This tiny house in Wattle Bank, Australia is made up of three 20ft shipping containers.
While reducing our carbon footprint requires giving up many comforts, it also makes room for the simpler pleasures in life.
Having more green space allows you to grow and harvest more plants. For an Australian couple, Amy Plank and Richard Vaughan, downsizing meant shedding household obligations to have the freedom to surf, garden and enjoy nature whenever and however they wanted.
Hoping to realize their dream of a sustainable, scaled-down lifestyle, Plank and Vaughan found the freedom they had hoped for in shipping container architecture.
Situated on a parcel of Amy’s parents’ farm, the couple’s Wattle Bank home was designed and built by modular home construction company Modhouse, founded by Amy’s parents, Mark and Melissa Plank.
Each 20-foot container that makes up the Tiny House connects to each other through built-in walkways. These hallways also make the most of the available living space by housing utility rooms such as the laundry room and entryway. Throughout the home, entryways and floor-to-ceiling windows give the feeling of indoor-outdoor living, adding a little extra space indoors as well.
Although the wide windows and openings manage to create a smooth transition between the outside and the inside, the house has been properly equipped to protect the interior spaces from excessive sunlight. The roof extensions, which are separate, help to increase the thermal efficiency quotient of the house. With a rating of 7.1 stars, the energy efficiency of the house is achieved thanks to the raised roofs and the Colorbond exterior cladding, covered with layers of thermal insulation.
While the exterior metal cladding helps shield the home from the natural elements, the softer, warmer interior is achieved with Tasmanian oak flooring and Ecoply plywood walls, ceilings and cabinetry.
In choosing all the construction materials for the house, Vaughan and Plank prioritized its eco-friendly appeal. Low-impact materials such as formaldehyde-free FSC-certified wood and natural waterproofing of walls and floors contribute to the overall sustainability factor of the house.
Additionally, Vaughan and Plank have relied on the knowledge of local traders and builders to reduce their carbon footprint and support the local economy.
Designate: mod house