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MBI Issues Policy Position on Tariffs & Their Impact on Modular Construction. Read the statement here.

Tiny Cabins Offer Minimalist Getaways

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The concept of Tiny Homes is widespread in the United States, given its size and mobility advantages. This has generated a tendency to live with the essentials and at lower costs than maintaining large homes. The popularity of Tiny Homes isn’t confined to the United States, however.

MBI member Tecno Fast S.A. utilized this principle for the creation of their “Tiny Cabin by Tecno Fast” in Chile, South America. Technically the Tiny Cabin is a house with approximately 80 square meters of surface, with an efficient, minimalist, and high-quality design. Each cabin has a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, closet, and additional services such as an electric lock and alarm.

The plans come in two modern designs from renowned Chilean architects Mathias Klotz and Felipe Assadi. Conceptually, the Tiny Cabin designed by Mathias Klotz is designed to share and enjoy with the family, with a living room that connects with a natural environment. Felipe Assadi’s creation is a space that prioritizes resting with a privileged view from the bedroom. The purpose is to create a minimalist and sustainable space.

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The Tiny Cabins are prefabricated transportable steel structure modules and can be arranged adjacently to generate a single-family home. The modules have the following exterior measurements: width of 3.44 m; length of 6.94 m; height of 2.80 m, and dimensional tolerances of +/- 1cm.

The partitions and walls consist of plasterboard, glass wool and OSB. This ensures excellent acoustic measures, protection against fire and, above all, temperature, providing a module manufactured and designed for harsh weather conditions. The exterior cladding consists of a panel made of 2 aluminum sheets and a plastic core, giving it a modern and minimalist look. The roof is covered in liquid membrane, making it difficult to reach complicated and complex places such as the 2-channel canals, providing maximum impermeability. The windows, thermo panel with aluminum frames, provide a good seal to the outside while maintaining the indoor temperature, either cold or hot.

Tecno Fast launched this program in the Spring of 2019 by calling on those who have land in areas with high tourism potential. The methodology was based on registering on the company’s website www.tinycabin.cl, completing the application form and submitting a series of documents. Tecno Fast received over 1,000 applications from all over our country, from the most extreme zone to the most deserted area. The company selected the 50 best project locations and have installed Tiny Cabins throughout Chile including 10 located 1,897 km from the Tecno Fast factory, on the shore of General Carrera Lake in Chilean Patagonia.

This article was adapted from an Awards of Distinction entry. Browse more projects.

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