REMOTE RIVER CABIN TOUCHES THE EARTH LIGHTLY
Perched on the edge of a remote river in the Barrington Tops is a tiny off-grid cabin with no phone or wifi reception. Designed and built by Fresh Prince Studio, the 14 square metre cabin is a reaction to the bland oversized housing developments that plague Australia’s suburbs1.
“We believe less is more and aim to promote this philosophy through the creation of tiny cabins that feel generous and spacious inside,” said Alice Nivison, Design Director of Fresh Prince.
Fresh Prince have had a long-standing fascination with tiny living, in particular how small prefabricated dwellings can allow Australians to spend time in remote locations, close to nature without disturbing the surrounding environment with “heavy” construction and infrastructure.
“Being prefabricated and portable meant we had to carefully consider the weight of all materials, and fit all the elements within a strict size limit. Rather than creating a down-sized house, we started from the ground-up, including only what was essential to create a simple, beautiful space that embodies a sustainable way of life.” continued Nivison.
Large windows surround the bed, and french doors open out towards the river, creating a feeling of expansiveness from within the dwelling’s tiny footprint. The cabin features built-in joinery that blends seamlessly with the interior lining and cathedral ceiling so that this sense of openness is preserved.
“Working within a small footprint, everything must earn its place; there is no room for waste or inefficiency. The cabin was conceived as one continuous piece of joinery, interlocking and aligning to provide space for storage, cooking, sleeping and sitting, without disrupting the overall space” said Richie Northcott, founder of Fresh Prince.
Sustainable design has been considered at every step of the project, from material selection to the behaviour of the cabin as a whole, it’s thermal performance and long-term durability. The off-grid cabin features solar-power, high quality rigid foam insulation, reconstituted sawdust and wax [Weathertex] exterior cladding, FSC certified timber frame, birch plywood lining and a composting loo.
Sustainable features -
- Low e glass with operable louvres and shug windows for maximum cross ventilation in summer
- High quality rigid foam insulation with minimal air gaps for optimal insulation (wool insulation can shift during transport and over time, creating weak spots in the thermal performance)
- Integrated off-grid solar system supplies renewable power source
- LED lights are used throughout to reduce power consumption
- FSC certified timber frame construction and interior birch plywood lining
- Weathertex exterior cladding, which is a carbon neutral product (compressed sawdust and wax panels)
Composting toilet reduces water consumption and provides nutrient rich fertiliser
Material Used :
1. Weather groove Woodsman - Facade Cladding - Weathertex
2. Monument custom orb - Roofing - Colourbond
3. Birch plywood - interior lining - WISA
4. Baltic Timber - flooring - Barrenjoey Timbers
5. Compressed fibre cement - bathroom lining - CSR Cemintel
6. Custom brass and copper - tap ware - Rely on Rasmus
