Aluminum-Clad Airship Prefab Is a Durable, Off-Grid Tiny Home

This modular prefab is designed to be easily assembled and disassembled.

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Updated October 23, 2018

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Prefabricated buildings have gained mainstream acceptance in recent years, owing to the relative ease of assembly and reduced construction times. But there can be drawbacks: the process of dismantling them can result in damage to the structure, in addition to materials like wood degrading over a period of time.

Those are some of the reasons why Scottish firm Roderick James Architects LLP created the Airship 002, an aluminum and stainless steel prefab that won't rot or rust, is easily disassembled without damage, and can go off-grid as a tiny home, office, or studio, potentially placed in remote areas, or on city rooftops or riverside lots. Here's a quick tour of the interior:

© Nigel Rigden

Measuring about 36 square meters (387 square feet), Airship 002 comes in a couple of standard sizes at 9.2 meters (30 feet) long, and either 4.4 meters (14.4 feet) or 6 meters (19.6 feet) wide – though the design is modular and therefore can be made to be almost any size.

© Nigel Rigden

Seen here, this Airship 002 can accommodate two to four people, and includes a sleeping area, kitchen, bathroom, and a workspace and lounge with full views out of the glass windows on either end. The Airship is insulated with insulated cladding panels. Though it can run on electricity, solar power is an option, as is adding a composting toilet or rainwater collection system. It's elevated off the ground to minimize its impact on the land. Says architect Roderick James:

Structures should last indefinitely, that's why we designed the Airship! Also, aluminium is easy to recycle and durable. We are pragmatic green architects, using oak, but although wood is very green it has durability issues. The Airship 002 has 3,000 components and every part can be carried by two people so it an be erected anywhere. It takes about a week to erect or dismantle.

© Nigel Rigden

Though we know that the demand for aluminum worldwide has outstripped supplies of recycled aluminum, arguably making it a less green material – it nevertheless makes more sense that it's used in durable housing that will last decades, rather than gas-guzzling trucks that probably will have a much shorter lifespan.

Manufactured by Out of the Blue, a basic version of the Airship 002 (frame and cladding) is available for purchase starting at £60,000 (USD $77,900), with double glazing at an extra £8,000 (USD $10,300). Best of all, you can also try it out by renting one in through AirBnb. To find out more, visit Roderick James Architects LLP and Out of the Blue.