Sarah Murphy and Stefaan duPont did it. The duo left their desk jobs—Murphy as a textiles designer at Martha Stewart, and duPont as an interface designer at the agency R/GA—and hit the road. After a year on the move, they started the travel blog Miles & Miles, where they create stories on topics like adventure and fashion for such clients as American Express, Gap, and Condé Nast Traveler. More often than not, the pair is traveling off the grid in their trusted Toyota Tacoma, which they’ve outfitted with a sleeping platform, running water, propane stove, and auxiliary batteries. Murphy and duPont love looking for inspiration in how others take shelter in their respective landscapes. In doing so, they’ve stumbled on some of the world’s coolest structures. Here, they show us a collection of their favorites.
Above: Long Studio: Joe Batt’s Arm, Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada
Newfoundland is a mecca for innovative homes and architecture, which is surprising for a province with only 2,500 residents. On the outskirts of Joe Batt’s Arm on the northern tip of Fogo Island, we climbed over a hill near the coast and found what we think is one of the best examples of contemporary architecture in North America. Long Studio’s interior is almost completely open. It’s designed to hold multiple workspaces and capture the most light during long summer days.
Newfoundland is a mecca for innovative homes and architecture, which is surprising for a province with only 2,500 residents. On the outskirts of Joe Batt’s Arm on the northern tip of Fogo Island, we climbed over a hill near the coast and found what we think is one of the best examples of contemporary architecture in North America. Long Studio’s interior is almost completely open. It’s designed to hold multiple workspaces and capture the most light during long summer days.
Squish Studio: Tilting, Fogo Island, Newfoundland
Fogo Island was originally a fishing community, with many of its inhabitants coming from Ireland and England. In fact, it’s common to hear Irish accents while wandering more remote parts of Newfoundland, which was a surprise to us. Fogo Island Arts is responsible for six contemporary artist studios, available for residencies, as well as the Fogo Island Inn. All of the buildings, designed by Todd Saunders, are influenced by the heritage, landscape, and tradition of craft that is native to this area.
Fogo Island was originally a fishing community, with many of its inhabitants coming from Ireland and England. In fact, it’s common to hear Irish accents while wandering more remote parts of Newfoundland, which was a surprise to us. Fogo Island Arts is responsible for six contemporary artist studios, available for residencies, as well as the Fogo Island Inn. All of the buildings, designed by Todd Saunders, are influenced by the heritage, landscape, and tradition of craft that is native to this area.
Tower Studio: Shoal Bay, Fogo Island, Newfoundland
Another brilliant design from Saunders, the Tower Studio twists from the bottom and has large windows to capture light. It looks different from every angle and doesn’t stick out too much in the coastal landscape. All studios in the Fogo Island Arts project are off the grid and powered by solar panels that are either on the structures or nearby.
Another brilliant design from Saunders, the Tower Studio twists from the bottom and has large windows to capture light. It looks different from every angle and doesn’t stick out too much in the coastal landscape. All studios in the Fogo Island Arts project are off the grid and powered by solar panels that are either on the structures or nearby.
Fisherman’s Boathouse: Tilting, Fogo Island, Newfoundland
Cod fishing was the main source of income in Newfoundland until 1992, when the Canadian government prohibited fishing due to the diminishing cod population. This was a devastating blow to the island’s residents and economy. The Shorefast Foundation has come up with a strategy to rehabilitate the community based on the arts, geotourism, and incentives for local entrepreneurs.
Cod fishing was the main source of income in Newfoundland until 1992, when the Canadian government prohibited fishing due to the diminishing cod population. This was a devastating blow to the island’s residents and economy. The Shorefast Foundation has come up with a strategy to rehabilitate the community based on the arts, geotourism, and incentives for local entrepreneurs.
Fishing Village: Saint Paul’s, Newfoundland
We saw these houses as little specks out on the beach as we drove north from Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland. It didn’t look as though many people drove out that way since there was no marked road. We decided to pull off and see if we’d be able to drive out to the collection of fishing shacks. We ended up with an epic view of the houses as well as the south-facing landscape of Western Brook Pond, a landlocked fjord.
We saw these houses as little specks out on the beach as we drove north from Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland. It didn’t look as though many people drove out that way since there was no marked road. We decided to pull off and see if we’d be able to drive out to the collection of fishing shacks. We ended up with an epic view of the houses as well as the south-facing landscape of Western Brook Pond, a landlocked fjord.
Bell Island, Nova Scotia
Filled with excitement one summer, we drove from Rhode Island to Nova Scotia in a day. After searching for a nonintrusive place to park and set up camp, we ended up discovering Bell Island. An elderly fisherman who was taking a walk in the neighborhood gave us permission to sleep in our truck at the end of the road. In the morning, we decided to walk around the area and took this picture of our neighbor’s house.
Filled with excitement one summer, we drove from Rhode Island to Nova Scotia in a day. After searching for a nonintrusive place to park and set up camp, we ended up discovering Bell Island. An elderly fisherman who was taking a walk in the neighborhood gave us permission to sleep in our truck at the end of the road. In the morning, we decided to walk around the area and took this picture of our neighbor’s house.
El Cosmico: Marfa, Texas
El Cosmico does a brilliant job of capturing the most beautiful elements of life in the desert and consolidating them into the ultimate glamping experience.
El Cosmico does a brilliant job of capturing the most beautiful elements of life in the desert and consolidating them into the ultimate glamping experience.
Uno Astro Lodge: Tulum, Mexico
Although we’ve never stayed at Uno Astro Lodge, we’re always drawn to this beautiful beach villa when we visit Tulum. It’s a representation of everything we love about the place—the ocean, a great view, and totally picturesque.
Although we’ve never stayed at Uno Astro Lodge, we’re always drawn to this beautiful beach villa when we visit Tulum. It’s a representation of everything we love about the place—the ocean, a great view, and totally picturesque.
Grass Island: Guilford, Connecticut
It wasn’t until we became tourists in so many other parts of the world that we really tried to look at our own home with that fresh perspective. One of our favorite discoveries is this beautiful beach shack at the tip of Grass Island in Guilford.
It wasn’t until we became tourists in so many other parts of the world that we really tried to look at our own home with that fresh perspective. One of our favorite discoveries is this beautiful beach shack at the tip of Grass Island in Guilford.
Ermita de San Juan de Gaztelugatxe: Bermeo, Spain
Driving west on the northern coast of Spain after leaving Mundaka, it isn’t long until you stumble across this gem. We hiked the rugged coast down to the man-made bridge connecting the island to the mainland and up the 241 stairs to the church that currently stands there. The church has been attacked and burned down many times over the centuries. It is thought that the original structure was built in the 9th century.
Driving west on the northern coast of Spain after leaving Mundaka, it isn’t long until you stumble across this gem. We hiked the rugged coast down to the man-made bridge connecting the island to the mainland and up the 241 stairs to the church that currently stands there. The church has been attacked and burned down many times over the centuries. It is thought that the original structure was built in the 9th century.
Hiker’s Restroom: Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa
At the end of our second day hiking Mount Kilimanjaro, we camped above the clouds for the first time, and the reality of what we had committed to doing was setting in. We sat as the sun set into clouds, which were moving so fast that it felt like we were watching the ocean lapping a rugged coastline from the top of a cliff. Yes, this may be a hiker’s rest stop, but it must have one of the best views in world.
At the end of our second day hiking Mount Kilimanjaro, we camped above the clouds for the first time, and the reality of what we had committed to doing was setting in. We sat as the sun set into clouds, which were moving so fast that it felt like we were watching the ocean lapping a rugged coastline from the top of a cliff. Yes, this may be a hiker’s rest stop, but it must have one of the best views in world.
Farmhouse: Iceland
Most of the time that we were driving around Iceland, we saw more sheep than people. Many people in Reykjavik own farmhouses or vacation houses on more rural parts of the island that are left untouched for parts of the year. Here, one our favorites, with a healthy lawn as a roof!
Most of the time that we were driving around Iceland, we saw more sheep than people. Many people in Reykjavik own farmhouses or vacation houses on more rural parts of the island that are left untouched for parts of the year. Here, one our favorites, with a healthy lawn as a roof!
Stonehouse: Iceland
The houses in Iceland seem to adapt with the terrain and fold into the variety of landscapes. This small stone farmhouse was perfectly camouflaged.
The houses in Iceland seem to adapt with the terrain and fold into the variety of landscapes. This small stone farmhouse was perfectly camouflaged.
A-Frame: Big Sur, California
Driving Route 1 along the coast of California never gets old. We always discover new things, like this A-frame home with a killer view. I grabbed a telephoto lens and captured this image, which we often look at and daydream.
Driving Route 1 along the coast of California never gets old. We always discover new things, like this A-frame home with a killer view. I grabbed a telephoto lens and captured this image, which we often look at and daydream.
Teepee: Terlingua, Texas
We camped in our truck just outside the Terlingua Ghost Town on the Mexican border. This teepee was the only landmark for a small campground where we stayed before heading to Big Bend National Park the following day.
We camped in our truck just outside the Terlingua Ghost Town on the Mexican border. This teepee was the only landmark for a small campground where we stayed before heading to Big Bend National Park the following day.
Boathouse: Luang Prabang, Laos
We entered into Laos on a two-day slow-boat trip down the Mekong River. Our boat was not nearly as large as the one here, but we saw dozens of families who live in houseboats like these all along the river.
We entered into Laos on a two-day slow-boat trip down the Mekong River. Our boat was not nearly as large as the one here, but we saw dozens of families who live in houseboats like these all along the river.
Windmill: Sagres, Portugal
Sagres is a legendary surfing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing spot on the west coast of Portugal’s Algarve region. We chose the first winding dirt road heading toward the ocean, having no idea what to expect, and found a beautiful surf beach with layers of coastal mountains sloping down to the ocean. Among the changing landscapes, we spotted this old windmill on our way out to Carrapateira.
Read more at Outside Online | Story and all photos: Sarah Murphy and Stefaan duPont
Sagres is a legendary surfing, windsurfing, and kitesurfing spot on the west coast of Portugal’s Algarve region. We chose the first winding dirt road heading toward the ocean, having no idea what to expect, and found a beautiful surf beach with layers of coastal mountains sloping down to the ocean. Among the changing landscapes, we spotted this old windmill on our way out to Carrapateira.
Read more at Outside Online | Story and all photos: Sarah Murphy and Stefaan duPont
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