Big News for Our Tiny House

AIA Austin and Community First! Village announced the winners of Tiny Victories, an architectural design competition with the goal of providing permanent, supportive, affordable, and sustainable housing for the homeless in Austin, Texas. There were 54 competitors, and Page’s tiny house design, “A Porch with a Home,” was chosen as a finalist.

Recently the Page team, which included Shelby Blessing, Natalie Cook, Matt Leach, Justin Oscilowski, and Barron Peper, received great news. Though it wasn’t selected by the competition jury, their design was a favorite of Mobile Loaves & Fishes Director Alan Graham, and will be built along with the four winning entries!

The goal of the competition was to create a simple home, between 144 and 200 square feet, to provide shelter and comfort to one person for an extended period of time. Outdoor kitchens, private bathrooms and laundry facilities are provided throughout the property, so the homes were required only to accommodate private sleeping, living, and storage spaces. Porches were strongly encouraged.

The Page team focused on using simple, affordable construction details to create a home that is generous within its tiny footprint, with high ceilings, clerestory windows, and plenty of built-in storage. The team was especially interested in the porch, and designed a flexible space with a deck, roof, and framing that will allow for a broad range of enclosure options depending on the needs and desires of the home’s inhabitant. The porch allows residents to have choice and control over their space, and contributes to a vibrant, varied community of homes that reflect on the outside who lives on the inside. It is also an adaptable space that can easily change over time to accommodate different inhabitants, seasons, and needs.

As described on the Mobile Loaves & Fishes website, Community First! Village is a 27-acre master-planned community that will provide affordable, sustainable housing and a supportive community for the chronically homeless in Central Texas. The area includes a community garden, a medical facility, walking trails, wi-fi, an outdoor theater, a place for worship and study, and access to the CAP Metro. The current site plan includes 70 microhomes designed through the Tiny Victories competition, including many of Page’s design.

At an April 22 event at Community First! Village, teams presented their designs to interested builders, and the Page team was delighted by the positive response from builders who want to help make our design a reality. Construction will begin this summer after an upcoming pre-construction meeting with all the builders who have committed to constructing the Page design.

Although we were very excited to hear that our design will be built, we are more excited to know that our homes will provide shelter to people in need – a place they’ll be able to call their own “Porch with a Home”.

You can find more information about the competition on Tiny Victories website.