Timber Tiny House Takes Family Living Off-The-grid

Brief 

Madeiguincho’s Gonçalo Madeira Marrote comes from a family of carpenters, so it makes sense that his tiny house output is defined by its use of timber. This is the case with the off-grid Baleia, which serves as home to a mother and her two children.

Insight

Madeiguincho’s Gonçalo Madeira Marrote comes from a family of carpenters and also worked as a carpenter himself, so it makes sense that his tiny house output is defined by its use of timber. This is once again the case with the off-grid Baleia, which features an attractive understated wooden exterior and serves as home to a mother and her two children.

The Baleia measures 7 x 2.5 m (22 x 8.2 ft) and is based on a double-axle trailer. Like Madeiguincho’s previous Adraga model, its power needs are met by a solar panel array, which is connected to batteries. It also has tanks to hold water.

The tiny house has two entrances: the main double glass doors open up the home to the outside and connect to the kitchen, plus there’s a smaller door at the side that enters into a hallway area and contains some storage space for clothes and offers direct access to the bathroom – perhaps it could be a useful way to get the kids clean after playing outside without messing up the kitchen.

The interior decor is quite simple and finished in utilitarian plywood, with wooden detailing throughout. The kitchen area itself serves as the center of the home and includes a washer/dryer, a four-burner propane-powered stove and an oven, a sink, fridge, custom cabinetry and some shelving. The living room is adjacent and has some seating and some storage units, plus a dining table/desk area.