The Solo 01 Is the Tiniest Home Strapped to a Rickshaw

The industry of tiny movable homes is seeing a boom right now, thanks to the fact that they promise more sustainable, less costly abodes to people who also favor relative freedom. As of right now, tiny homes, especially the mobile versions, are expensive to buy but relatively cheap to run and maintain, which makes them a good bargain in the long run.

This little thing, were it ever made, would probably be cheap as dirt from the start. Not only is it incredibly small, but it’s also made from scrap metal and salvaged materials, which would lead to a lower asking price. Designed by India’s The Billboards Collective and architect Arun Prabhu N G, it is a study into affordable housing for those with limited means.

The Solo 01 is six feet by six feet (1.8 x 1.8 meters) abode with 36 square feet (2.41 square meters) of available space, maximized vertically. The idea behind it wasn’t to create an actual tiny home but rather a prototype that showed how space could be used to provide shelter to those with limited financial homes. In other words, the Solo 01, while an admirable feat, will never be made commercially available.

Designed with a single occupant in mind, this tiny home includes anything from a sun terrace to a working space and even a bathtub. Living space is layered, with the bottom floor occupied by the kitchen area and the bathroom. Upstairs is the sleeping area and the work area, with the latter being represented by a pull-down table large enough for a laptop. Up top there’s a terrace with an umbrella, so whoever lives inside can catch some sun or enjoy the open air.

The tiny home is even provided with solar panels, which would presumably help run home appliances (such as they are), an extendable clothing rack and a display case in which small-scale vendors could put up their products to attract buyers. It even has a 250-liter (66-gallon) water tank attached to it, which makes it ideal for when it’s on the move.

Prabhu says that, despite the small space available, Solo 01 can be made to feel more spacious. You simply open up all the windows and doors, to let fresh air in and, with it, the impression that you’re not living in a metal box.

Speaking of which, Solo 01 is made from scrap metal to cut down costs. For the prototype, Prabhu used spare parts from buses and salvaged materials from demolished buildings. The best part is that this tiny house is then strapped to a three-wheel rickshaw, which makes it more or less a camper because it’s mobile. When it’s used as a more permanent base, it can be detached from the rickshaw so that it sits on the ground.

Obvious issues of balance (given its height, this thing could easily topple over in strong winds) or steering (turning could turn out to be quite a challenge) aside, Prabhu says Solo 01 was designed to be utilitarian. He refuses to call it a minimalist home because it has “various nooks and crannies, all perfectly designed for their purpose” and because it could be the perfect, temporary home for vendors, construction workers or even homeless people. It could also be used by lone travelers or in case of natural disasters, offering temporary shelter for those whose homes have been destroyed.

“Though unspoken about, small scale architecture is the most relevant in India and is often scrutinized for being underutilized in terms of space,” Prabhu says. “Our vision is to shine a light on how to constantly improve the way of life of people around us without space or budget as parameters. Solo 01 is our first step towards achieving that goal concentrating on temporary and portable housing concepts in India.”

As such, it is a success. It would probably be a hit, too, if it were made commercially available but we’ll never know for sure.