happy Castle Special—our fully converted 40ft 2008 Thomas Turbo CNG school bus, now transformed into a mobile Superadobe Earthbag Dome Building Camp.
For just $3,500, our founder, Thomas Loveheart, acquired this retired school bus and set out to turn it into the ultimate off-grid construction vehicle. Stripped down and rebuilt for purpose, it now carries everything needed to establish a fully functional dome-building camp anywhere in the high desert. Inside, you'll find essential supplies like cement mixers, forms, tampers, tools, earthbags, barbed wire, and water tanks, all carefully stored and ready for deployment. But it’s not just a tool hauler—several bunks line the interior, providing a place for crew members to rest after a hard day’s work in the sun complete with amenities such as a refrigerator, internet, and air-conditioning.
One of its standout features is the massive 4,000-watt solar array mounted on the roof. When deployed, these panels not only generate power for the entire build site but also unfold to provide critical shade for workers below, a luxury we dome builders know is rare. No need for noisy generators—this bus harnesses the sun to power tools, charge batteries, and keep the camp running smoothly.
Beyond construction, The Happy Castle Special Bus is a self-sustaining mobile basecamp. It comes equipped with a stove, refrigerator, dishes, an outdoor shower, composting toilets, and additional storage for spare tents and shade structures. With this setup, we can roll into any location and establish a fully functioning build site in no time. Besides helping us populate our 160 acre expanse with Superadobe Earthbag housing and infrastructure.
This bus is more than just a vehicle; it’s a symbol of our commitment to mobile, sustainable, and community-driven construction. As we grow, The Happy Castle Special Bus will serve as a cornerstone for future projects, allowing us to take our knowledge, tools, and passion on the road—helping others build their own Earthbag structures while expanding the network of like-minded builders dedicated to off-grid, sustainable living.
So if you see this beast rolling across the desert, know that it’s on a mission—to build, to empower, and to spread the spirit of Happy Castle far and wide.
Build Your Dream
Hire Us
to build Your Dome
At Happy Castle, we're not just building a cooperative eco- commune—we're building a network of skilled professionals who will apply their expertise both within our community and beyond. Thanks to our in-house skill building programs in areas such as Superadobe Earthbag Dome construction, permaculture landscape design, rainwater harvesting, and art, our members gain hands-on experience in a number of areas, transforming them into highly capable artists, organizers, and Earthbag builders.
These skills don’t just benefit our own projects though. At our center, Happy Castle's mission is to expand the popularity of natural building methods, intentional community, and the eco-village movement. Through the Happy Castle Builders Cooperative, many of our vigorously experienced resident builders contract their labor and expertise to regional neighbors, helping others develop their properties in an affordable, self-sufficient, and sustainable way while building mutual aid networks and local community.
By offering services ranging from consultation and design to full-scale construction, we make alternative building more accessible while bringing income back to the cooperative—ensuring Happy Castle’s long-term success. Through this program, we create a symbiotic relationship between Happy Castle and our neighboring landowners. We provide an affordable, eco-friendly path to property development, while also strengthening our own community’s financial sustainability. Every project we take on expands the reach of natural building, spreading the knowledge and practice of off-grid, regenerative architecture throughout the Southwwest. By building together, we’re not just creating homes—we’re laying the foundation for an entirely new way of living.
Happy Castle Art Camp
Parcels
get some land
for yourself
At Happy Castle, we believe in bringing our vision to life with ingenuity, resourcefulness, and a bit of desert magic. Enter The Happy Castle Special—our fully converted 40ft 2008 Thomas Turbo CNG school bus, now transformed into a mobile Superadobe Earthbag Dome Building Camp.
For just $3,500, our founder, Thomas Loveheart, acquired this retired school bus and set out to turn it into the ultimate off-grid construction vehicle. Stripped down and rebuilt for purpose, it now carries everything needed to establish a fully functional dome-building camp anywhere in the high desert. Inside, you'll find essential supplies like cement mixers, forms, tampers, tools, earthbags, barbed wire, and water tanks, all carefully stored and ready for deployment. But it’s not just a tool hauler—several bunks line the interior, providing a place for crew members to rest after a hard day’s work in the sun complete with amenities such as a refrigerator, internet, and air-conditioning.
One of its standout features is the massive 4,000-watt solar array mounted on the roof. When deployed, these panels not only generate power for the entire build site but also unfold to provide critical shade for workers below, a luxury we dome builders know is rare. No need for noisy generators—this bus harnesses the sun to power tools, charge batteries, and keep the camp running smoothly.
Beyond construction, The Happy Castle Special Bus is a self-sustaining mobile basecamp. It comes equipped with a stove, refrigerator, dishes, an outdoor shower, composting toilets, and additional storage for spare tents and shade structures. With this setup, we can roll into any location and establish a fully functioning build site in no time. Besides helping us populate our 160 acre expanse with Superadobe Earthbag housing and infrastructure.
This bus is more than just a vehicle; it’s a symbol of our commitment to mobile, sustainable, and community-driven construction. As we grow, The Happy Castle Special Bus will serve as a cornerstone for future projects, allowing us to take our knowledge, tools, and passion on the road—helping others build their own Earthbag structures while expanding the network of like-minded builders dedicated to off-grid, sustainable living.
So if you see this beast rolling across the desert, know that it’s on a mission—to build, to empower, and to spread the spirit of Happy Castle far and wide.
For those who share our passion for natural building, desert living, and sustainability—but may not be interested in full communal life—Happy Castle is offering land for sale in our vicinity. We’ve divided the space outside our perimeter into 70 approximately half-acre parcels, each available for $6,000 to $8,000, with a limit of a maximum one acre per individual or entity.
This is an opportunity for like-minded homesteaders, builders, and off-grid dreamers to establish their own self-sufficient spaces, while remaining in close proximity to a radically supportive community. Whether you’re looking to experiment with permaculture, build your own Earthbag home, or simply live among others who share your vision, these parcels provide the chance to do so while staying connected to Happy Castle’s events, workshops, and resources.
By fostering a network of independent, sustainability-focused neighbors, we’re expanding the reach of our mission beyond our core community. This is more than just land for sale—it’s an invitation to be part of a growing movement toward a more regenerative, creative, and self-reliant way of life.
JOIN THE HAPPY CASTLE NEIGHBORHOOD
Happy Castle's Blended Design
Earthbag Homes, Hyperadobe Studios and Earthship Community Centers
While Earthbag domes and Superadobe buildings are highly affordable, they both require significant physical labor, making them ideal if many hands are available. Our Initial-Buildout Plan aims to establish a core-village of a few buildings which will then function as the basecamp for public-facing workshops in sustainable building hosted by our members. Using these workshops we can simultaneously share affordable and sustainable construction methods with the public while accessing significantly higher labor resources. Earthships, despite offering the most advanced off-grid living experience, will unfortunately take a backseat to other methods for the foreseeable future due to their comparatively extreme upfront costs. However, in the future, integrating their design principles into the growing village will be a top priority as we strive for self-sufficiency in energy, water, and waste management. By blending these sustainable building methods, we can create a community that’s not only self-sufficient but also deeply in tune with the desert’s natural rhythms. In our vision of a sustainable desert commune, we intend to integrate the best aspects of Earthbag buildings, Earthships, and hyperadobe to create a diverse, efficient, and harmonious community. Each building style will serve a unique function within the commune, helping to address our goal for housing, community spaces, and self-sufficiency. However, during the Kickstarter’s buildout phase, affordability and ease of construction will take precedence over advanced technological luxuries. That said, all the planned buildings in this first phase will be either Earthbag or hyperadobe structures except for a few traditional prefabricated warehouses.
Phase One:
This is the first stage of development at Happy Castle. In terms of housing this will include about twenty-five individual residential domes for our first members as well as numerous communal buildings. A single dome can be as large as 22ft in diameter or about 380 sqft interior area. Domes can also be built to be interconnected, with multiple domes liked together to form a single structure. While most individual residences will be comprised of a single dome, some larger structures will be built for family units, student housing, and of course communal areas like the kitchen, bathrooms, and workshops. In terms of cost, constructing these domes is incredibly affordable, with most projected to use less than $3,000 in materials. More complex structures, like the communal kitchen and bathrooms will be more costly, but still far more affordable than traditional construction methods. The Happy Castle Dome School will be a crucial element in the successful buildout of the commune, with workshop attendees likely making up the bulk of construction labor as well as providing moderate income throughout the process. Still, human and financial resources will be quite limited during this phase. We intend to simplify construction by specializing in just a few dome types, standardizing our construction processes and workshop formats. The largest structures built during this phase will surely be the kitchen and bathroom facilities. The kitchen and dining building will be comprised of six interconnected domes, including storage pantries, dining booths, and a commercially equipped cooking and dishwashing area. This will be the single most expensive project in Phase One of the buildout by far with an estimated price tag over $50,000. The bathroom facilities will not be built using Superadobe Earthbag Dome construction, but Hyperadobe Earthbags instead, allowing us to build vertical walls, use common roofing techniques, and generally build a more traditional structure. Our bathroom facilities will be built modularly, allowing for it's convenient expansion as the needs of the campground grow. However, even this first phase of construction will include 18 individual bathroom stalls and 6 showers. This may seem like overkill for a community of just 25 residents but, this building will also serve as the primary restrooms for the entire campground, including the massive traffic expected at the festivals. Eventually this building will expand to include 72 bathroom stalls and 24 shower stalls. The first stage, representing a quarter section of the overall proposed structure is projected to cost $18,000 in materials.
25 VILLAGERS
HOUSING
THE RESIDENCES
The first residential structures that will be built onsite will be several four-dome complexes, each comprised of three smaller domes connected to a larger central dome. The three smaller does will serve as bedrooms while the larger central dome will essentially function as a shared common-room.
We're planning to build three of these four-dome complexes which will serve as the first shelters for our very earliest collaborators. Initially, collaborators will share these domes, with as many as nine people per dormitory, or three in each bedroom. This is only meant to be a temporary arrangement aimed at providing immediate shelter to our earliest onsite members. As we continue to build more single and double-dome units, these four-dome complexes will eventually retire, transitioning to student housing and other communal spaces.
However, at this early stage, we'll need to bunk up. Private trailers and camper vans are highly encouraged!
After the completion of our third four-dome complex, construction will begin focusing on individual two-dome units. These double-dome units will make up the bulk of individual residences, with each unit containing a small bedroom and living space. For phase one, we're building to accommodate at least twenty-five fulltime residents, and therefore intend to eventually construct twenty-five of these double-dome units. Of course, this will be a gradual process, so most of these initial units will also require at at least one other roommate until supply sufficiently increases.
Once twenty-five of these double-units have been constructed, the community can begin to consider the construction of additional student-housing as well as more extravagant individual residences. Incoming members will frequently begin their stay in one of our four-dome complexes before eventually graduating to more spacious living arrangements as higher-tier housing becomes available. In other words, our long-term members will frequently be given the option to move into the newest and best housing while newcomers will typically first experience commune life in the dorms.
However, as the number of residents continues to grow, so too will our construction capabilities, especially when we consider the increasingly dynamic role the Happy Castle Dome School will play in this expansion.
THE CAMP KITCHEN
A COMMUNAL CAFETERIA
Among the first communal buildings built onsite will be the Camp Kitchen. This building will serve as central gathering space for campers, workshoppers, and residents alike during Phase One of our buildout. This building will be comprised of a massive central dome ringed by five additional connected domes. The central dome will serve as the main cooking area, featuring a spacious center-island, numerous stoves, refrigerators, freezers, a dishwashing station, and ample counter-space. Three of the five other domes will be dedicated dining spaces, featuring large circular dining booths and storage space for dishes. The other two remaining domes will be used primarily as pantries, storing food and kitchen supplies. The Camp Kitchen will also feature plentiful shaded, outdoor dining areas.
Like other aspects of the commune, the kitchen will be built out gradually to accommodate only what is necessary to the current size and requirements of the commune. That means that, although the interior spaces will be quite extensive from the beginning, they may remain largely empty at first, with additional stoves, sinks, counterspace, and refrigerators added later as needs arise.
RESTROOMS
FUNCTIONAL ART AND MODULAR DESIGN
Our seventy-two-stall restroom and shower facility is by far the most ambitious communal structure planned at Happy Castle. Although Phase One of the buildout will include only a quarter of the final structure, the completed design will be both innovative and complex.
The ultimate vision is a massive, ring-shaped building with seventy-two outward-facing bathroom stalls lining its outer perimeter. Every ninth stall will be separated by a passageway leading into an interior courtyard. Inside the ring, the interior will feature twenty-four courtyard-facing shower stalls, each equipped with three showerheads. The central courtyard, designed as a garden oasis reminiscent of a small park, will be nourished largely by runoff from the showers. During events, guests will have access to short showers on a first-come, first-serve basis for a reasonable fee, generating additional income for the commune.
The disc-shaped roof will project outward from the curved supporting walls, providing ample shade for both the exterior bathroom patio and the interior courtyard. The roof will slope inward from both sides, channeling rainwater into a large central collection system that will feed the showers.
Wedged between and behind the back walls of the concentric bathroom and shower stalls, a slightly below-grade passageway will run along the inner circumference of the structure. This service tunnel will facilitate the convenient removal of composted waste and enable plumbing repairs as needed. Additionally, the tunnel will house water pumps and rainwater storage tanks, keeping essential infrastructure concealed yet accessible.
Each bathroom stall will house two composting toilets: one available for use while the other actively composts waste. Periodically, the composted material will be emptied via the service tunnel, and the toilets will be rotated. Initially, this process will yield relatively small quantities of compost, with only about twenty-five or so residents contributing to the system. However, as the community grows and post-festival contributions increase, this system will become a key component of our soil-regeneration efforts.
Beyond serving as a centralized humanure composting area for the campground and festivals, the restroom facility is also envisioned as a large-scale interactive art installation. Each of the seventy-two exterior bathroom stall doors will represent a unique gender identity, offering a playful yet powerful commentary on the politicization of identity while underscoring our own commitment to radical inclusion.
While the completed structure will be the ambitious ring-shaped facility described above, the first phase will be a more modest beginning: a curved segment featuring eighteen outward-facing bathroom stalls along the exterior and six inward-facing shower stalls on the interior. As the commune expands, this initial segment will grow through modular additions, gradually forming the full circular design and ultimately enclosing the central garden.
COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE
In addition to the community infrastructure listed above, Phase One of the buildout will also include a warehouse, and several small communal spaces. If we're able to exceed our first Stretch Goal of $500,000 we'll expand Phase One to include additional rainwater catchment and storage, a hydroponic greenhouse, and expanded communal spaces.
WAREHOUSE
STORAGE AND EVENTS SPACE
The 60x80ft steel warehouse will be the beating heart of Happy Castle during the initial phases of construction, serving as the central hub for operations, storage, and temporary housing until additional units can be built. As such, it will be one of the earliest structures to be constructed onsite and won't feature the same sustainability standards as future construction. However, its versatility and robust design make it an ideal base of operations, facilitating efficient construction of the commune’s other facilities and residences. As the commune's infrastructure expands, the warehouse will be mostly relegated to storage space for tools, materials, vehicles as well as occasionally serving as an indoor events space for special performances during the festivals.
The warehouse will be a pre-engineered steel structure with a clear-span design, offering maximum usable interior space without the need for interior support columns. Made of galvanized steel, the frame and siding will be durable and resistant to rust, wind, and extreme temperatures.
Spray foam insulation will be applied to the walls and roof, maintaining comfortable temperatures year-round and improving energy efficiency. Exhaust fans and ridge vents will keep the interior well-ventilated and livable. The massive roof-space will make up a significant portion of our early rainwater collection surface area, channeling rainfall into several large reservoirs along it's exterior.
Approximately half the space will be designated for storing vehicles, tools, and construction materials. This includes organized shelving, workbenches, and a dedicated area for mechanical repairs. Residents will also be able to use the area for other projects, like carpentry, pottery, and metalworking, until dedicated workshops can be built.
The remaining space will be sectioned off as temporary living space, complete with bunk beds, storage lockers, and a communal lounge area. Portable dividers will create semi-private sleeping areas for members while we work to quickly build additional residential domes. A modest corner area will feature a temporary kitchen with basic appliances, along with communal tables for shared meals. Overall, however, very little will be invested into making the warehouse a comfortable living-space as it is only a temporary shelter.
The warehouse will provide a centralized space to organize and store equipment, enabling efficient progress on other construction projects. Its temporary function as member housing ensures everyone remains onsite and focused, reducing travel times and fostering a strong sense of community. Once additional residences are completed, the warehouse will transition to its long-term purpose as a storage and operations hub, supporting the ongoing growth and maintenance of Happy Castle.
COMMUNAL AMENITIES
WORKSHOPS, STUDIOS, OFFICES AND AMENITIES
A central pillar of Happy Castle’s mission is to create an environment where individuals can thrive—fostering personal growth, fulfillment, and self-actualization while empowering the community to reach its highest collective potential. Building a close-knit, supportive community is essential, but it’s only part of the equation. We also believe that true growth and creativity require access to the right tools and resources. Artists need materials, gardeners need gardens, musicians need instruments and recording equipment, and everyone needs financial stability.
That’s why a key element of our vision is to continually invest in the resources and amenities that enable our members to build fulfilling lives. At Happy Castle, we’re committed to creating an ever-expanding network of facilities and tools designed to support a wide range of passions and pursuits. However, this vision will unfold gradually. Like all aspects of our commune, these amenities will be developed in stages, prioritizing projects that deliver the greatest impact first and building upon them over time.
In Phase One of our buildout, most of our startup funds will be allocated to essential infrastructure, including housing, water systems, energy solutions, and food production. Still, we’ve reserved a portion of the budget for the first communal amenities: a small gym, an art studio, and community laundry facilities. These initial projects will not only meet practical needs but also lay the foundation for a thriving, resource-rich community.
THE GYM
Our initial gym will be a simple setup, with basic workout equipment arranged in a designated area of the Warehouse. This approach provides residents with a convenient space to exercise while keeping costs minimal during the early stages of development.
Over time, we envision expanding this into a dedicated multi-dome complex, featuring a fully equipped gym along with specialized domes for yoga and a sauna, offering a comprehensive fitness and wellness experience for the community.
THE LAUNDROMAT
In the beginning, our laundry facilities will consist of a single industrial washer and dryer for private use by the community. As the village expands, we plan to build a dedicated laundry facility equipped with multiple machines to accommodate growing needs.
This facility will serve both residents and campers, providing a valuable service visitors while generating modest income for the commune.
THE ART STUDIO
The first Art Studio will be a versatile multi-purpose dome, offering resident artists a shared space to create and collaborate on their various crafts. As the commune grows, we plan to construct additional, specialized domes tailored to specific artistic disciplines like pottery, sculpting, metalworking, carpentry, painting, music production, and more, each equipped with the tools and resources needed to support both emerging and experienced artists.
Over time, this evolving network of studios will increasingly reflect and reinforce the commune's culture of creativity, collaboration, self-expression and skill-building.
GREENHOUSE
HYDROPONIC GROW-OP
Self-sufficiency is a major aspirational goal of Happy Castle and as such, the ability to grow our own food is a central component of our mission. The hydroponic greenhouse is a key component of our vision for sustainable food production. Designed to maximize water efficiency and year-round growing potential, this greenhouse will provide fresh produce for the commune while serving as a learning center for sustainable agriculture practices.
Once completed, the hydroponic greenhouse will supply a steady stream of fresh produce, ranging from leafy greens and herbs to fruits and vegetables. The modular design allows for future expansion, and its integration with Happy Castle's broader sustainability initiatives ensures long-term impact. Additionally, the greenhouse will host workshops and serve as an educational showcase for visitors and residents alike, demonstrating innovative, eco-friendly farming practices in a challenging desert environment.