Dutch designer and tiny house enthusiast Daniel Venneman, who previously bought us the DIY Hermit House, has recently completed a new tiny home on wheels. Dubbed Porta Palace, the 18 m2 (194 ft2) home was specifically designed for Venneman's building partner, Jelte Glas. Glas was wanting to create his very own home that not only would he be able to afford, but would also bring him closer to nature.
"Likein many European countries, there is quite a financial leap to gofrom renting your student apartment to owning your own house,"DanielVenneman tells Gizmag. "Itseems almost impossible to find a nice place of your own, in closercontact to a natural landscape. Luckily Jelte wasn't scared oftaking some risks, so we went on an adventure together. In the endthe project was all about finding a more affordable and qualitativeway to live more sustainably."
Thetiny home most certaintaly won't be a solution foreverybody, but it is a clever model for those who are up for thechallenge of living in a micro space. Described by Venneman as an example of "bio-basedconstruction," the home was built using a timber-frame, steel roof, and is clad with wood that's been pre-treated with a an ecologically-friendly product called Aquawood that enables it to wear naturally over time withminimal maintenance required.
ThePorta Palace comprises of an open multi-purpose living and diningarea which features built-in furniture, storage space and largefloor-to-ceiling hinged glass doors which open outwards, extendingthe living area onto to the surrounding landscape. The sofa in the living area can double as a bed for a guest orchild and also offers convenient storage space. There's also an elevated double loft bed, kitchen, bathroomwith dry toilet and LED lighting throughout. Ifyou're wondering how to access the elevated sleeping area, the stairstowards the bed are actually disguised as a cabinet, with a movableside-table that functions as the first step.
"Itis simply a minimized space with maximum openness," saysVenneman."The living room offers a maximized view on nature. The bedroomand kitchen have a view over the landscape. And quite a generousbathroom with sliding door, which creates the sense of spatialcontinuity. A common reaction when people step in the house is: 'wow,this feels bigger than expected,' proving that living in a Tiny Housedoes not have to feel tiny."
Glashas intentions to add solarpanels and a battery kit at a later stage to the home, which willenable it to supply its own electricity. "Enough to power itsintegrated LED lighting, a small fridge, the ventilator of the drytoilet and to charge a laptop and other small electrical devices,"says Venneman.
Passionateabout continuing the trend of tiny living Glas and Venneman arehoping to create the first of many Tiny Villages in the Netherlands,which would consist of approximately 5 to 10 small/mobile homes onone site.
"Throughmy projects I am always researching new architectural possibilitiesfor living with more autonomy, sustainability and affordability,"says Venneman."Small spaces can also become more personal. Wouldn't it begreat if our homes would fit more to us like a personal shell insteadof being oversized and one-size-fits-all?"
Source: Daans Design and Jelte Glas
