© Echo Living
If you have a passing knowledge of Greek mythology, then you might have heard of theMinotaur or the beautiful Greek island of Crete, home of the ancient Minoan civilization. It’s now also home to this airy, custom-built tiny home on wheels, created by Scottish design firm Echo Living for a yoga teacher who resides here for part of the year.
The home was prefabricated in Scotland and shipped onto the site, and lifted by crane into a tiny, remote spot with three ancient olive trees, and blessed with an awesome seaview. The structure had to be outfitted with wheels, in accordance to local planning requirements to minimize any environmental impacts.
© Echo Living
The emphasis here is on light, and more light, thanks to the full-height glazing that’s provided on the structure’s face, which can slide open to let the sea breezes in, and the open shelving concept. Utilizing an etched, white composite cladding, the design’s minimalist, white-coloured aesthetic echoes that of the buildings in the village. The design consists of two buildings: a main living area and a separate bathroom with shower and composting toilet, which is accessible by a wooden walkway.
© Echo Living
© Echo Living
© Echo Living
This off-grid home is solar-powered and lit with LEDs, and uses a small, wood-burning stove for heating during the colder months, while water is brought in via a pipe from the village. We love the kitchen’s unique floating, open-view design, which features a generous sink, a freestanding stove and a 12-volt refrigerator. Off to one side of the kitchen is a door that can swing open to provide access to the outdoor deck.
© Echo Living
© Echo Living
© Echo Living
The interior is clad in naturally finished spruce timber panels, which gives a sense of meditative purity and calm. The sitting area has a large bench-like element, with rolling storage boxes underneath. A skylight above the bench lets in dappled light, filtered by the foliage of the olive trees. Beyond is a small sleeping area, with enough room for a double bed on a platform, and some storage shelving. Extra ventilation is provided with a long strip of clerestory-like windows across the top of the facade, which can be covered up if needed.
© Echo Living
© Echo Living
© Echo Living
Like a receptacle for golden sunlight, this lovely little modern off-grid house seems at home amongst these wizened trees and strong sea breezes. It’s the kind of TreeHugger-friendly design that reconnects you back to nature, without being pretentious or overdone. See more by visiting Echo Living or by checking out our previous post on their Echo Eco-pods.
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