In 2010 and 2011 an Earthquake hit Christchurch, New Zealand causing a great amount of damage and a whole lot of salvaged material. With what many saw as destruction and waste, Stephan Cook saw as a great opportunity to get high quality material for a low cost. With the material, he built what is known today as the “Biggish Tiny Home.”
Coming in at about 215 square feet, this tiny home is a sight to see! Complete with industrial windows and doors, Stephen’s home includes an open floor plan which gives the illusion that the house is bigger than it actually is.
It also includes a sitting area, full kitchen, eat-in bar (which has a lovely outside view when the windows are open) and a loft upstairs which holds a queen sized bed and closet space.
This tiny home also has a refrigerator, hot water boiler, oven and air heater. Situated in the lush woods of Christchurch, this tiny home has it all. Great location and a fabulous story behind it. Please enjoy and re-share below. Thanks!
Tiny House Built from Earthquake Materials
Image © LivingBiginaTinyHouse
Image © LivingBiginaTinyHouse
Video: Tiny House Built from Earthquake Materials
Learn more: http://www.livingbiginatinyhouse.com/big-tiny-house/
Resources
- Living Big in a Tiny House (original story)
- Biggish Tiny House Facebook Page (tiny homeowners Facebook Page)
- Tiny House Built From Salvaged Earthquake Materials (video)
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Sabrena
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Brilliant! Bringing something good out of an earthquake. Kudos.
I, personally, like his staircase/ladder just the way it is. He said he plans to add treads but – – – I don’t see that as all that necessary. Later, if he ages in place, yes. For now, though, the open treads would allow him to make the under-stairs area a broom closet with the handles sticking up through the horizontal spaces. Just a thought.
Please repost this when it’s finished. Would love to see it again.
What a triumph. The earthquakes in Christchurch have been devastating. This is the Phoenix.
Hi;
Great start for a great tiny!
Just curious; you don’t need window screens in New Zeeland?
Catherine I’m in New Zealand…. What on earth are window screens? Off to consult Google, but I’d say not 🙂
I live in the US. All windows that open have window screens. Only windows that don’t open are without screens. The screens are for keeping insects out.
Bug screens are not needed everywhere in the U.S.
I live in New Zealand, and have never lived in a house with bug-screens over the windows (if that is what you mean). And a number of people I know have a security screen on their doors, but I couldn’t name any one with security screens on their windows.
Lived in a house in Australia years ago and it didn’t have window screens the mozzies loved me! Also, my sister lived in France, again no window screens. Now in my Honolulu hi-rise condo there are no window screens past the 5th floor (big mistake). In the summertime there are the shrieks and a cloud of bug spray when those B52’s come flying in my high floor apt. I don’t care if it’s an American thing but give me window screens any day!
It seems to me you’d have to have all the salvaged pieces before you could design the home, otherwise you wouldn’t know how to design it.
When i first went to Scotland (i live in Mass., USA), i noticed there were no screens on the windows there. I thought that was very odd, so i asked someone there about it. She said, “what are window screens?” Maybe THEIR bugs are polite and would never think about entering a home without permission. 🙂
Well! I guess I can still learn something new every day!!!
Perhaps window screens were invented in North America??
All I know is if we didn’t have them here in Canada (Quebec), I’d be eaten alive. And that is NOT an exaggeration. It starts in May with black flies, they can make you bleed. Then it’s the mosquitos. Given free reign I would have about one bite per square inch of skin. And there’s always spiders, assasin bugs, wasps and the larger critters like raccoons or skunks who might decide to come and investigate any appetizing smell!!! Window screens; people have been known to make them themselves just to survive!!!
These comments should be on Tv. They are a scream. Still laughing. You have made my day!!!
I live in central america. I have screens on my windows because there are 100’s of biting insects here. many who carry nasty illnesses that kill people after making them miserable. the locals did not have screens until the expats came and refused to surrender to the mosquitoes. now to the build. not so much for e. those casket like lofts are a complete turnoff for me, especially when accessed via a ladder with rungs! not even steps, rungs!
Great house, I really like the tall ceilings. I would love to see it finished.
Regarding bug screens, they are probably needed more in warm climates.
I do actually have bug screens behind my shutters, which is very unusual here (Scandinavia), but I only need them maybe one month if the year: July, where it is warm enough that you would want the windows open at night, and only against one type of night active mosquitos.
Animal life here is rather placid.
Nice home Stephen.
I gotta have those screens 🙂 If it is insect and bites it will find me. And if not, it will come swarming in to eat my wood. With a THOW it seems a MUST to keep out those termites when swarming to the banquet that is made of wood on wheels. The cedar is a great deterrent for a lot of insects though. Between the woods and the pooled waterways the bugs would trouble a Tiny House homeowner w/o some screens in much of the US.
They also help deter small critters. Happy trails! God bless you all.