Vodaphone, a London-based telecommunications company devised a unique showcase for its technology, and called it "La Casa Movil." It's a modern tiny home on wheels with a clear wall of polycarbonite panels and an awning featuring three huge photovoltaic solar panels. Based on the photos they provided, I'd say that this clear wall provides a good deal of relief from the potential claustrophobic sense that a house of this size might otherwise have.
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| Exterior view. |
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| Kitchen detail (refrigerator concealed below counter). |
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| Kitchen |
A few additional features that set this tiny home apart are its three fixture bathroom (sink, shower, and toilet), and a winding staircase to the loft with sleeping for three. All this in a home within an 8'wide x 20'long x 12.5' high box. I guess that makes it 160 square feet, plus the loft.
The loft has two beds, a single and a double, plus three clothes closets with sliding doors and additional storage. Because the loft is not located in a gable roofed structure, it is quite roomy compared to many other tiny home designs. Since the loft is only above the kitchen/dining/bath area, it overlooks the living area.
The living area has an extraordinarily high ceiling, creating a more spacious feeling. This layout also creates a second means of egress from the loft bedroom, something many tiny homes lack. In the event of a fire, not only could you escape down the stairs, but you could also jump down into the living area. As a last resort, you could kick-out the polycarbonate panel and escape directly to the outside. A major drawback to many tiny homes I've looked at is the lack of proper egress from the sleeping loft. Whether intentional or not, this design seems to have solved that common problem.
One concern this design might raise is the possibility for overheating because the clear wall and solar panels are on the same side, which of course would need to be the sunny side. Perhaps this could be mitigated by having the solar panels and clear wall on opposite sides, or by having the clear panels only extend down to say, chair rail height, instead of all the way to the floor. Incorporating operable blinds into the clear wall might also be a possibility.
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| Folding dining table/desk. Kitchen, stairs, and bathroom door in background. |
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| Bathroom showing shower and sink. Toilet (not shown) is on far right. |
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| View from kitchen toward living area. |
The loft has two beds, a single and a double, plus three clothes closets with sliding doors and additional storage. Because the loft is not located in a gable roofed structure, it is quite roomy compared to many other tiny home designs. Since the loft is only above the kitchen/dining/bath area, it overlooks the living area.
The living area has an extraordinarily high ceiling, creating a more spacious feeling. This layout also creates a second means of egress from the loft bedroom, something many tiny homes lack. In the event of a fire, not only could you escape down the stairs, but you could also jump down into the living area. As a last resort, you could kick-out the polycarbonate panel and escape directly to the outside. A major drawback to many tiny homes I've looked at is the lack of proper egress from the sleeping loft. Whether intentional or not, this design seems to have solved that common problem.
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| View from living area toward kitchen. |
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| Loft sleeping area. |
One concern this design might raise is the possibility for overheating because the clear wall and solar panels are on the same side, which of course would need to be the sunny side. Perhaps this could be mitigated by having the solar panels and clear wall on opposite sides, or by having the clear panels only extend down to say, chair rail height, instead of all the way to the floor. Incorporating operable blinds into the clear wall might also be a possibility.
Take a detailed virtual tour of this home by watching this neat video of the Vodaphone tiny home below. It is cool and it has pretty cool music too. Enjoy!
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