4³ - Tiny Farm Staff House

The first design problem given to me back in college was a cube house. We were allowed to solve the problem in any way as long as we were limited to 4 m x 4 m x 4 m. I had no experience designing back then, and I had no background in standards and minimum requirements. I had to research it all within a week, and this during the pre-internet days. I had to do my research in the library and jot down all the information I gather.

Ground Floor

Loft

Another method I did to gather data was to measure the spaces in my house, which allowed me to experience the actual dimensions. This experience made me realize the complexity of designing small spaces. I had some difficulty arranging all the essential amenities in the limited area. It took me several schemes before coming up with a design.

Although I have designed several houses since then, I have never tried designing a client's tiny home. A few weeks ago, my brother and I were thinking of investing in a farm. One of the facilities that we needed was a small rest house if we decided to stay on the farm for a couple of days. The rest house should have all the amenities and keep the budget at a minimum.

I made several conceptual designs that would minimize waste and maximize space. To reduce waste, I based my design on the dimensions of the materials I will use. Due to the accessibility issue of the proposed site, I opted for prefabricated materials that we can make off the site. The two options I considered was using EPS 3D Panels or a Drywall Balloon Framing Structure.

Excluding the front porch, the house has a 4m x 4m x 4m footprint. My design inspiration was from the Micro Compact House designed by Architect Richard Horden and The Minsk tiny house. It can comfortably accommodate four persons and has all the essentials such as a kitchen, bathroom, living, and dining area. 

The house is designed with a split level to eliminate the need for stairs. Lower ground level has a cabinet on the entrance, a bathroom, a living and dining area, and ample storage underneath the kitchen. The upper ground floor has a kitchen, and a ladder provides access to the two beds on the loft.

I'm pleased with how the final scheme of the cube house turned out. In the next few days, I will be working on the EPS Panels and the Dry Wall estimate. I hope that this design will be within our budget so that we can proceed with our plans.