Last year’s winner of the SMUD Tiny House Competition took the idea of sustainable living and gave it a new twist with their tiny house called the Revolve House. The home actually rotates automatically to follow the sun in order to maximize available solar power! Not only that, but it was built using SIPs which provide the best insulation available so this 238 square foot home delivers sustainability in one tiny package!
The house sits on a large turntable called a Colussun sun tracking ring that automatically rotates the house so that the solar panels are always facing the sun to generate the home’s power.
Before we take you inside, you have to see the view from up top! The home features a large roof deck that can seat up to six people!
Inside, the home has white walls with gorgeous wood ceilings. A TV was hung from the wall in the living room next to the skylight that lets in natural light.
A lounge area is on one side of the home with a long built-in padded bench and another TV in the corner. This area actually doubles as a bedroom by simply pulling the murphy bed down that’s tucked into the wall underneath the book ledge.
A small closet was tucked into the corner next to the bed with drawers below for storage.
The lounge/bedroom area flows into the dining and kitchen areas and is connected with the same dark hardwood for a cohesive feel between the rooms.
The kitchen is along one wall of the home with custom cabinets and dark countertops. The upper cabinets are open for easy storage and a gray backsplash adds interest to the room. Across from the kitchen is a padded bench that can be used for buffet-style seating with the table that’s folded and stored on the wall.
The bathroom is at the end of the home and it features a large open shower with a tile accent and teak seat. There’s also a composting toilet across from the shower as well as large built-in cabinets.
Outside, the home has another sustainable feature that’s unique to the house. A large “green wall” is on the wall that’s made up with small planters that attach to a grid. You could use it to grow a small garden or plant flowers.
We’re truly impressed by this design that the students came up with! Even better is that it’s specifically designed to be used by disabled veterans and is completed wheelchair-accessible. The home is even being donated to Operation Freedom Paws, an organization that teaches veterans with disabilities to train their own service dogs! If you want to see more of their
project, go to http://revolvehouse.com/.
