These days, it almost feels like tiny houses are a dime a dozen, which would excuse the misconception that there's no longer any room for innovation in the industry. If these are your exact thoughts on the tiny house movement, Podform would like a word.
Podform is a California-based startup with a very bold dream: that of delivering the world's smartest tiny home, which is also the sleekest, most modern space for both work and play, retaining its mobility and ease of use, but also durable, ultra-resistant, and completely off-grid. That sounds like a lot of must-haves to integrate into a single unit, but it's what the Pod Studio aims to do.
The Pod Studio, billed as the world's smartest tiny house, is what container homes must dream of when they go to sleep. It's shaped like a container and built like one, but it expands three times its size once it reaches its destination by means of extra-long slide-outs. Each of these slide-outs gets an automatic awning, which, when deployed, further expands the habitat.
Measuring 30 feet (9.2 meters) in length and 8.5 feet (2.6 meters) in width, the Pod Studio becomes 16 feet (4.9 meters) wide, not including the awnings. The entire home is built from aluminum and steel, which means it's fire-resistant for up to 90 minutes, earthquake-resistant, and wind-resistant for up to 90 mph (145 kph), even with the awnings deployed.
Photo: Podform
According to Podform, that makes it much more durable and resilient than a standard brick-and-mortar home while also packing features one such house could never, even if it wanted. These range from mobility and freedom to relocate to self-sufficiency and optimized living space that is equal parts elegant and functional.
The Pod Studio can be transported by truck to the desired location, but unlike a typical container home, installation doesn't require a team or the use of a crane. That's because it has four automatic hydraulic legs, allowing it to lift itself up from the carrier, level itself on the ground, and complete the installation. The entire process is estimated to take 15 minutes or less, which sure beats the time, paperwork, and money you'd need to build a "regular" house.
Offering a living space of 454 square feet (42 square meters), the Pod Studio comes fully furnished, with a standard 3 kW solar package (upgradable to 10 kW), built-in water and septic tanks, and smart features that allow remote control and more efficient use of available resources. The PodForm app works both on Android and iOS and is designed to offer a complete look at consumption and stats, and control of the home's features.
Photo: Podform
Fisheye lens cameras for the surveillance system and expansive glazing means you will always see outside. Meanwhile, in-built AI will analyze "water, electricity, and local weather data to help you manage your daily consumption more efficiently." Podform says that repairs and maintenance will be conducted by specialized teams, so you'll have one thing less to worry about.
The layout is what you'd expect from a container home in the sense that it favors open-space design and multi-functional areas, offering accommodation for two people and the occasional guest. This way, you get a living room, a full kitchen, a full bathroom with an attached walk-in wardrobe, an office, a bedroom, and a dining area, though chances are you won't be able to see them right away.
That's because some gimmicks are at play to hide features when they're not needed. For instance, the four-person dining table is tucked away into the kitchen block, where it doubles as a two-person breakfast bar. The office disappears at night when you lower the king-size Murphy bed over it and turn the entire living into the bedroom. If you're a night bird, it's ok: the Pod Studio actually has a second workspace tucked away into a corner.
Photo: Podform
Another highlight of this home is a large projection glass wall feature, allowing you to use the entire front wall as a screen, whether to project the command center dash or some scenic view you fancy.
Even if you're not into tiny or mobile houses, the Pod Office sounds like perfection. The "too good to be true" kind.
From what we can tell, Podform has no presence on social media and no contact data listed. However, they're offering reservations for the Pod Office at $50 a pop and a $100 discount for a night stay at the display unit at Joshua Tree – which seems to exist only as an early prototype.
If you join the waiting list, you get a message from Dmitriy, the co-founder of Podform with no last name from either Dmitriy Khanzhin or Sha Shishegar, the co-founders of Podform. It mentions that the "live campaign" for the Pod Studio will go live "soon," which could mean it's coming to crowdfunding, like other startups in this segment have done before, to results with varying degrees of success.
This is not to insinuate that the intention behind Pod Studio is anything but legitimate, but maybe some restraint is advisable when looking at your potential future smart home. It's always best to be safe than sorry.
Update, September 26: The original text has been edited to include the full names of the Podform founders.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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