A Collection of Tiny Homes

Oasis in the Heads

Gavin’s own home in Mangawhai Heads is a case in point. Dubbed ‘Oasis in the Heads’, the home is made up of a collection of structures positioned around a central outdoor enclave, with a firepit and plenty of space for the extended family to spread out and enjoy the Northland sun.

The first to be built here was a 26m2 tiny home clad in Vulcan Cladding - Vertical Grain (WB10 Profile) in Protector – Nero.

Waiheke Cabin

Clad in the same Vulcan Cladding in Protector – Nero is another Ecospace ‘Waiheke’ cabin, which also includes a dual shipping container repurposed to provide extra bedrooms for the family.

“My favourite of the coatings is Nero,” says Gavin. “I just love the deep black colour. It blends well with the WB10 and WB12 Profile that we use a lot, and is a nice contrast to the Structural Insulated Panel (SIPs) panel and dark colour choices in the home. We do tend to have a black / white internal theme with most of our builds, so Nero works well with the black fixtures and fittings.”

Rakiura Tiny Home

Moving to the other end of the country, Ecospace’s Rakiura design is a compact 6m x 2.9m space that manages to fit a bedroom loft, lounge, kitchen and bathroom, as well as off-grid components, which allow all necessary utilities to run in any location.

“The design brief from our client was to replicate his existing, high performance, energy efficient home built from SIPs, in a way that would allow him to easily move it across the South Island with the changing location of his new role,” explains Gavin.

The Rakiura is clad in Vulcan Cladding (WB12 Profile) finished in Protector – Patina, which provides it with a warm look that is in keeping with the tussocked landscapes of the South Island.

Due to the thermal modification process Vulcan undergoes in manufacturing, this choice also provides a good deal of longevity for the structure, which is sure to encounter some extreme weather.

Ecospace offers a variety of Abodo profiles for their clients to choose from, with the most popular profile being Vulcan Cladding WB10 Profile 138x20mm, and the most common finish being Protector – Nero. Recent exceptions to this rule include a pool house Kelmarna Cabin in Auckland, which used Abodo’s Vulcan Primed Bevelback profile, and Abodo’s Ohinewai office, which takes the aesthetic further with Vulcan interior panelling.

In terms of the build process, Gavin, a professional builder as well as business owner, appreciates the malleability and strength of the Vulcan product.

“My team shares the same views - when we first started using the product, we were amazed at how dense it was to work with compared to other finishing timbers such as cedar. It’s so nice to work with and very strong. There’s nothing like getting to the end of a long run of wall and looking back at the sleek lines especially if it’s already had its factory coat.”