Inside the bushfire-proof container home made entirely out of STEEL – so would you live in a ‘blaze-proof box’?
- Neil Soderlund went off the grid four years ago after buying a remote property
- He initially purchased the 182 hectare parcel of land to build his own bike-track
- Soderlund also made a holiday home from of a steel bush fire-proof container
- His steel home sits atop a 250m edge of a sandstone cliff with views of a valley
A mountain biker has fulfilled his lifelong dream of escaping the big smoke and living off the beaten track by building a remote ‘steel tent’ home.
Neil Soderlund went off the grid four years ago when he bought a property in the Watagan Mountains, two hours north of Sydney.
He initially purchased the 182 hectare parcel of land with the intention of building his own bike-track, but ended up constructing a permanent holiday home in the form of a steel bush fire-proof container.
Neil Soderlund said fresh air is able to blow through the spaces between the three containers
The passionate mountain biker wanted the house to feel like it was among nature, and said it feels like camping in steel tents
Mr Soderlund told realestate.com.au that because his container home is in dense forest, it was imperative it could be protected from fire danger.
‘We decided we wanted to build the house entirely out of steel and non-flammable materials. This way you can close up the box so it’s fire-proof,’ he said.
Mr Soderlund said the containers are fairly cheap and modular to create.
His steel home sits atop a 250m tall edge of a sandstone cliff with views over the side of a valley.
But the height of the cliff made for a difficult building project as there was no power on the site.
Mr Soderlund said he feels like he lives outside the house in nature rather than inside
‘We fitted out three containers in Sydney and assembled them with some other pieces of steel, sliding doors and roofing to support the containers on site,’ Mr Soderlund said.
The passionate mountain biker wanted the house to feel like it was among nature, and said it feels like camping in steel tents.
‘The two-by-two metre sleeping spaces are really small. It’s literally a double bed with a little bit of space off to the side. In one case we’ve elevated a double bed so there’s storage beneath it. There’s also one with a bunk bed,’ he said.
Mr Soderlund said fresh air is able to blow through the spaces between the three containers.
The home also catches water and generates its own energy, but a satellite connects to the NBN.
Mr Soderlund managed to build a 23km bike trail which weaves through trees, but said the project is never fully over.
He continues to create new trails, new cabins or make changes to the house.
Mr Soderlund said he feels like he lives outside the house in nature rather than inside.
‘The house itself is only used for a short list of purposes, such as cooking, sleeping, washing, going to the bathroom,’ he said.
Neil Soderlund fitted out three containers in Sydney and assembled them with other pieces of steel, sliding doors and roofing to support the containers on site