In conjunction with UMass Architecture + Design and the Yestermorrow Design Build School, twelve semester students collectively designed and built a Tiny House from start to finish, using a consensus model of group decision-making. 

Their task was to design a 227 square foot living space for two people, on wheels. Despite the manageable scale of this project, the challenging program, dimensional restrictions, progressive sustainability directive, and severe budgetary limitations necessitated a nuanced and sophisticated final scheme. Students participated in every phase of the construction process, from framing and roofing to electrical, plumbing and finish work. In doing so, this group gained valuable experience at every stage of the design|build process, which can now be applied to other types of building projects.

The Tiny House incorporates advanced technologies for energy efficiency, an unusual palette of salvaged materials, a super-insulated envelope, a waterless toilet and a rainwater catchment system. Charred cedar siding transforms a local rapidly renewable local material into a fire and pest resistant enclosure. Salvaged gym flooring, retired pipes, and rigid foam insulation highlighted opportunities for upcycling reclaimed materials. Due to the small scale of the project, it was possible to highlight building craft and design detailing at every scale. Many of the students joined the program with no prior building experience, yet learned fine woodworking and welding skills, and custom-built all of the interior furnishings, including cabinetry, doors and luminaires.

Most importantly, while every student in the semester program held a critical role in the design and building process, they learned how to negotiate the challenging terrain of collectively creating a contemporary house. The final product features a host of thoughtful design decisions deployed in a single holistic scheme. Contrary to most prototypes recognized by the tiny house movement and those typically lauded by the public, this design provides a roadmap for a truly contemporary, sustainable and regionally-responsive Tiny House.