An Inexpensive Camp Built on the Unit Plan 
by Carlton Strong, architect 
T HERE are very many people who 
seem to be interested in schemes for 
providing inexpensive and comfortable 
means of camping in places that are occu¬ 
pied only a short time each year, whether 
for winter or summer. The suggestion 
a- 
Cof 
c/. 
C 
\ 
\ 
\ 
\ 
Co/ 6 
td 1 
! 
! 
7 ' ■ 
4 - «'■ 
•Nl 
The sides of the closet and larder form the 
supporting ends for the four cot-beds 
here made was devised for some friends 
nearly twenty years ago and has, from 
time to time since then, proven useful to 
others. It is shown in the accompanying 
illustrations and consists in the adoption 
•of a type of plank-framed structure that 
The cots are made of canvas 
fastened to horizontal sup¬ 
ports (AB). The outer one of 
these may be lifted out of its 
end supports and folded back 
against the wall, resting on 
top of B, the fixed support 
may be built anywhere by anyone having 
a little knowledge of carpentry work. 
The doors and windows may be 
shipped from the nearest town, ready for 
erection, or canvas substitutes may be 
used for them. The roofs may be cov¬ 
ered with ready roofing or, if a canvas 
“fly” is used over them the roof boards 
alone will suffice. The position of doors 
and windows assures ventilation at both 
ends, even when one of the top windows 
is attacked by a storm. In addition to 
these openings, more air may be had by 
cutting the framing boards short on the 
sides in the manner shown. When this is 
done, the openings thus formed may be 
covered with canvas flaps, controlled from 
within, in case of storm. 
The sleeping cots are arranged to fold 
back out of the way when not in use, so 
that the whole of the floor space may be 
utilized in the daytime. The two side 
closets support the ends of the cots and 
provide roomy places for food and cloth¬ 
ing. 
Illustrations by the Author 
A family party can be accommodated 
by using a division curtain between the 
closets at night. The cooking may be 
done on the sheltered end of the least ex¬ 
posed porch and, in case of wind suffi¬ 
cient to affect the use of an oil stove, it 
may be protected with a wind screen fitted 
up to meet the requirements. 
The small diagram in the right-hand 
lower corner of this page shows the same 
form of bungalow arranged on each side 
of a common living-room, in this case 
14 x 16 ft. in size, for the accommodation 
of a larger party. When formed into five 
tection. Many fresh materials and left¬ 
overs will not keep well if shut into a 
close cupboard or covered closely in a 
dish, yet if left uncovered in even a dark¬ 
ened room they invariably prove attrac¬ 
tive to household pests. Because of the 
trouble of moving it, we did not like to 
have a wire cupboard made, so one day 
in desperation I took a soap-box and con¬ 
structed a frame, using one side of the 
box as the bottom sbelf and the other as 
a higher one, fitted the door frame with 
leather hinges cut from an old shoe-top, 
and covered it all with a double thickness 
The side view and section of the unit camp as shown in plan above. Its supports are 
locust posts well planted in the ground. Ventilation is secured through the windows 
above the end doors and also, if desired, by openings at the top of alternate boards 
rooms of more serious construction, this 
arrangement is excellent for summer 
dwellings of almost any description, since 
every room or unit of space has two ex¬ 
posed sides for ventilation. When pro¬ 
vided with a staircase, five rooms and an 
interior bath may be added on the second 
floor. The sub-division of the floor space 
and the uses to which each unit of space 
may be put admits of considerable varia¬ 
tion. In a house having one wing arranged 
like the first suggestion the unexpected 
guest may be more easily provided for. 
The ideas here suggested have been tried 
out in many ways and the buildings 
based on them have never failed to please 
the persons for whom they were erected. 
Improvised Cupboards for 
Summer Homes. 
D URING our period of renting houses 
we never found fly-proof cupboards 
for summer use. Every housewife now 
understands what a menace flies are to the 
health of her family; at the same time, 
the housekeeper of average circumstances 
seldom has room in refrigerator or ice¬ 
box for all the supplies that require pro¬ 
Using the above plan as a unit, a great va¬ 
riety of larger buildings may be worked 
out. In this case two of the units are used 
flanking a living-room 14 x 16 feet in size 
of mosquito netting. This proved so 
satisfactory that I made another, one to 
be placed by the cool pantry window and 
the other in the cellar. The netting usu¬ 
ally lasted at least one summer, and cost 
only a few cents to replace when it did 
wear out. When we moved we felt no 
compunction at leaving them behind. 
These cupboards often enabled me to re¬ 
duce my ice bill considerably. 
Alice M. Ashton 
(176) 
