Devasa Tiny House Can Raise Its Roof to Gain an Extra Floor (Video)

This tiny house has a system that allows it to vertically expand up, rather than out.

A tiny house comes as a small package, typically smaller than 400 square feet. So it makes sense that not only are we seeing an abundance of clever space-saving design strategies and multifunctional furniture, we are also seeing RV-inspired slide-outs on tiny houses that can expand the interior space significantly.

New York-based Tiny Houses NYC has another intriguing take on the issue: a tiny house that expands up -- rather than out -- to create a two storey home. Their Devasa tiny house features a mechanically operated system that elevates the height of the house to a full 17 feet (5.1 metres) high -- making it a candidate for the "tallest tiny house." Watch:

© Tiny Houses NYC

When the Devasa's second floor isn't popped up, it stands at 12.5 feet (3.81 metres) tall, meaning it can be legally towed at this height. However, once the home is parked and the roof is raised, the home then can offer extra headroom upstairs (6.5 feet or 2 metres). The home measures 23.5 feet (7.16 metres) long and has a total of 305 square feet (28 square metres), and includes a living room, kitchen, bathroom and a bedroom on the second floor, which has space for two beds.

© Tiny Houses NYC

© Tiny Houses NYC

© Tiny Houses NYC

The home's layout has the living room, kitchen and bathroom on the ground floor. The entry door opens into the main living space, and that transitions into the kitchen area and storage staircase, before moving onto the bathroom at the other end of the house.

© Tiny Houses NYC

The bathroom has a sliding barn-style door, shower, sink and composting toilet.

© Tiny Houses NYC

© Tiny Houses NYC

Upstairs is where the two sleeping spaces are located, which are both accessible via a connecting walkway. As you can see here, once the roof is lowered, there isn't much headroom to have full-height closets or storage, but the idea here is to have a a second floor, instead of a sleeping loft.

© Tiny Houses NYC

© Tiny Houses NYC

According to the company, the Devasa's lifting system uses a 12-volt car battery that is attached to a motor that will raise four screw jacks, located on each corner of the house. In the event of a malfunction, the roof can be still be raised manually. This current model is on view in Long Island City, and is priced at USD $125,000 -- meaning that it is one of the more expensive tiny houses we've seen, but for some, that capability to raise the roof might be exactly what is needed. To find out more, visit Tiny Houses NYC and Facebook.