designs tiny homes - adaptable single-occupancy...
TRANSCRIPT
Location: Gosford, NSW
DESIGNS TINY HOMES - ADAPTABLE SINGLE-OCCUPANCY UNITS FOR TINY HOMES FOUNDATION
Tiny Homes has proposed a collaborative service model made up of four to six small houses in conjunction with meeting facilities, common spaces with amenities and welfare and education services. THF required a housing design that could be prefabricated and be transportable to site (without exceeding statutory oversize load limits) or alternately be flat packed and assembled DIY without specialist skills or equipment.
The greatest challenge has been the approval process. As this project does not fall within conventional planning typology, the planners and local government have collaborated to develop an appropriate classification for assessment.
The successful DA approval of the first site in Gosford is a milestone and is proof of concept in planning terms.
NBRSARCHITECTURE has partnered with the Tiny Homes Foundation (THF) to design and develop single-occupancy affordable housing units for the homeless. The project seeks to identify parcels of council owned land that are underutilised or vacant, generally because they are unsuitable for conventional purposes. It is considered to be ‘Australia’s first approved tiny home project’.
THE TINY HOMES FOUNDATION PILOT PROGRAM WILL SERVE AS A PROTOTYPE FOR A NEW
AND INNOVATIVE WAY TO ADDRESS AUSTRALIA’S GROWING AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.
NBRS has created the concept for the Tiny Homes Foundation, which includes groups of four houses in proximity to one another sharing a common lounge, common laundry/workshop and common green space to gather.
The homes include a full bathroom and kitchen, and can be built for less than $30,000. The use of insulated panels facilitates easy assembly and is self-supporting, avoiding the need of a structural frame. (It is envisaged that the construction of the housing units shall also be performed by partcipants in work skill development programs.)
Each 14sq.m home has been designed with ESD principles in mind. Working with the environment to provide thermal comfort, minimising a need for artificial heating and cooling, and installing appliances with low energy consumption. Rainwater is harvested, and the toilet is compostable making these units feasible on un-serviced sites.
ABOUT: NBRSARCHITECTURE is a people focused, multidisciplinary design practice with expertise in Architecture, Heritage, Interiors, Land-scape Architecture, Urban Planning, ESD and Compliance. NBRS seeks to design environments that will have a positive life-changing affect. By developing creative design partnerships, our portfolio, which spans public and private sectors, exhibits an understanding of the people whose lives will be affected. NBRS is recognised for its innovative, award-winning design excellence and comprehensive expertise. Our de-sign-minded, 70-strong team’s unique focus on creative partnerships helps to realise solutions with extraordinary results.
CONTACT: James Ward +61 2 9922 2344 [email protected]