- Two Mexican architects teamed up to create the Minimal Leisure Dwelling, a prefab shipping container home.
- The home starts at $50,000 and can be completed in 99 days.
- Sustainability plays into every aspect of the design for minimum environmental impact, the company claims.
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Two Mexican architects designed a modern, sustainable tiny home, and it barely shows its shipping container roots.
Rodrigo Alegre and Carlos Acosta, founder of the Mexico City studio StudioRoca, spent the last few years focusing more and more on environmental impact, and eventually developed the idea for Vivienda Minima de Descanso (VMD), or Minimal Leisure Dwelling.
VMD is a prefab one or two-bedroom home made out of repurposed shipping containers, with customization options throughout. The one-bedroom designs are about 322 square feet, and two-bedroom designs are about 645 square feet.
The basic VMD starts at $49,000 and is constructed in Mexico, then dropped by a crane into whatever location is chosen by the buyer. With the philosophy of minimizing environmental impact, VMD can be used totally off-grid, with solar panels and a rainwater tank. Specialized materials minimize energy needs throughout to keep the home as low impact as possible.
See inside here.
VMD units are made out of repurposed shipping containers.
The exterior facade is made out of viroc, a composite material.
The architects said that sustainability was a goal throughout the design, and using shipping containers reduce resources used and waste produced.
Viroc is fire and water resistant, with acoustic and thermal insulation.
The shipping container structure is sturdy, so it can go anywhere that a trailer and crane can drop it.
Inside, the units are extremely customizable.
VMDs can be one or two bedrooms...
Or even larger, with nearly endless options of combining several containers.
Inside, furnishings were designed and curated by StudioRoca, based in Mexico City.
Every aspect, from the basic structure to finishings, was chosen based on ecological impact, along with style.
The drywall has thermal and acoustic insulation properties that make heating and cooling cheaper and less energy intensive.
Floors, walls, countertops, and bathroom finishes can all be customized in the buying process.
Solar panels and a rainwater tank can be added on for off-grid living.
The bathroom floor is made up of 33% recycled materials.
A special instant water heater "dramatically reduces energy usage"...
...and an incinerating toilet can minimize energy further, while also being a good option for off grid use.
Built-in shelving and storage throughout helps residents make use of the small space.
The kitchen is modern-looking, with white no hardware cabinets and black appliances.
It has a small eat-in area that leads into the main living space.
A glass door lets in light.
The melamine flooring in the house actually has a negative carbon footprint.
Part of the appeal of VMD is that residents can just "lock-up-and-go."
Architects said that the prefab home doesn't have all the maintenance that a house would, make it a good option for a guest house, vacation home, or primary residence.
The architects recommend a check of the structure every two years to make sure there is no corrosion.
They estimate that the structure will be suitable housing for at least 50 years.
From ordering to delivery, the entire process takes 99 days.
The base price is $49,000, not including shipping and customizations.
The base price does include electrical and plumbing systems, finishes, bathroom furniture, lighting, and the deck.
The architects shared this photo of one of their customized units with Business Insider.
For buyers concerned about security, cameras, motion sensors, and alarms can all be controlled through a cell phone.
Finally, because VMD doesn't require a foundation, it could be moved to another location.
