POD-Idlala Tiny Home Is Probably the Tiniest Tiny Ever, Still Comfortable

At the same time, it could just be the tiniest tiny home to have ever "tinied." It’s a nano home, a modular and prefabricated living solution, or a lifestyle pod, as the designer calls it. Meet the POD-Idlala, a very small but still very comfortable (and gorgeous!) tiny home.

Designed in 2015 by architect Clara da Cruz Almeida from Johannesburg, it is currently available only throughout South Africa. However, the makers offer plans and counseling for international tiny home dwellers, so while it’s not readily accessible to them, they can still get close to owning one such lifestyle pod.

The idea with the POD-Idlala is that it’s perfect for people without the sufficient financial means to lease an actual home and, of course, for those who think downsizing is for them. The unofficial motto of the makers is that the easiest way to organize your stuff is just to get rid of most of it and, while admitting this isn’t for everybody, it does lead to a heightened experience of living.

More importantly, such a nano home is sustainable and remains very comfortable despite its diminutive size. In fact, da Cruz Almeida has been able to put everything you could need in the living space of 17.28 square meters (186 square feet), and she’s done it by ditching the idea of rooms and focusing on space and functionality instead.

As such, each nano home comes with double functionality on most of the things inside: the living room can serve as an office or guest room, the bedroom doubles as a wardrobe, the passageway in the middle is the shower (and you can barely tell), while the kitchen is also a dining room.

Space inside the two-level construction is small but can be extended with the addition of decks (either tented or not); conversely, one pod can be used modularly, as part of a larger construction. One pod sleeps two adults and the occasional guest, or two adults and one child, while larger structures, formed by adjoining several pods, can accommodate larger families. On the same note, the layout can be customized according to each client.

The POD-Idlala is built from standard drywall materials, like steel, aluminum, and wood, with a timber exterior. The finishes are by Dokter and Misses, which proposes cardboard boxes on rails going up the walls, which offer flexibility in location and, as such, ease of use. Even the light fixtures can be moved around for the most convenience.

While the POD-Idlala is a tiny home and can be easily transported, it’s not a tiny you can haul yourself from location to location. The makers clearly stress that, saying it’s a proper home and “not a caravan” but, with this in mind, it does have the upper hand on an actual home. “If you move, from city to city,” the makers say, “you can ultimately just move the house with you, saving time on house hunting.” But shipping and assembly, which is done on-site, has to be done by a professional.

Access is done through the kitchen slash dining room slash office. Although everything is crammed together, you get a two-burner cooker, a sink, storage space, and plenty of counter space. More importantly, you get the chance to throw together a meal by simply reaching out from the same spot.

The passageway is the hidden shower, and a toilet and sink are found behind a closing door. On the other side is a living room with a sofa, which can sleep a guest or turn into an office for two. Upstairs is the mezzanine bedroom, with plenty of natural light and ingenious storage spaces.

“A simpler life will allow you to concentrate on what matters: the experience of living,” the makers say. Whether that means more time for yourself and your family by cutting down cleaning times to just five minutes or getting to spend more time outdoors is entirely up to you.

Because the POD-Idlala is modular and customizable, the makers don’t offer a fixed price. However, a stripped-down pod will set you back ZAR270,000 (approximately $19,196 at the current exchange rate). The complete solution, which also includes stuff like premium insulation and roofing, can go as high as ZAR800,000 ($57,234).