The Modern, Stylish and Completely Off-Grid Ursa Tiny House

Project Ursa is a challenge issued internally by studio Madeiguincho, the end goal of which was to design and build three prototypes for tiny houses on wheels.

The Ursa house's exterior walls are covered in heat-treated timber
The Ursa house’s exterior walls are covered in heat-treated timber

They had to have a length of 4m, 5m and respectively 7m, to be 2,5m wide and to have a maximum height of 4m. The result was the beautiful Ursa mobile home which is packed with cool features. 

The large glass doors and wood shutters can open up to connect the interior to an outdoor deck
The large glass doors and wood shutters can open up to connect the interior to an outdoor deck

The Ursa tiny house that you see in these images is located in Cascais, Portugal and was designed to be able to function completely off-grid.

This tiny house has two sleeping areas, one of which is a loft bedroom
This tiny house has two sleeping areas, one of which is a loft bedroom

To ensure that, the roof features a subtle 5% slope which allows rainwater to drain easily into a couple of water tanks with a total capacity of 650 liters. This water is then redirected to the kitchen sink, the bathroom sink and the shower where it’s filtered and reused. After that, the reused water goes into another tank and from there is used for watering plants.

The other sleeping area is a cozy window nook next to the work station
The other sleeping area is a cozy window nook next to the work station

On top of the roof the Urba tiny house features solar panels which are facing South. Their inclination can be adjusted up to 30% in order to maximize the energy product all year round, making this a very efficient off-grid tiny house.

The door shutters can be closed but still let some of the light through
The door shutters can be closed but still let some of the light through

The energy produced by these solar panels is being converted and stored for later uses so the inhabitants can always have energy on demand when needed. Check out our informational article covering solar panel companies if you’re interesting in this subject.

 

The large curved window lets lots of light into the loft and reveals a panoramic view
The large curved window lets lots of light into the loft and reveals a panoramic view

This tiny house offers 17 square meters of living space in total which is organized into a kitchen, a full bathroom with a dry toilet that produces compost, a living area, two sleeping areas and also an outdoor deck. 

The interior is compact and packed with multifunctional features
The interior is compact and packed with multifunctional features

Of course, each of these spaces is small and they all blend into one another which creates a cozy ambiance inside. This is accentuated by the warmth of the wood used for both the interior and the exterior of the Ursa tiny house. 

The timber siding creates an interesting perforated facade aesthetic
The timber siding creates an interesting perforated facade aesthetic
The large entrance is positioned opposite to the open kitchen area
The large entrance is positioned opposite to the open kitchen area
The walls, doors and windows are insulated using expanded cork boards, solid plywood and tempered glass
The walls, doors and windows are insulated using expanded cork boards, solid plywood and tempered glass
The small wooden deck can function as an extension of the interior floor plan
The small wooden deck can function as an extension of the interior floor plan
The operable kitchen window brings in sunlight and can also be used for ventilation
The operable kitchen window brings in sunlight and can also be used for ventilation
Open shelves add storage without making the small interior feel cluttered
Open shelves add storage without making the small interior feel cluttered
This tiny house has a full bathroom with an open walk-in shower
This tiny house has a full bathroom with an open walk-in shower
The roof is covered in solar panels which provide all the energy this tiny house needs
The roof is covered in solar panels which provide all the energy this tiny house needs

Images by Junior Carranca.