Re-structure / Reconstruct : Tiny A House

Architectural Engineering 7QX3M0 MSc ABP, 2018-2019

Group: Tiny A House Authors: Hannurkar.S Hermans.J Lopez.I Mehta.M Novoselska.I

Project: Tiny-A House

Content

A

B

2

The building and how the architect realized his ideas into built form Photographs Design concept Building structure Construction system Material use Site plan Floor plans Sections Elevations Structural scheme Details Photographs Interview

3D model of selected detail

Build-up of selected detail

New idea of building for re-construction; how it is expressed and how it influences the architecture The “Circular Building” First sketches

Drawings of how the building looks as a whole with the new structure and envelop Redesign-Concept Building structure Construction system Material use Site plan Floor plans Sections Elevations

Structural scheme of the entire building Details

Render of the 3D model showing the detail we investigated

Build-up of re-designed detail

Photographs of the original detail in real life Conclusion

Photographs of 1:1 model

Photographic documentation of the making-process of the model

Part A The building and how the architect realized his ideas into built form

3

Introduction

Tiny -A house , Almere Architects: DAF Architecten Location: Almere Design: 2016 Completion: October 2017 Tiny House was designed for a competition, in which the goal was to make a house not bigger than 15 m2 .

The sit selectd was located in Almere and the location is shown below:

Photo: Model of Tiny A house Source: www.tinyA.nl

Source: www.tinyA.nl

4

Concept

The design of small houses is always very challenging. The Tiny house was also designed to be modular and expandable. Since small buildings are expensive,the architects needed to find a way to reduce the cost of the project.

The solution they came up with was to “put the roof on the floor”. In the Netherlands, pitch roof systems are very well-engineered and insulated. They are also prefabricated in factories and therefore using the roof as a wall system would result in a really cheap way of building.

The Tiny-A is an • all-electric • energy-neutral • sustainable • flexible and • expandable house Tiny-A has a high triangular shape. In the style of the house a fixed shed has been built. It is a house with an are aof 50m2 and has enough space for a complete kitchen, a living room and a sleeping area.

The living room is on the garden side and has the full height. A storage unit combines the stairs upwards forms the core of the house. A fixed built-in wardrobe has also been created in the sleeping area. There is the possibility to hang an extra intermediate floor in the ridge. The bathroom / toilet are located under the sleeping area.

On the outside, the roof is decked with solar panels.

This makes the Tiny-A completely energy-neutral.

Source: www.tinyA.nl

5

Process of construction

01 Laying of the foundation

02 Installing the shell structure

03 Installing the internal walls ground floor

05 Addition of the storage area and roof

06 Addition of the slar panels on the roof

08 Installing the glazing Windows and doors

09 Cladding of the rear wall

04 Installing the staircase and the loft

07 Installing all services

10 Finished product

Source: www.tinyA.nl 6

Construction system

Floor system : Partly refabricated and partly made on site Roof / walls system: Prefabricated panels from UNILIN Interior : Wooden construction Window ystems: Velux Aluminium glazing and aluminium windows

Source: www.tinyA.nl 7

Material use:

Roof plates, inside and outside walls: Unilin Foundation: the Hope Pekso Wood in Facade: Firmowood Solar panels: KiesZon Skylights: Velux Underfloor heating: Jowitherm Floor finish: Artigo Bathroom finish: Mosa Hot water: Quooker Air treatment: Zehnder Shower: E-shower Hamwell

Source: www.tinyA.nl 8

Site plan:

Almere Oosterwold is a large outdoor area located between the Waterlandse weg and the A27. Rules have been laid down in the zoning plan that guarantee that the area remains open and green. Here you will live in the countryside surrounded by forest and (urban) agriculture. On the website www.maakoosterwold.nl you get an impression of the area and the development philosophy . Future initiatives determine the location for their development.

Siteplan 1:100

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Source: www.tinyA.nl 9

Structural scheme The structure can be divided into five parts: •

Foundation

•

Roof and the walls systems

•

Floor

•

Fenestrations

•

Interior core consisting the kitchen, toilet, loft and staircase.

It is elaborated in the 3d image.

The structural system is a combination of prefabricated elements and elements made on site.

Source: www.tinyA.nl

10

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Drawings: All the drawings of the original have been redrawn by the authors rom the prints provided by DaF Architecten

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Folded surface drawing of the design created by the architect

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Wooden batten supporting the insulation 12 mm thick Multiplex PIR insulation Corrugated sheet Wooden batten on corrugated sheets Wooden batten supporting the corrugated sheets Water proof membrane Aluminium glazing Wooden closing piece Closing piece for the overhand of the roof

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Drawings:

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DETAIL -B 1 Wooden members supporting the cladding 2 Vertical wooden cladding 3 12 mm thick multiplex 4 PIR insulation 5 19 mm thick multiplex 6 Wooden batten supporting the corrugated sheets 7 Corrugated sheets 7 Wooden members supporting the corrugated sheets 8 Aluminum glazing 9 Waterproof membrane

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Drawings: 1

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Ground level

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Wooden batons Corrugated sheet Wooden batons Water proof membrane 12 mm thick Multiplex PIR insulation Wooden skirting Cavity for electrical services M.S piece Rubber flooring Concrete screed Insulation Reinforced concrete Prefabricated concrete Cement plate

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DETAIL -D

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Zink coated ridge cap Corrugated sheet Multiplex WBP 12 mm thick Multiplex Ridge piece to fix the ridge cap Solar panels PIR insulation Water proof membrane Hinge Wooden battens on corrugated sheets Air gap Remote controlled lights

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PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Photographs Exterior:

Source: www.tinyA.nl

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Photographs Interior:

Source: www.tinyA.nl

21

Introduction of DAF Architecten:

ir. Daan JJ Bakker (Herpen, NL 1968) studied architecture at the TU of Eindhoven and Delft, where he graduated in 1994. He worked for some years in the NAI and in the office of Christian Rapp with whom he also published the book “Het Kant en Klaar Huis” . In 1996 he started as an independent architect in Rotterdam and that same year he was co-founder of DaF-architects.

Daan Bakker is a member of the welfare and monuments committee of Rotterdam and was a member of the editorial board of the Yearbook Architecture in the Netherlands and of the architectural advisory committee of the Netherlands Architecture Fund. He often gives workshops and reviews and is involved in education at TU Delft and Eindhoven and at the Academies for Architecture in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

ir. Catherine MN Visser Catherine (Paris, 1966) graduated with honorable mention in 1994 as an architect at Delft University of Technology. Before that she studied Dutch law for two years at the University of Leiden; 1985-1987. After working for a number of years at the offices of MAXWAN and PalmBout, she founded the agency DaF-architecten in 1998 together with Paul van der Voort and Daan Bakker. Since then, this agency has been working on a variety of assignments and surveys and has received several prizes, including the first prize for Europan V (Essen, Germany) and the Charlotte Köhler prize of the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds.

Source: www.dafarchitecten.nl 22

Highlights of the interview with DAF Architecten:

1. Concept

3. Staircase

Tiny House was designed for a competition, in which the goal was to make a house not bigger than 15 m2 . But small buildings are expensive, so the architects needed to find a way to reduce the cost of the project.

The solution they came up with was to “put the roof on the floor”. In the Netherlands, pitch roof systems are very well-engineered and insulated.

They are also prefabricated in factories and therefore using the roof as a wall system would result in a really cheap way of building.

The indoor space is divided into two areas.

Half it is situated on the first floor where the sleeping area is and half of it is located on the floor underneath where the kitchen, the toilet and the shower area. The staircase is the element that connects these two areas, making the space continuous but also giving privacy to the sleeping area upstairs.

The difficult aspect of the staircase was that it requires a lot of space due to building regulations and for the size of Tiny A that was a major challenge. The solution to this problem was the type of staircases, that are used in Dutch windmills.

2.

Constraints and problems

The design aimed to compensate for the small ground floor area of the edifice and extend the habitable space vertically by adding another floor. But, the idea of using the roof as a wall system brought some constraints to this goal of the architects.

As the roof is made in a factory, it can tilt, and it is carried over to the site nearly ready to be added to the building. For this reason, there is a limitation in the size of the roof as it has to be transported. This affected the design of Tiny House significantly as it constrained the maximum possible height of the building.

The prefabricated SIP roof system also imposed the use of Unilin insulation, which is a non-recyclable material.

4. Cladding Wood was used in the design extensively, both in the interior and in the exterior. The architects wanted to use local wood from Almere, but it wasn’t possible. However, they still managed to use Dutch wood, Accoya, which was used particularly for the façade. The wood was treated in a natural way by being boiled under high pressure.

5.

Problematic Detail An interesting detail for consideration is the connection between the wall (the roof system) and the floor.

All the installations that were put in the house – electricity and etc. are fitted within the gap between these two elements. Because the fittings are ready they are not supposed to be altered in any way.

A problem, however, appeared when the fittings reach a corner as one of the facades of the building is fully glazed. So to conceal the roof-wall connection and the piping, a closing

What would you like to change?

• Make the building more circular • Avoid the prefabricated roof system • Use more reusable materials

Source: Interview conducted by Authors Photos : Source Authors

23

3D Model of selected detail:

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DETAIL -D

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Zink coated ridge cap Corrugated sheet Multiplex WBP 12 mm thick Multiplex Ridge piece to fix the ridge cap Solar panels PIR insulation Water proof membrane Hinge Wooden battens on corrugated sheets Air gap Remote controlled lights

PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK STUDENT VERSION

Detail of the ridge

Source: Illustrated by Authors 24

Exploded view of the selected detail:

Source: Illustrated by Authors 25

Architectural Engineering 7QX3M0 MSc ABP, 2018-2019

Group: Tiny A House Authors: Hannurkar.S Hermans.J Lopez.I Mehta.M Novoselska.I

Project: Tiny-A House revised

26

Part B

New idea of building for deconstruction; how it is expressed and how it influences the architecture

27

The “Circular Building”

What do we think is a circular building?

Our idea of a circular building is based on the following: • Maximise the usage of locally available materials • Maximise functionality of spaces • Less dependency on non-renewable resources • Reduce energy consumption by depending more on natural light and ventilation.

• Use environmnt friendly materials • Choose mechanical and push-fit connections rather than adhesives to allow deconstruction.

• Create less wastage during construction.

• Use recyclable and resusable materials • Use inexpensive and readily available materials.

• Support a circular economy

28

Image source: www.rubicon.com

The concept of the redesigned Tiny House A

Originally, the Tiny house was developed as a sustainable, flexible and energy neutral house. A major part of it was designed as a prefabricated structure and then assembled on site. During the interview, the architect revealed that, though the intention of the project was to make it cost effective, it could not reach the expectations that were targeted. He further added that the design had the potential to be more cost effective, environment friendly and circular.

The main idea behind redesigning of the tiny house is to identify this potential of the design and transform it into a more environment friendly and circular building. The most important element which we identified for redesign was • the composition of the roof and • the light quality in the loft.

The plan of the house remains the same but the new roof is redesigned as a timber structure using locally available wood, the PIR insulation is replaced by sheep wool, the corrugated sheets are replaced with wooden cladding, making the section of the roof much thinner than the original one. The materials used are recyclable and reusable and environment friendly.

The loft is introduced with a window providing it with natural light and ventilation. The window will also promote ventilation in the whole house due to the open plan.

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors Core 3d: www.tinyA.nl

29

Process of construction

30

01 Laying of the foundation

02 Installing the timber structure

03 Installing the nner multiplex

04 Installing the outer multiplex

05 Installing the services, sheep wool insulation

06 Installing the water proof membrane

07 Installing the wooden supports for cladding and then installing the wooden cladding and fenestrations

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors

Construction system

Floor system : Partly refabricated and partly made on site Roof / walls system: Timber structure with sheep wool insulation.

Cladding: Wooden cladding Interior : Wooden construction Window ystems: Velux Aluminium glazing and aluminium windows

Timber frame structure

Wall system with sheep wool insulation

Water proof membrane followed by wooden batten supporting the wooden cladding

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors

31

Material use:

Roof : Wooden roof cladding Wood in Facade: Firmowood Solar panels: KiesZon Skylights: Velux Underfloor heating: Jowitherm Floor finish: Artigo Bathroom finish: Mosa Hot water: Quooker Air treatment: Zehnder Shower: E-shower Hamwell

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors 32

Site plan:

Almere Oosterwold is a large outdoor area located between the Waterlandse weg and the A27. Rules have been laid down in the zoning plan that guarantee that the area remains open and green. Here you will live in the countryside surrounded by forest and (urban) agriculture. On the website www.maakoosterwold.nl you get an impression of the area and the development philosophy . Future initiatives determine the location for their development.

Siteplan 1:100

PROD

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BY AN

AUTO

DESK

STUD

ENT VE

A

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B C

2740

480

IL A

2740

DETA

590

1 2555

DETA IL B

Kitchen 5 m2

Living room 16 m2

Plan d a c b

RSION

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AAT AN AU

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TODES

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PROD

ENSTR

BY AN

AUTO

PRO

4

DUCED BY

1715

Storage 2.7m2

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ALSEÏD

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DESK

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ENT VE

Toilet 3 m2

a'

A

VERSI

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OUS 70cmx70c m

b

RS H

ON

+1500 +2100

E

2

NIE

DENT

K STU

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Loft pla nd

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N

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4

2077

DUCED BY

PRO

DENT

K STU

TODES

AN AU

ON

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-1:50

Source: www.tinyA.nl 33

Structural scheme

The structure can be divided into five parts: •

Foundation

•

Timber roof structure

•

Walls with sheep wool insulation

•

Floor

•

Fenestrations

•

Interior core consisting the kitchen, toilet, loft and staircase.

It is elaborated in the 3d image.

The structural system is a combination of prefabricated elements and elements made on site.

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors Core 3d: www.tinyA.nl 34

Drawings: All the drawings of the original have been redrawn by the authors rom the prints provided by DaF Architecten

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors

35

Drawings:

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors 36

Drawings:

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors 37

Drawings:

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors 38

Drawings:

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors 39

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1.Metal covering 2.Wooden member 72mm x 165mm 3.Metal L - members 4.Wooden member 22mm x 260mm 5.Wooden member 150mm x 75mm 6.Multiplex 10mm 7.Insulation sheep wool 150mm 8.Batten 25mm x 25mm 9.Recycled wooden cladding 10. Gypsum board 12mm 11. Water proof membrane 12. Air gap 13. 50mmx50mm MS. L angles

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1.Recycled wooden cladding 2.Batten 25mm x 25mm 3.Water proof membrane 4.Multiplex 10mm 5.Insulation sheep wool 150mm 6.Gypsum board 12mm 7.EDW Saddle flashing 8.Wooden member 150mm x 75mm 9.Venux venting skylight

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors

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Detail - C

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1.Recycled wooden cladding 2.Batten 25mm x 25mm 3.Water proof membrane 4.Multiplex 10mm 5.Insulation sheep wool 150mm 6.Gypsum board 12mm 7.EDW Saddle flashing 8.Wooden member 150mm x 75mm 9.Venux venting skylight

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors

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Detail - D

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10 11 12 13 14 1.Recycled wooden cladding 2.Batten 25mm x 25mm 3.Water proof membrane 4.Multiplex 10mm 5.Insulation sheep wool 150mm 6.Gypsum board 12mm 7.Wooden member 150mm x 75mm 8. Cement plate 9. space for electrical services 10. Rubber flooring 11. Concrete screed 12. Insulation 13. Concreted cast in situ 14. Composite prefabricated concrete

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors

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1.Metal covering 2.Wooden member 72mm x 165mm 3.Metal L - members 4.Wooden member 22mm x 260mm 5.Wooden member 150mm x 75mm 6.Multiplex 10mm 7.Insulation sheep wool 150mm 8.Batten 25mm x 25mm 9.Recycled wooden cladding 10. Gypsum board 12mm 11. Water proof membrane

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors 44

Exploded view of the detail:

Image Source: Illustrated by Authors 45

Photographs of original detail in real life:

46

Personal reflection

Albert Lopez.I (1391208)

Hannurkar .S (1327003)

Hermans. J 0850249

Mehta. M (1321749)

Novoselska.I (1382683)

The developing of this project has definitely surpass my expectations, on what I thought I was going to learn and do with my own hands. I have not only learned construction detail making in the architectural aspect but time, effort and people that building in real scale requires.

The project Tiny A house introduced to me closely the idea of designing ‘houses as a products’ which can be mass produced, packed in a box , transported and installed. This concept explores the potential of standardized details in the building by the use of certain materials , constructions techniques, etc. Mass production of such projects multiplies the impact on the environment. Analyzing the project through drawings and interviewing the architect helped me realize how proper choice of material, influences the design, its construction process, cost of the project, shape of the building and quality of space.

Making drawings of the original design and redesigning the same to make the building circular and environment friendly, introduced me to the huge impact small changes in the choice of material, or the design of the detail make on the process of construction, quality of the space and their cost. I realized that process of design is only about form and function, but also is about the ease of implementing and constructing it. I closely experienced what Mies means by- “God is in the detail”.

Making 1:1 scale model, introduced me to the way building forces act. Be it the simplest act of screwing in wood or making a tongue and groove joint, it equally needs strategic planning.

This course definitely changed the way I look at design. It also helped me understand how materials work with each other and the potential construction details have in making a building circular and environment friendly.

The course Architectural Engineering has shown me that despite a small design being made of a building, there is more to it than I thought. Making your construction waterproof is something I now have more knowledge about. When I had the interview with the architect of our analyzed house, I noticed that the preparation for actual construction is at least as important as building itself.

“Architecture Engineering” has been a learning process by facing challenges and problem solving.

Tiny-A is already designed to be sustainable and to redesign it into a circular building was a big challenge from the beginning. But, we learnt that just making a small opening and using locally available materials would not only enhance the quality of the space but also change the overall essence and experience of the built mass with change in construction details.

According to me, the best part about the course was to learn from trial and errors and then further improve the mistakes to make the things work.

There was learning at every point of work. It started with making proper drawings which kept getting revised with time. Further, while building the model, the first thing learnt was not to buy all the material at once but rather buy material with every step. The next thing was that the joinery details get changed when you work on the model, as you realize that some other fixation detail is better than what was first thought of. However, although the scale of the building we chose was small, I still feel that we used a lot of material, wasted material and ultimately it became quite expensive at the end. Finally, the best lesson was that even though it seems impossible, it can be done. So “never give up”.

Exploring the building in detail enriched my knowledge about the technical aspects of the profession and gave me a more profound understanding of the way a building functions. The project also gave me a different perspective on the topic of circularity. As the chosen building was already designed in a very sustainable manner taking the concept of circularity into account, it was a major challenge to improve the design. However, this only made the task more interesting and educational as we as a group had to conduct extensive research not only on the building itself but also on circular materials, methods of construction and techniques.

The next step of the assignment turned out to be even more intriguing. Building a lifesize model of a part of an edifice required a lot of patience, and knowledge not only about the different parts within the section but also how they are put together, how they function, how they interact within the piece. In this sense the course provoked me to see even the simplest parts of a building, such as a window, through a different lens, not simply as an element of the edifice, but also as a part of a whole, functioning within it.

Working in a team was very beneficial because everybody had knowledge of different aspects and within the course of the project and our interaction with one another I learned a lot.

I believe the project also led to my personal progress as well as I have learned new skills by researching ( detail redesign) and experimenting (model making).

A general concern, however, was the price of the project as the life-size model required sufficient resources. As a future recommendation, I believe the life-size model can be substituted with a smaller version of the detail ( such as 1:5).

The biggest challenges I found were in one had technical, like the weight of a model this size or using hard tools and also the importance of designing the correct joint. Most of the failure moments were related to the strength and thought process of the joint. Figuring out the right mix of materials in the connections was a process of testing, failing and at the end succeeding. For example, I found adding metal into the wood joints can be an alternative but more developed joints like tongue and groove joints made properly could become the most effective solution. On the other hand I have definitely mastered the use of hard tools which I am very proud of and excited that now I can put into my next projects.

Moreover all this experience for me turned out into a very personal encouraging process that could not have been mentally possible with out my partners. Taking into account being only girl group I am very proud of all us and the final result.

Looking back on this project I can say that when you go from drawings to a 3D model, you often see that it looks different than you thought. It is good to work in 3D instead of always the 2D drawings. I have always found the aspect of sustainability difficult, because I often find that architectural value is lost in it. This time it was different for the first time and certainly saw a beautiful building in the final design.

Due to very sad conditions in the home fringe, I have not been able to fully use this project for the last 2 weeks. Even though I have helped with everything I could and my groupmates supported me in this. We could have planned better, but I am proud of our result.

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Conclusion: Conclusion: The tiny A House – A product.

The concept of the tiny house provokes one to look at buildings which can be mass produced, packed in boxes, transported and assembled or installed on site. This aspect rules the design and the way the building is designed. The use of the UNISIP panels as the roof which also become the wall, are available in a definite length and that has determined the height of the house. Though the house is successfully realized the way it was conceptualized, there are various aspects which came forth during the interview with the architect which can still be improved to make the building more environment friendly and circular. These qualities can have a bigger impact when mass produced and implemented on a larger scale.

The restrictions and potentials in the Tiny A house: The composition of the wall and the ability to build certain elements on site instead of prefabrication were the two important points the architect mentioned which had the potential for changing the image of the building. Though the UNISIP panels simplified the design, they did restrict the height of the building and the limitations of them to be used only in certain climates restricted the production of this model of the house only to Netherlands.

Tiny A house -revised: We have targeted the roof system and redesigned it considering the following facts: • Making it out of wood, which can be locally available, increasing the chances of the house to be produced and installed in any part of the world. This could also help reduce the cost of the project as well as the transportation costs.

• The composition of the roof, which is also the wall system is made more circular by using sheep wool insulation instead of PIR insulation. This makes the building more circular.

• The use of wood with joinery system makes it use less adhesive which is again a plus in making the building circular.

• The wood used is completely reusable and recyclable.

• The wooden cladding which is added on the roof instead of corrugated sheets reduces the heat gain and they are reusable and recyclable too.

• The window added in the loft brings in more light in the loft area making it depend less on artificial lighting.

Advantages of the new design over the old: • The redesigned house is more circular based on the materials used in the roof/ wall systems.

• It is more environment friendly.

• The materials used are recyclable and reusable.

• The design has become more flexible hence there is scope for more variations and prototypes in the future.

• The wood cladding will help is reducing heat gain.

• The insulation is better and more environment friendly.

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Photographs of the 1:1 scale model:

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Photographs of the 1:1 scale model:

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Photographs of the 1:1 scale model:

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Photographs ofhe making process:

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Photographs ofhe making process:

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Thank you!

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