Last year we reported on a really neat tiny house concept called the Aurora that promised to grow in width at the push of a button, allowing it to be both compact (and road-legal) to tow, and spacious while stationary. The novel dwelling, designed by Canada's Zero Squared, is now on the market for US$88,900.
The Aurora measures just 26 ft (8 m)-long, so it should be relatively easy to tow. An electric motor mechanism pushes the slide-out sections of its walls to increase total width from 8.6 ft (2.6 m) when towing to 15.10 ft (4.6 m) when parked up. In its expanded state, the home offers a total of 374 sq ft (sq m) of floorspace.
To get some context on the extra space the Aurora's slide-outs provide, it includes almost the same floorspace as the much larger 32 ft-long Sakura and 38-ft long English Rose homes. We should also mention that slide-outs have long been used in RV's and the Aurora isn't the only tiny house with slide-outs on the market either.
Judging by the photos, the Aurora's interior layout looks a bit more like a studio apartment than a typical tiny house, thanks to its extra width. It includes an office that turns into a bedroom using a Murphy-style drop-down bed, a living room with sofa, dining area and bathroom with shower, sink, and toilet.
The kitchen has a pantry and full-size stainless steel appliances, and either solid oak or birch countertops. An upstairs loft is available solely for storage.
The Aurora is rated at a total weight of around 16,000 lb (7,250 kg) and constructed using structural insulated panels. Power comes from an RV-style hookup as standard but the home can also be upgraded to run totally off-the-grid with a solar power system and composting toilet. Additional upgrades include a mini-split air-con unit, compact dishwasher, and different furniture options.
Delivery for the Aurora is available throughout North America and build time is estimated for around six to eight weeks.
Source: Zero Squared
