As of 2017, I have been a passionate supporter of the Tiny House Movement. Though my current stance is to invest in well-designed high-rises and communal living, design-building a tiny house from start to finish remains an eventual goal of mine. The album showcases some of my most recent designs up through the initial modeling phase.  These designs feature folding/collapsible wooden framing (partially inspired by Ten Fold Engineering) as to maximize living space without sacrificing travel aerodynamics.

(L) Design v4.3 1/16th scale model - (R) Design v2.2 1/16th scale model

These models were constructed using to-scale modeling sticks, hot glue, and foam board (grid paper provided accuracy and rigidity). All models are shown in "house" form, though are also capable of folding down into their respective travel forms. The latest design is set to have 2 to 4 lifts supporting the building's peak as to allow for automated transformation.

Long before the modeling and digital layout stages, each iteration of tiny house went through a long period of development on paper. The following sketches are just some of the initial drafts for designs. Some notable differences include the use of a single-width wall (design did not extend up or collapse down), increased roof overhang, offset corners, and complex roofs with multiple pitches that extended outward on sliding bearings.

Pictured here are the final drawings utilized as the basis for the above models (rendered with Google* Layout. The left-side picture features multiple cross-sections depicting the house's travel form. Multiple iterations of furniture layout were considered prior to beginning the modeling phase as all furniture had to be functional, aesthetically pleasing, and capable of fitting within the travel form cavities (see below for alternatives).

As the designs and models got more complex, I modified the framing to more accurately reflect real-world construction. For the most recent design, I researched and followed wooden framing standards (such as by placing studs 12-18" apart), made conscious choices about which components would be load bearing, and made sure that such components were properly reinforced (the first level features heavier headers and corners to help support the roof, whereas the second level walls feature lightweight rigid-foam insulation for their structural integrity).

Design v3, shown below, never yielded a model, but proved to be a stepping-stone between version 2 and 4. Here the original design was given a square appearance to ease fabrication and to maximize living space. To the lower left is the travel form with all of the major appliances fit inside.

Last but not least (and chronologically 1st), the original tiny house design that I worked with to produce a model. This earlier effort lacked precise hinge locations and was only 1/24th scale. This design was also the least mechanically complex, and it was my goal with future revisions to create a more advanced model.