Born out of utter necessity and invention, here is one of Canada’s humblest design creations. This simple housing style was literally was carved from the earth (local materials to the extreme) and fashioned into a two-room home. The frontiersman typically arrived with nothing but personal possessions, was handed some basic tools and told where their land was, the rest was up to them, a tough sink or swim mentality that created a pioneer aesthetic. The idea of people living on the bald prairie through a solid winter in such a place is a poignant reminder to us all. We can design meaningful things and powerful experiences with shockingly basic ingredients. With intelligence, desire and hope for the future, design can take us to great places.