“Everything you need and nothing more.” This is the motto behind Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia’s ambitious new project, joining other initiatives already emerging in this new mini-market. From California, the quick and practical tiny house is becoming a reality. Who doesn’t need an extra room in their home? An office, a gym, a guest room, or a rental business. These are some of the possibilities offered by the latest offering from Backyard, a project by the company Samara, which aims to lead the market for designer tiny houses that are easy to install in the backyards of American customers.
Backed by Airbnb and with former Flex CEO Mike Namara as co-founder, Samara. The startup originated in 2016 as an in-house design studio for the world's most successful vacation rental company, headquartered in Silicon Valley. In the Backyard, customers can purchase items online through the Samara and add them to their cart just like any other product. The difference? Choosing between two types of tiny homes: a 40 m² studio with a full bathroom starting at $289,000 or a 50 m² studio with a separate bedroom starting at $329,000.
From the website, with just a click of the mouse, you can select the materials, finishes, and coverings for the kitchen, bathroom, doors, and closets. Perhaps the biggest dilemma for the client is choosing between the five available colors for their new sustainable home, which uses solar energy and features an air filtration and purification system. Backyard is described as a tiny house built with durable, cutting-edge materials, with a design that considers every single centimeter. Kitchens designed for the home's chefs rival those in spacious city apartments, bathrooms are fully equipped, and the bright rooms offer direct access from the garden.
Of course, and for the customer's convenience, the transaction includes installation costs, site preparation, building permits, and assembly. It's no surprise that other states have followed California's lead and implemented ordinances to facilitate the construction of these tiny homes, which, due to their versatility and price, have become a highly desirable product. Unfortunately, they are currently only a reality in California, although Gebbia has already announced plans to expand to other states in North America soon, and perhaps even to our own country sooner than we expect.
Source: AD Magazine
https://www.revistaad.es/arquitectura/articulos/minicasas-prefabricadas-fundador-de-airbnb-samara
