The Tiny House Project, Affordable & Functional

The Tiny House project has been developed as a response to some worrying trends in Australian housing (i.e. affordability, increasing floor areas and environmental impact).

Two graduate architects who have side-stepped into carpentry apprenticeships, have teamed up with builder Greg Thornton of Greg Thornton Constructions to form the Tiny House Company – a small business that specialises in the design and construction of compact dwellings.

With land prices being the major hurdle for most people, the Tiny House Company wanted to provide a way for people to own a house while renting land, hence building it on wheels. Being on wheels and thus classified as a caravan removes some of the hurdles to living off-grid and also gives people the flexibility to move the house within or between properties as the need arises.

The goal was to build something that’s small but still beautiful – big enough and well equipped to make it a legitimate long-term housing option, not just a short-term gimmick.

There were many design challenges along the way including the ability to fit a fully functioning house within the confines of 18 square metres of floor area. As a result, many spaces within the home have multiple uses. For example, the bed is tucked away overhead during the day to allow for a quaint, comfortable lounge area below.

Inside the Tiny House the raking ceiling, side main entry and material selection are used to give the space a clear direction – opening out onto the deck. The high level Breezway Louvre Windows provide visual and spatial relief to the sky and treetops as well as washing light down the ceiling and allowing heat to escape. The long views through the centre of the house are also accentuated by the gallery of louvre windows in the bathroom.

The owners and graduate architects of the house have stated that “Breezeway Louvres are elegantly detailed. They’ve done such a great job of balancing excellent watershed, ergonomics, and clean lines. The result is something that works in all sorts of spaces, mixing beautifully with many aesthetics”.

The owners go on to say “Living in small spaces brings you closer to every detail of a design. You can’t get away with mistakes in your detailing – there’s nowhere to hide them. So choice of windows was crucial to us. Breezway Louvre Windows give you such direct control of the temperature, airflow, and in the case of frosted louvres, privacy. They’re super comfortable to operate and look fantastic. There’s something about the narrow blades that suit small spaces beautifully. On a more practical note, we’ve got louvres placed where they’re easy to access from inside but a bit of a hassle from the outside. Cleaning can be done entirely from inside – that’s something the other window types don’t offer.” Lara Nobel & Andrew Carter.

Graduate Architects – Lara Nobel & Andrew Carter
The Tiny House Company 07 3276 8227 info@tinyhousecompany.com.au www.tinyhousecompany.com.au

Builder – Greg Thornton
The Tiny House Company in collaboration with Greg Thornton Constructions office@gregthorntonconstructions.com
www.gregthorntonconstructions.com/