Think big, on a small scale

With a practical approach and meticulous planning, a second-hand shipping container was converted into an impressive ‘tiny house’.

- Dina Venter

Christian’s desk forms an essential part of his space. “Because I often work after hours and don’t want to pack everything away at night, I designed my desk in such a way that it doesn’t fold away but rather that the bed rests on it.”

Black mugs and tray from Woolworths

It’s difficult for an architect to live in a home that someone else has designed,” says architecture student Christian Greyling. “You view your own space differently and you think critically about every detail when you are your own client.”

So when he started planning a tiny house for himself in a shipping container, he decided not to saddle another architect with the task. Christian designed and executed the plans himself – and in the end was awarded top honours in the ‘Innovation’ category of our 2019 Fix it with Flair competition!

While busy with his undergraduate studies, Christian came across the YouTube channel Living Big in a Tiny House and became an avid fan of the Tiny House Movement. After completing his degree, he moved into a commune with friends while doing his Honours. During this period, he worked part-time to pay the rent as his parents had made it clear that this was his responsibility.

“But it made no sense to spend R4 500 a month on a place that didn’t belong to me,” he says. With the YouTube videos in mind, Christian began to wonder whether it would be more cost-effective to invest the money he would have spent on a two-year lease in a place of his own. However, as a part-time student he was unable to get a loan...

“After just two months in the commune, I asked my dad if he would be prepared to put up the capital for me. Instead of paying monthly rent, I decided I would rather repay him.” Christian’s dad Jan agreed.