The Tiny House at the Tiny College

The “Tiny House” movement is an architectural and social phenomenon that promotes simple living in small homes, and may also offer a sustainable housing option with regards to the use of resources as well as construction and maintenance costs. Our goal for the Tiny House at Randolph College is to serve as a public resource on sustainable design and its significance. Our previous work on this project includes research and design comparison for tiny houses and their components, initial investigation of relevant building codes, and working with campus constituents as we develop a proposal for the house. This summer, we propose to continue to develop a comprehensive design and construction plan for a hybrid straw bale-cob educational tiny house in the Randolph College Organic Garden. We will further investigate and plan for compliance with campus regulations and international building codes, and research mechanisms for assessing elements of the house that promote sustainable use of resources. Ideally, we will plan for and launch the implementation of a prototype Tiny House at our Tiny College in the coming academic year.