Ample Creates Prefab Shelters and Saunas Inspired by Australian Sheds

Welcome to Prefab Profiles, an ongoing series of interviews with people transforming how we build houses. From prefab tiny houses and modular cabin kits to entire homes ready to ship, their projects represent some of the best ideas in the industry. Do you know a prefab brand that should be on our radar? Get in touch!  

When Greg Adshead and Aaaron Shields were first introduced, they quickly realized they shared more than just a mutual friend. The duo bonded over their common frustration regarding the quality of housing in their home country of Australia. Rather than building bigger, more expensive homes, they envisioned a future where more people could choose to live in (or just visit) high quality, fully transportable, small homes.

The duo channeled their grievances into Ample—the offsite manufacturing business they formed in 2021. In partnership with the designers at Agents of Architecture, the Melbourne-based company offers a range of customizable prefabricated homes and saunas with an aesthetic inspired by, in their words, the humble Aussie shed (think galvanized metal exteriors complemented by wood and steel interiors). We spoke with the Ample co-founders to learn more about why their modular buildings are popping up across Australia. 

What’s the most exciting project you’ve realized to date? 

It’s hard to choose one, but Stella the Stargazer and her Sauna Bathhouse is a great project. We were engaged by Visit Victoria, the state's tourism body, to create an accommodation aimed at encouraging younger demographics to explore the regional parts of Victoria—meaning the areas located outside of Melbourne. Stella and the Sauna Bathhouse is the result of our collaboration. 

Stella is a luxury accommodation experience that is fully off-grid. The building is relocated every few months to a new regional location. We prioritized fun over function for this project, creating a space similar to  a cubby house (Australia's version of a children's backyard play house) designed for adults. The intention is not necessarily to impress but to embrace the guests in a slow living experience. 

There are a lot of unique features, but our favorite thing about Stella is her roll out sleeping platform for stargazing. The glazed gable end connects to the bed and opens on gas struts, the bed then rolls out and the glazed section becomes a glass roof.

What does your base model cost and what does that pricing include? 

Our base model is called the Little Fella. Its basic form is a transportable studio pod, starting from around $49,000 AUD. This includes a complete building that is fully insulated with double-glazed, blackbutt timber windows and doors, and galvanized tin cladding. The interior is lined with hardwood plywood and contains a basic electrical package. This model is designed to be fitted out however you choose either by us to your specification, or by you once it is delivered. It can be used as a backyard studio, bedroom, office, or even as a compact cabin. 

What qualities make your prefab stand apart from the rest? 

Our design style is heavily influenced externally by the humble Aussie shed, we work closely with Agents of Architecture to create interiors that are rich with texture and craftsmanship. We want our buildings to enliven and stimulate engagement with both the materiality of the structure and the rawness of nature. Interior designer Aimee Gleeson creates the warm, relaxed spaces. Together we lean heavily on raw, natural, often repurposed hardwearing materials that will age gracefully and take on a unique patina over time. We use a lot of custom finishes, fixtures, and fittings.  If we can't find exactly what're we're looking for, we'll make it ourselves. 

Where is the prefab currently available?    

We currently only ship inside Australia. We would love to explore partnering with a like-minded team in the U.S., and eventually Europe.

How long can a client expect the process to take after they put down a deposit?  

The timeline is heavily reliant on the approvals process of the local council, but typically it can take anywhere from 4-6 months from manufacture sign on for a single small pod, then upwards depending on the project's size and complexity.

What aspects of an install do you manage?

We are a design and manufacturing business. We can assist the site team remotely but we do not typically engage in site work.

What aspects of the design can a client customize?  

The level of customization depends on the client's brief and more importantly their budget. To date we have completed multiple one-off custom projects and it remains an important part of our brand. We want our clients to engage with the space as much as possible, sometimes our clients don’t change a single thing, while others want to be heavily involved in the detailing or want a unique one off.    

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