SNUG ‘A Home In My Backyard’: Design

Jasmax is committed to helping solve the housing crisis by delivering affordable and innovative solutions that deliver good quality outcomes for people. In this year’s Prefab NZ Snug Competition: with the theme ‘a home in my backyard’, our accommodation team delivered a clever pre-fab design that provides a quality living environment. Our entry, the 30-65sqm Hidden Home challenges current thinking around pre-fabricated living. The design proves that small can be beautiful, cost-effective and functional. It also comes with the added bonus that it’s easily assembled on site.

Typically modular or pre-fab solutions require cranes to move them into place. We designed this home with an emphasis on flat-pack assembly so they can be easily transported and built in the backyard.

Design features of our Hidden Home include:

It can be weather tight in three days

Exterior cladding, interior fixtures, kitchens and bathrooms can be screwed in place in minimal time. Interior walls and floors are pre-finished. A ‘services’ spine wall runs between the kitchen and bathroom and is factory first fixed plumbed and wired for easy second fix whiteware installation onsite. Additional electrical services are contained within the Hidden House’s floor and wall panels for electrical distribution.

Powered by sunshine and designed for light

The split-directional sawtooth roofline captures at least 50% of direct northern light, maximising thermal gain. The home is fully insulated, with photovoltaic panels and a battery system so powerful the Hidden House can even be plugged into the parent site and power the entire site over time. Or, it can go off the grid entirely with an optional compostable toilet, and a water collection and re-use system.

Sustainable, recyclable and healthy

All components have been designed with the future in mind, with disassembly, relocation and recycling strategies built in.

Cost-effective

This whole package is designed for easy, quick on the ground assembly, and could cost as little as $100,000 for the entire build.

Flexible

With options from 30sqm to 65sqm, the Hidden Home can expand to offer and an extra bedroom or stay compact on a smaller site.

You can read more about the Snug Hidden Home competition here.