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Airship 002 Is a Modern, Spaceship-Like Retreat That’s Also Off-Grid and Modular

For all those times when you feel like leaving everything behind for a well-deserved break, there’s a spaceship-themed prefab home in Scotland unlike any other. It’s called Airship 002 and it’s a relatively new type of construction that’s modular, off-grid-ready, and prefabricated.
Airship 002 is a modular, off-grid-capable prefab home that's build to stand the test of time 23 photos
Photo: Roderick James Architects / OutOfTheBlue
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Airship 002 was introduced in 2018 by UK-based Roderick James Architects, a studio with more than 30 years of experience in building sustainable or modular homes. It was the result of the observation that most prefabricated homes have disadvantages that make them un-economic, ironically including their hottest selling attribute: the fact that you can take them apart for moving within hours.

It’s true, prefab homes are easy to set up and disassemble, which makes them more mobile. But it’s also true that timber, the material most used for them, becomes damaged in the process and is also subject to degradation over time. To counter that, Roderick James and his team introduced the Airship, a prefab home made from aluminum panels.

Named this way because of its distinctive shape, the Airship aims to double the appeal of durability with a living experience like no other. Because, honestly now, what other home makes you feel as if you’re flying a spaceship? For starters, the Airship can be installed in a few days by a team of two, so it can also be disassembled and moved in about the same time.

Airship 002 is a modular, off\-grid\-capable prefab home that's build to stand the test of time
Photo: Roderick James Architects / OutOfTheBlue
It’s made of high-quality, heavy-duty aluminum with stainless steel components and, as such, guaranteed to pass the test of time. The frame is insulated, and its total weight is about 3.5 tons, depending on the size and configuration, but light enough to allow resting on four concrete slabs sunk into the ground. It goes without saying that the ultimate location is entirely dependent on local regulations for these types of homes.

Recyclable, weather-proof, and cozy despite its utilitarian interior, Airship can be upgraded and customized according to each budget and destined use. Pictured in the gallery is Airship 002, which the design studio is offering for stays in Scotland – and which has repeatedly been named among the most spectacular rental residences in the country.

Airship 002 serves as the base model: Roderick James Architects says that one such home can be (almost) any size the future owner wants, with a maximum sleeping capacity of four people. It can be made to be completely off-grid or with utilities that hook up to the mains, and it can have wheels for easier transport. It has serious eco-credentials – or can have if you afford it: solar panels on the roof and a battery bank, rainwater capture system, spring water and filtration system, composting toilet, and LED lighting.

Airship 002 offers sleeping for just two people, but its modular design would allow it to be converted into a 2-bedroom space if the owner desired it. As of this moment, it has a single bedroom, a galley with a breakfast bar and fold-down table, a small lounge with a sofa that could sleep one, a living room with gorgeous views on one end, and an office with equally breathtaking vistas on the other. There’s a wood-burning stove that provides warmth and can be occasionally used for cooking, running hot and cold water, a balcony, and all the creature comforts you’d expect from a home not located in the middle of nowhere.

Airship 002 is a modular, off\-grid\-capable prefab home that's build to stand the test of time
Photo: Roderick James Architects / OutOfTheBlue
Aside from the diamond-plated aluminum floors and the steel framing on most furniture items, it’s the details that give this home its strongest spaceship vibes: Spain-imported pivot-tilt portholes, steampunk or industrial-design objets d’art, and the occasional poster art – like the one in the kitchen that reads “Loose lips sink ships.”

No price is officially offered for the standard Airship, which is perhaps the only bummer about this unique, gorgeous, and eco-friendly (and slightly mobile) construction. Media reports claim that one unit starts at $125,000.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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