FINALIST: GARETH STRAWBRIDGE FROM TORRENS UNIVERSITY
The purpose of The Virgo Tiny Home is to offer the residential housing market an opportunity to own a luxury lifestyle house without a large overwhelming mortgage. It also challenges the idea of how space is used and enjoyed.
The Tiny Home offers a smaller footprint for low impact, flexibility and freedom without compromising quality of life and encourages a feeling of pride and manageability for its owners.
TINY BUT MIGHTY
Sustainability factors are woven into the design of The Virgo Tiny Home’s identity and achieved using industry-leading products from companies such as International Floor Coverings Australia, Sustainable Bamboo, Design Curtains, Blinds by Peter Meyer and Clean Waters Oceania. The chosen products are key features of the design and work in harmony with each other to provide a high quality of life for the occupants while also being friendly to the environment.
The Virgo Tiny Home is designed to be flexible and can be built in any rural Australian landscape or on a small innercity block. It can also be extended and further developed for change alongside its owners evolving wants and needs. At its core, The Virgo Tiny Home wants to instil the feeling of pride and achievement through opportunity, sustainability, and a celebration of the Australian dream, inspired by haptic architecture.
STORAGE GALORE AND NATURAL LIGHT
The Virgo Tiny Home’s interior space is 32sqm, consisting of a kitchenette, bathroom, lofted bedroom and sunken lounge/study space.
Open shelving is designed into the lounge and bedroom areas to give the rooms breathing space and allows the clients to surround themselves with treasured personal decor.
Cleverly designed joinery includes three hidden drawers in the loft steps, four drawers for clothing, hidden clothing racks and a large utilities storage. The bathroom has space for a front-loader washing machine and ample toiletries storage, and the kitchen offers space for a built-in fridge and dishwasher.
A key feature of the design is floor-toceiling windows that allow natural light and a feeling of extended space. The design also allows for further development on the exterior and is shown by encasing the structure in recycled bricks, allowing for more privacy and visual impact.
Included in the design are sponsor products, custom sheer curtains in warm white by Design Curtains, bamboo interior features by Sustainable Bamboo, Gen-M1
220L by Clean Waters Oceania, interior flooring Villa Natralis collection Marbella by International Floor Coverings Australia, exterior flooring In 2 Outdoor Collection, Lorne by International Floor Coverings Australia and T2000 Cable Guide exterior blinds by Blinds by Peter Meyer.