Kirimoko Tiny House: The Freedom of Living with Less

Located in Wanaka, New Zealand, Kirimoko Tiny House is a 2018 residential project designed by Condon Scott Architects. A cycle trip and a life lived out of panniers inspire the design. This house is defined by a simple gable form and a sturdy black rain screen.

It is a compact 30-square-meter one-bedroom home that uses cleverly crafted spatial devices so a lot of punch can be packed into a small place without compromising on the living areas’ scale. The combination of passive house measures and structural insulated panels allows the house to maintain a consistent level of thermal comfort without additional energy.

The house sits on a quiet suburban street, designed with an ambitious 30m2 footprint. The freedom of living with less motivates the client to realize this house. The inspiration comes from a cycling trip where life was lived out of pannier bags.

There is a full kitchen, living space, and bedroom area. A sense of space and airiness comes from the double height volume with its glazed facade. There is also room for artwork, two large couches, a full-sized fridge, and a coffee table.

Spring-back drawers pull out of each step tread and more storage can be found under the kitchen joinery in the toe space. The external cladding is restrained but functional combining larch weatherboards and asphalt shingles.

There are minimal openings to the east, south, and west to preserve the thermal envelope. From the beginning of the project, passive heating and cooling have been considered. The house is constructed using SIPs panels and passive house principles. These panels are taped sealed and wrapped in a secondary layer of building paper and ply to maximize thermal efficiency.

The client has moved into this house and since then, a ceiling fan and portable heater have been sufficient to regulate temperature on the coolest and warmest days.

Kirimoko Tiny House

Photographer: Simon Larkin Photography