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Tiny Houses

Non-towable tiny house blends sustainability and Scandi-chic

By Adam Williams
December 13, 2016
Non-towable tiny house blends sustainability and Scandi-chic
A furnished NestHouse like the one pictured could cost between £35,000 - £75,000 (US$44,400 - $95,150), depending on size and options chosen
A furnished NestHouse like the one pictured could cost between £35,000 - £75,000 (US$44,400 - $95,150), depending on size and options chosen
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The NestHouse is the culmination of two years research into tiny houses
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The NestHouse is the culmination of two years research into tiny houses
The model pictured comprises a total floorspace of 25 sq m (269 sq ft), but the NestHouse comes in various sizes
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The model pictured comprises a total floorspace of 25 sq m (269 sq ft), but the NestHouse comes in various sizes
Inside, the NestHouse has a large main living area which includes a kitchen and dining area, and lounge
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Inside, the NestHouse has a large main living area which includes a kitchen and dining area, and lounge
The NestHouse sports a cutesy Scandinavian-style design
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The NestHouse sports a cutesy Scandinavian-style design
Tiny House Scotland's Jonathan Avery says that the house is very well-insulated and almost air-tight, so will be cheap to heat
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Tiny House Scotland's Jonathan Avery says that the house is very well-insulated and almost air-tight, so will be cheap to heat
The NestHouse very much belongs in the tiny house mold, but at 3.4 m (11.15 ft) in width, it's too big to be towed like a typical tiny house on wheels and needs a low-loader
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The NestHouse very much belongs in the tiny house mold, but at 3.4 m (11.15 ft) in width, it's too big to be towed like a typical tiny house on wheels and needs a low-loader
The exterior of the NestHouse sports a large deck
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The exterior of the NestHouse sports a large deck
A furnished NestHouse like the one pictured could cost between £35,000 - £75,000 (US$44,400 - $95,150), depending on size and options chosen
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A furnished NestHouse like the one pictured could cost between £35,000 - £75,000 (US$44,400 - $95,150), depending on size and options chosen
The NestHouse weighs between 5 - 10 UK tons (5,080 - 10,160 kg)
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The NestHouse weighs between 5 - 10 UK tons (5,080 - 10,160 kg)
Access to the NestHouse is gained by this front door
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Access to the NestHouse is gained by this front door
The NestHouse can get its power from the grid or run off-the-grid with solar panels and a battery bank
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The NestHouse can get its power from the grid or run off-the-grid with solar panels and a battery bank
The NestHouse very much belongs in the tiny house mold, but at 3.4 m (11.15 ft) in width, it's too big to be towed and needs a low-loader
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The NestHouse very much belongs in the tiny house mold, but at 3.4 m (11.15 ft) in width, it's too big to be towed and needs a low-loader
View gallery - 12 images

Following two years of research, Tiny House Scotland recently completed its first model, the NestHouse. Sporting a Scandinavian-style design and a focus on energy-efficiency, the movable – but non-towable – tiny home starts at £17,000 (US$21,500) for the smallest and most basic unfurnished model.

The model pictured is the firm's prototype and comprises a total floorspace of 25 sq m (269 sq ft), but the NestHouse is available in various sizes and configurations thanks to its modular design. A version just like this one that includes all the furnishings could cost anywhere between £35,000 - £75,000 ($44,400 - $95,150), depending on options chosen.

Inside, the home has a main living area, split between a kitchen and dining space, and a lounge. A door leads to a bathroom, which includes a toilet and a soaking tub, while stairs lead to the sleeping loft. In a nice touch, a lot of the furniture is placed on casters, so can be moved around at will. There's also a relatively large deck area outside.

Heating comes from a wood-burning stove and there's also a heat recovery ventilation fan installed. Tiny House Scotland's Jonathan Avery says that the home is very well-insulated and air-tight almost to the level of a Passive House, so it should be very efficient indeed to keep warm.

Inside, the NestHouse has a large main living area which includes a kitchen and dining area, and lounge
Inside, the NestHouse has a large main living area which includes a kitchen and dining area, and lounge

The NestHouse can get its power from the grid or run off-the-grid with solar panels and a battery bank. The firm also says it can be used as a garden office, second home, and the like. Flexibility is the watchword here and there are too many configurations and options to list here.

The NestHouse is very much part of the small living movement, but while it can be built on a chassis with wheels, it's too big to be towed down the road like a typical tiny house on wheels. It's also pretty heavy at between 5 - 10 UK tons (5,080 - 10,160 kg). Instead, if you want to move it to another location, you'll probably be using a low-loader and crane. No foundations are required for installation.

Jonathan Avery is also part of a project called Social Bite, which plans to create a village of 20 NestHouse homes for Edinburgh's homeless. The project will offer support and help finding a job and those interested in learning more can visit its crowdfunding campaign.

Source: Tiny House Scotland

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5 comments
Adam Williams
Adam Williams
Adam scours the globe from his home in Spain in order to bring the best of innovative architecture and sustainable design to the pages of New Atlas. Most of his spare time is spent dabbling in music, tinkering with old Macintosh computers and trying to keep his even older VW bus on the road.

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5 comments
Buellrider
Just a great looking small house that I'd live in. Very inviting look all around.
Calson
Not a good design from many perspectives. It costs more and provides less light than having one outer wall that is taller and so have a single slope roof. This would allow for windows along the top of the taller wall and for a less expensive roof to manufacture and a roof that would provide more surface area facing the sun for mounting water heating or solar power panels.
In a non-urban environment having fewer and larger windows would extend the inside view to the outside and make the living space feel a great deal larger and far less confining.
No idea why none of the creators of these tiny houses get the concept of erecting permanent awnings to shade the windows and sides of the structure to minimize the heat load and the weathering of the walls and window framing.
No historical perspective on proving housing for the homeless. After World War II there were millions of people throughout Europe that had their home destroyed by US and British bombs and the governments of these countries erected public housing that was far more cost effective and energy efficient (centralized power and heating) than individual houses.
Wolf0579
Now THIS is what I imagine when I read or hear the words "tiny house". A small dwelling WITH A BATHROOM, sitting on the ground, NOT on a trailer.
Tom Lee Mullins
I think that is very nice. I would not mind living in it.
Noel K Frothingham
We are fortunate that a simple design can elicit a broad variety of opinions. This design would meet my needs and desires quite nicely - whether or not someone else considered it to be a 'good design' from their perspective.