Yestermorrow’s Hands-on Approach to Learning Homebuilding

At a time when housing stock, affordability, and sustainability are pressing concerns, small-scale homes are growing in popularity as a solution. Vermont-based Yestermorrow Design/Build School empowers students to take housing into their own hands and construct efficient, accessible dwellings.

“Our goal is to produce students who build better houses that aren’t mega mansions or multimillion dollar homes, but are practical for the average person or family looking for a more compact footprint, a more efficient climate footprint, and a more affordable home—that’s what we’re building, and why we’re building it,” explains Sarah Johnson, Yestermorrow’s Outreach and Student Services Manager.

The school has over 100 offerings, ranging from weekend workshops to certificate programs and semester-long courses in design, construction, and woodworking—no college affiliation necessary. Subject matter spans from carpentry fundamentals and AutoCAD competency to timber framing, natural building, tiny house construction, building science, and net zero design.

One recent student project resulting from a summer-long program is a shipping container home, displaying student craftsmanship executed in just a few months. The build includes a spacious kitchen, living space, separate sleeping quarters, and an efficient bathroom. The innovative and eco-friendly housing model is currently available for sale.

Semester in Design/Build

In the Semester in Design/Build program, students design and construct dwellings from tiny homes and cabins to custom houses in just three and a half months. The program, which starts in August, begins with an intensive in design, architecture, and drawing. Students then work together to build a small, efficient structure.

“Rather than keeping design and building siloed from each other, we make sure they’re constantly in conversation, teaching students how to iterate on their designs, go back to the drawing board when needed, and make changes as they go,” says Johnson. “With this holistic approach to learning the entire process, it cuts out the communication back-and-forths when you have separate entities dealing with the design and construction.”

The course is run in partnership with UMass Amherst. Over a semester, students gain technical skills and real-world experience. And while college students are a natural fit for the program, it is open to anyone—including career changers, self-starting property owners, and individuals eager to enter building trades—many graduates pursue careers in architecture, construction, and sustainable design.

Waitsfield Ten

Beyond the semester program, the school has been involved in numerous small-home projects across central Vermont. Notably, the school contributes to a housing development across the street from its campus, coined the Waitsfield Ten, which features income- and size-restricted lots across 10 acres. The emerging community showcases a collection of small, efficient homes, including those built by former students and staff. Many landowners are involved with Yestermorrow or are alumni. Four homes have been built so far, and are currently owned or rented.

Whether through tiny homes, shipping container conversions, or ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units), small-scale housing can be both efficient and learnable.

“Many students are interested in building their own home, and go on to do so or to build buildings for someone else in their community.”