Super Modern South African Tiny House Is Bright and Green

I have often complained that a lot of tiny houses, being modelled on larger houses that get the shrink-ray, are designed for cuteness instead of practicality, with their tiny lofts that peak in the middle. Perhaps instead of using a traditional house as a model, designers should be looking more at learning from more modern designs like Airstream trailers or boats.

That's why the INDAWO / lifePOD is so interesting. This design by the South African team of Collaborate000 architects, and product designers Dokter and Missses is super modern, and very much a product of its climate.

© Brett Rubin

The INDAWO / lifePOD is a lifestyle and design intervention that affords home owners a comfortable, functional experience inside a small space; to live in confluence with the needs of the planet now and in the future .... [the designers] both rose to the challenge to create a living space that is functional, energy-efficient and which home owners especially could treat as a customised ‘starter’ home or elegant cottage on their premises for whatever usage they require. The system is modular, more units, each customised as per the user’s specification can be added to the system in turn transforming a nano-space into a larger dwelling for a variety of applications.

© Brett Rubin

“Living smaller will save you money in the long run; it could also make you happier.”

There are some lovely touches; the rope guard on the loft, the integration of the storage system into the transparent wall (which is probably great for a prototype but could be problematic) the high, generous loft space, which unfortunately makes the house too high to go down a road unless it is collapsable.

© Brett Rubin

The climate is warm enough that the designers can make great use of the outdoors and bring in all that natural light. The architect, Clara da Cruz Almeida, notes that the 183 square foot design can be combined with more modules to make a larger home or a community.

© Pod Indawo