Piwakawaka is a Tiny House with a Compact Layout

Brief

Build Tiny has designed a tiny house with a compact layout that’s all on one level. Named the Piwakawaka, it features a well-stocked kitchen, and a bedroom and living room that open up to the outside with double glass doors. Read more.

Insight

Back in 2020, New Zealand’s Build Tiny designed a tiny house named the Dark Horse. The firm has now used that model as a starting point for another tiny house that’s arranged on one level. It features a well-stocked kitchen and a bedroom and living room that open up to the outside with double glass doors.

This tiny house is named the Piwakawaka and has a total length of 9 m (29 ft), which is on the money for New Zealand tiny houses, but quite short compared to many US examples. It’s based on a double-axle trailer and is finished in vinyl and cedar. Visitors access the interior through the glass doors and the light-filled interior is finished in poplar core plywood. The living area itself is pretty small and has some seating and shelving, plus a wood-burning stove that heats the home.

Nearby, just to the right of the living room as you enter, is the bedroom. This has generous glazing and, like the living room, opens up to the outside. Additionally, there’s plenty of headroom to stand upright – always a nice feature to have in a tiny house – plus it contains some storage space (though perhaps a storage-integrated bed would have been a good addition too).

Over on the other side of the living room is the kitchen area. This is quite well-stocked for a compact tiny house and includes a large bifold window, a breakfast bar for two, cabinetry, a two-burner propane-powered stove, an oven, a microwave, a pull-out pantry, a sink, a fridge/freezer, and even a small dishwasher. The kitchen connects to the bathroom, which contains a sink, shower, and composting toilet, as well as some extra storage space and a washer/dryer.