How This Minimalist Tiny Home Allows You to Escape to Nature
Drawing inspiration from livestock sheds that scatter farmlands, MGAO designed a tiny home on wheels to sit in any landscape and not detract from the picturesque view. So their simple Colorbond-clad cabin becomes its own "shed", except it's for humans to occupy.
Base Cabin, a builder of tiny homes that collaborates with Australia's leading architects, approached MGAO wanting a cabin that would house a bathroom, bedroom, living, dining and kitchen, all of which needed to fit on a trailer and fit within the requirements of a transportable tiny house. MGAO recognised the challenge of needing to fulfil the brief while still being functional for daily life.
The layout was kept simple, with a bathroom at one end, a kitchen at the other, and the living/sleeping space in between. With such a tight footprint, MGAO pushed storage to the walls, and a fold-down bed and fold-up table were designed to allow flexibility. In addition, windows have been carefully positioned to not only help define particular spaces, but with light and outlook, it aids in expanding the small footprint by drawing the surrounding environment into the cabin.
Referencing the livestock sheds, MGAO used Colorbond for the external material, providing a simple, elegant and robust exterior that wouldn't look out of place on a farm, vineyard or out in the bush. The form has been kept simple, reminiscent of a lot of MGAO's work, ensuring that the cabin would become secondary to the landscape.
Limewash plywood was used internally, including the joinery. It provides a robust but soft finish to the interior space of the cabin, and the singular material reinforces the simplicity and minimalist design approach. In addition, after coming back from a day out exploring the landscape, the plywood can accommodate a few knocks and bumps from boots and bags.
The Base Cabin gives you a sense of 'home', with real generosity given to the small footprint. MGAO have thought about how it could be occupied as a roaming tiny home on wheels or a semi-permanent cabin that could be paired with a second cabin. It's been designed to feel like you're in the landscape, not cut off from it, and it has everything you need to escape everyday life.
Designed by MGAO, built by Base Cabin.
You can purchase this cabin for yourself from Base Cabin.
Videography and editing, photography and words by Anthony Richardson.
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