Intro:
This is the first thought-balloon in a series of three to encourage a more energetic lane-house movement in Nelson. What with the need for (affordable) housing, the lane idea has been one of two floated - the other is feasible basement suites - but floated only: City Hall is dithering.
With Airbnb handled by way of Council getting an energetic public! push: incentives for lane houses and basement suites should be next - tapping into the same energy.
All material of this series is to be found in/through:
Dezeen's top 10 biggest architecture and design stories of 2016
Dezeen (Daily), 25 Dec, 2016
Non-essentials within the context of possible lane houses have been omitted.
Tiny/Lane Houses:
Plans for a tiny house by Foundry Architects made available for purchase
Jenna McKnight, Dezeen, 28 Jul,2016
Anyone wanting to construct their own tiny house can now buy detailed plans for a micro dwelling designed by Washington DC Foundry Architects.
The Minim House - its name taken from the word "minimal" - contains a kitchen and bathroom, along with areas for sleeping, working, lounging and dining.
There are two models. One encompasses 210 square feet (19 square meters) and is meant to be mounted on a trailer, while the other totals 265 square feet (25 square meters) and sits on top of a permanent foundation.
Detailed house-plans - including elevations, sections, construction guidelines and annotated build-photos - are now available for purchase for US $495, enabling people to construct their own micro home. The company also intends to manufacture the dwellings and sell them for approximately US $70.000.
Other companies that sell plans for micro dwellings include hOMe, started by an Oregon couple, and Tumbleweed, established in 1999 in California.
The team hopes to advance tiny house design by creating a complete living unit that ranks high on function and aesthetics, and low on environmental impact.
"Tiny houses have begun to attract a segment of the population that wants to live lightly on the land and with few possessions," said Foundry Architects. "However, many of the houses often feel cramped, or worse, just uncomfortable."
The flexible interior design of the Minim House enables it to house all programmatic requirements "in inventive and surprising ways". "The openness of the plan is key to the project's modern aesthetic and comfortable living," the architect said. "It 'lives' much larger than its minuscule footprint."
Once all of the components are on-site, the house can be constructed within a couple of days.
For the interior design, the team took cues from ship cabins, where space is extremely limited. "No detail can go unnoticed in a house this size," the team said. "Every dimension and function matters because there is no room to spare."
Rather than create a sleeping-loft - a common feature in tiny houses - the team installed a retractable bed on wheels that sits under the work area.
A tabletop made of reclaimed walnut can be easily (height-adjusted and) moved around the house and serve as a dining table, coffee table, bar top or computer desk.
Other interior features include wood flooring, stainless steel cabinetry and a built-in couch.
The home contains an incinerating toilet that converts waste into ash. Which negates the need for connection to a septic system.
The home's energy-efficient building-envelope consists of structurally insulated panels (SIPS) that are clad in cedar boards. A ridge beam supports the roof, which is covered with solar panels.
They provide the energy needed to power the dwelling. The energy is converted into usable electricity via an inverter in the main closet. Extra energy can be stored in batteries.
The home can be mechanically cooled or heated when necessary. "During summer months, if cooling is needed, a thru-wall air conditioning unit located on the west elevation is turned on," the team explained. "During the winter, a wall-mounted propane stove heats the place."
Concealed rooftop gutters collect rainwater and send it to a 3-step ceramic filtration-system, which makes the water potable. Up to 40 gallons (151 liters) of filtered water can be stored at a time. A propane unit heats water on-demand.
According to Minim Houses, about 60 sets of plans have been sent around the world, with homes under construction in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US.
Local Focus:
While this presentation is not meant to be an answer to our housing-problem - it may stimulate movement down the lane here-now. Pictures have the power to do that simply and more directly.
Architectural/Interior Images:
Foundry Architects/Dezeen
Mayor Deb Kozak
dkozak@nelson.ca
Nelson City Council
nelsoncouncil@nelson.ca
Pam Mierau, Manager of Development Services/Nelson
pmierau@nelson.ca
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