Whether creating a DIY tiny house or a micro home based on a shipping container, Pin-Up Houses is known for its out-of-the-box ideas. However, the firm's new shed/storage space, named Gardenrobe, is probably its most experimental model to date and mixes together such disparate features as solar power, rainwater collection, and even a chicken coop.
The Gardenrobe brings to mind the sort of lighthearted eclectic designs we usually only see in the Shed of the Year competition. It has a total length of 20 ft (6 m), not including the adjacent chicken run, which is about the same length as most of the French tiny houses we see, however its width of just 4 ft (1.2 m) is only around half that of a typical tiny house.
The structure includes a very small lounge/relaxation area – really just a basic shelter with space for seating – as well as storage space, plus storage designed for bicycles and for skis. Additionally, it has a chicken coop, a tool area, and there's a pigeon loft up on the roof. A solar panel setup is also installed on the roof to power some integrated lighting and the owner's smart devices, while a rainwater collection system feeds a large water tank.
The Czech Republic's Pin-Up Houses claims that it takes around two hours to assemble the Gardenrobe, while dismantling and moving it should be relatively easy too.
"This unique building is made up of wooden beams and waterproof construction plywood," explained the company. "Since Gardenrobe is anchored on ground screws, it can be disassembled and reassembled easily, wherever you prefer it to stand. This is made possible by an ingenious, red-painted frame which supports the lightweight roof while at the same time providing the structure into which different storage boxes can be fitted. Individual parts of the frame are secured by nuts and bolts."
Gardenrobe is a prototype design that Pin-Up Houses says is part of its ongoing research into the feasibility of recycled environmentally friendly small houses. It cost roughly US$8,700 to build but is currently not for sale.
Source: Pin-Up Houses