Outtakes: Hut on Sleds by Ken Crosson

<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In our April/May issue, we introduced you to a tiny house, "Hut on Sleds" on the Coromandel Peninsula </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">at Whangapoua Beach </span><span style="font-size: small;"> designed by Ken Crosson</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">(below)</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">. This diminutive, charming holiday home was a finalist in our Home of the Year award 2012, and subsequently shortlisted in the World Architecture Festival's <span style="font-size: small;">awards. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">It is such a cleverly built and elegant bach that we wanted to show you more of Jackie Meiring's terrific photographs of it. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">"It had to be </span><span style="font-size: small;"> a de-mountable house," explains Ken, required by the council because it is located within an erosion zone on the Coromandel coast. Measuring a mere 40 square metres, the house rests on two thick wooden 'sleds' that allows it to be dragged anywhere once uncoupled from power and wastewater and untied from the concrete pads beneath the sleds. It lends an entirely different meaning to the idea of moving house.</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3w6atSqn1CN4F8vT-Q4YNM-R9A3VU1YT7Gnt68k6vhCXcX-lsQD3KkerSFgCi7Syln96AvtWYkyCZysQrY3-Z5uvMG-4zQUR-ypd86kYeOzo-6LWUDSazZegYUJovUzzfmpTWD7Ie51-/s1600/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW3w6atSqn1CN4F8vT-Q4YNM-R9A3VU1YT7Gnt68k6vhCXcX-lsQD3KkerSFgCi7Syln96AvtWYkyCZysQrY3-Z5uvMG-4zQUR-ypd86kYeOzo-6LWUDSazZegYUJovUzzfmpTWD7Ie51-/s640/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">The bach has been designed to close up against elements: with doors and shutters closed (as in the photo above) it is truly hermetic to rain and wind gusts. But when the sun is shining, the house opens up to let the outside in (below).</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWAHGqWQB8BWJVBD4A747KamXxJIzmpqFdzhSzjiIwu0BbveBCFsaUxkgNu66fklwi_Lx8d1M1-hepnTIxOMHaLvxAlsPwPHjepcneh0uuPSb4zLayBmiBD-yGsVgV2hFm109Oi0ykc-3/s1600/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaWAHGqWQB8BWJVBD4A747KamXxJIzmpqFdzhSzjiIwu0BbveBCFsaUxkgNu66fklwi_Lx8d1M1-hepnTIxOMHaLvxAlsPwPHjepcneh0uuPSb4zLayBmiBD-yGsVgV2hFm109Oi0ykc-3/s640/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-298.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;">Beyond the demands of its setting, the bach had to fit its clients' desires as well. "It was all about examining what was the real essence of a bach versus a beach house," says Ken. "They wanted something small and experiental. It's tiny, so the challenge was to make it as bachy as possible, and not waste any space in doing that."</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">That's why there's an intentionally enforced proximity imposed on its occupants : a compact front living and kitchen area flows through a rear bunkroom for the owners' three young children, and the main bedroom is up a ladder from the living room, sharing the same view as downstairs through the huge glass doors.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUVQbJdOljwJAa7I4BMpGdX19_w1gWnmXTrXpNpJ_m8bV3jrGWaDXYGpSPAorAieMcbY0xIooWV8RDx5dXpPlqtjxvREfhrIYA7MKVExaTyCxmf584qQ9AP4lxVI5JzSmVF9OHTOMe93x6/s1600/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUVQbJdOljwJAa7I4BMpGdX19_w1gWnmXTrXpNpJ_m8bV3jrGWaDXYGpSPAorAieMcbY0xIooWV8RDx5dXpPlqtjxvREfhrIYA7MKVExaTyCxmf584qQ9AP4lxVI5JzSmVF9OHTOMe93x6/s640/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-680.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuM_eSkkcUKOBqNDulmmVKZH2ENIGT3poFuBzQ1kPeLK4Ae6xwx_7dz2nCcbZfNKiLNpPQSvV8Z29B2mftz08XzTIBid3X6V1vyO6S2VgAo_SrS9VA9VWoyHyIo5-HQuVxpteMvj4yLpt/s1600/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuM_eSkkcUKOBqNDulmmVKZH2ENIGT3poFuBzQ1kPeLK4Ae6xwx_7dz2nCcbZfNKiLNpPQSvV8Z29B2mftz08XzTIBid3X6V1vyO6S2VgAo_SrS9VA9VWoyHyIo5-HQuVxpteMvj4yLpt/s640/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-212.jpg" width="640" /></a></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">In the main bedroom (above), there are warm shades of macrocarpa joinery and a remarkable attention to storage detail. Downstairs, each of the childrens' beds (below) has their own storage spaces ("secret cubby holes" says Ken), their own lights and windows. The walls themselves double as floor-to-ceiling shelf space that Ken hopes will accumulate the personal histories of the occupants.</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYFFBjZ3bXnBSPdNDWQKEzK-0RLoRVFY3giymt39WqtTw2jZ_jKVinFly1nLaR2VV0Mq9Yj4bSWs_3os07P8JahCBbnIbG2YWnY6679OexM3meoXtMaM4Ci3fPtihEGeAP3NZRkoivff7/s1600/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYFFBjZ3bXnBSPdNDWQKEzK-0RLoRVFY3giymt39WqtTw2jZ_jKVinFly1nLaR2VV0Mq9Yj4bSWs_3os07P8JahCBbnIbG2YWnY6679OexM3meoXtMaM4Ci3fPtihEGeAP3NZRkoivff7/s640/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-466.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">The ladder you use to reach the main bedroom also brings you to the roof terrace, which catches rainwater for the gravity tanks behind (below), and affords great views of the beach and the sunsets.</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_aaXvWTUNrsflqd19jwEQzd1PPo2ZDud2d9YulXLypGzA07SiscDntK_jPIkkIFHy_O_ZD9wSp1zkFY1iNYbByFn6LW9HvbrEZ8rC5zuFhn9fApM-qEL3QrKTrXdCbwq5Ob3usDc3Clg/s1600/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_aaXvWTUNrsflqd19jwEQzd1PPo2ZDud2d9YulXLypGzA07SiscDntK_jPIkkIFHy_O_ZD9wSp1zkFY1iNYbByFn6LW9HvbrEZ8rC5zuFhn9fApM-qEL3QrKTrXdCbwq5Ob3usDc3Clg/s640/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-412.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">Inside, there are intentional references made by Ken and his clients to the campground, such as the deliberately rudimentary tap and shower fittings</span><span style="font-size: small;">. As Ken says: "You know, where you fill your bucket. It's that kind of idea"</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJl9Ff0rCPrAvVOAEkdXUNLV4hTXJUNp5nhdvu5E0d5OptrbZKygBBDZOBCMTuPQFvthClxPEQ_UWweqrjJxLrO0GV9PbRNFTjVBnnLMyMhpK-Dnk7rEe4-KMrC7Uo64LVqvDZbf53Frl/s1600/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJl9Ff0rCPrAvVOAEkdXUNLV4hTXJUNp5nhdvu5E0d5OptrbZKygBBDZOBCMTuPQFvthClxPEQ_UWweqrjJxLrO0GV9PbRNFTjVBnnLMyMhpK-Dnk7rEe4-KMrC7Uo64LVqvDZbf53Frl/s640/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-511.jpg" width="425" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">To one side, a second entrance to the house via the shower and bathroom, allows occupants to shower straight away after going to the beach (below).</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzp3Al464VK_zE7DBaA7elfdgtRTeqyimf9w6Wxrrd4qvO8tWX1P3lzLsadOT09pnOEA9Sx8stSCIXe-f8-qI0TMT0sZLCJsae0e0QaJcWYMOKJgh_k_Xays-6giHhE6xUzmTugiYahtC/s1600/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqzp3Al464VK_zE7DBaA7elfdgtRTeqyimf9w6Wxrrd4qvO8tWX1P3lzLsadOT09pnOEA9Sx8stSCIXe-f8-qI0TMT0sZLCJsae0e0QaJcWYMOKJgh_k_Xays-6giHhE6xUzmTugiYahtC/s640/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-557.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">"It's kind of like a tent," says Ken about the bach's structure. "It's dramatic and vertical. The tent flap [the huge macrocarpa front shutter] is that big door that opens up - a big gesture that embraces the view."</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuVgfMyl-sORxyK5NrsTeGi0D9uTy4boHkYmVnWFXw-IhVcHooPdU2mpVDX3J5VeuiR2aizfRA9qORdmNvyOeSBlHRYBhVnGX7YgPQHskmdW9mrdZbpPaFOsTa7iZLjU0z_zGcTkYYxi_/s1600/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuVgfMyl-sORxyK5NrsTeGi0D9uTy4boHkYmVnWFXw-IhVcHooPdU2mpVDX3J5VeuiR2aizfRA9qORdmNvyOeSBlHRYBhVnGX7YgPQHskmdW9mrdZbpPaFOsTa7iZLjU0z_zGcTkYYxi_/s640/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-631.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSf-PKfRu9ytMRpTFWL8OnhXek3J9UVLdVDQGkIngdyzDd8DahQg5mAUzlnUegB_lAhzgC4pjSz6ScYP8oRtuVK0QinEFgn-BynfA2DRj1Va2lXmprio2MyCge8jdpJtLpbL-QZ-nHrcb4/s1600/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSf-PKfRu9ytMRpTFWL8OnhXek3J9UVLdVDQGkIngdyzDd8DahQg5mAUzlnUegB_lAhzgC4pjSz6ScYP8oRtuVK0QinEFgn-BynfA2DRj1Va2lXmprio2MyCge8jdpJtLpbL-QZ-nHrcb4/s640/1202-HOME-HOTY-Crossan-599.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>

Outtakes: Hut on Sleds by Ken Crosson

In our April/May issue, we introduced you to a tiny house, "Hut on Sleds" on the Coromandel Peninsula at Whangapoua Beach designe...

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