Be Warned: This $350K Prefab May Tempt You to Move to the Tasmanian Bush
Built as a personal retreat for a director at the firm Archier, the 570-square-foot home strikes a balance between sleek aesthetics and sustainable design.
Location: Hobart, Tasmania (Australia)
Price: $350,000
Designers: Josh FitzGerald, Scott Ashton, Lin Ashton of Archier
Year Built: 2019
Footprint: 570 square feet
From the Agent: "Casa Acton questions the purpose of architecture and its relationship with the natural world. The project grew out of ongoing conversations within our studio about the balance between architecture as a technical practice and the creation of meaningful spaces; the issues of building on remote sites; the affordability of housing; the importance of sustainability; and the relationship between aesthetics and utility. They all came together when one of our directors, Josh, and his partner, Millie, wanted to build their first home. While the building is lightweight to ensure it can be easily moved, it does not feel insubstantial, due to sandstone flooring, painstakingly laid over many months, that provide a tactile surface underfoot, significant thermal mass, and a primal sense of permanence. Though the cabin is modest, it feels spacious thanks to a 24-foot-wide, floor-to-ceiling window. Strategically oriented due north, it visually extends the sense of space into a landscaped garden and the surrounding bushland. The exterior of the house further connects with the setting through locally and sustainably sourced raw timber board-and-batten cladding, which references the old apple sheds that exist throughout the area."
The prefab is currently nestled on a remote lot, surrounded by towering trees.
Photo by Adam Gibson
Photo by Adam Gibson
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Josh and Millie crafted the home with structural insulated panels (SIPs). "SIPs are relatively new to Australia and provides a more straightforward and efficient alternative to traditional framing," notes the Archier team. "These panels not only offer a simpler construction method; they’re also thermally efficient and environmentally sustainable."
Photo by Adam Gibson
Photo by Adam Gibson
"Working with the standard dimensions of the panels and keeping the building footprint small proved cost-effective," notes the team. Black-framed windows and wooden cabinetry contrast with the raw OSB walls.
Photo by Adam Gibson
Photo by Adam Gibson
Floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors enhance the home’s intimate indoor/outdoor connection, while also allowing plenty of natural light inside.
Photo by Adam Gibson
Casa Acton, located in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, is currently available for $350,000 by Harrison Agents Hobart. Learn more about the prefab home on Instagram and at Archier’s website.
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