D.C.’s most famous tiny home will be constructed in Deanwood by students

After winning an American Institute of Architects (AIA) award in June 2015, it seems like everyone wants to have a piece of Minim House, a 212-square-foot residence that has been featured in news outlets like Dwell, ABC, CBS, and HGTV. UrbanTurf now reports that the D.C. Department of Community and Housing Development (DHCD) has partnered with the D.C. Students Construction Trades Foundation to allow students in the District to build a Minim House in Deanwood’s 1100 block of 50th Place NE.

There are no reports yet on the timeline of this project, though a demonstration is expected to begin this spring. This isn’t the first time students in Washington, D.C., have learned technical skills through building a tiny home. In December 2016, students at the Academy of Construction and Design (ACAD) at IDEA Public Charter School in Northeast Washington, D.C., constructed their first micro house with proceeds from the sale of the structure reinvested in the academy’s skilled trades classes and training programs. This new tiny home project will also be performed by students at ACAD.

Don’t get your hopes up on the prospect of a new tiny home community getting formed in the District. In an interview with UrbanTurf, DHCD Communications Director Gwen Cofield said, “While the tiny home is just a demonstration project and does not reflect a formal policy decision, it provides a great opportunity to see how tiny homes can fit into the D.C. landscape.”

When it comes to Minim House, it uses a 960 watt solar panel and a system that captures and treats up to 290 gallons of water. The structure is built out of untreated, shiplapped cypress and structural insulated panels. Inside, visitors can find a 10-foot galley kitchen, full-size bed, and walnut desk that can open and reveal an electric piano. The small residence was designed by Foundry Architects.

This project is part of the city’s Vacant to Vibrant initiative.

• DC is Trying a Tiny House on for Size [UrbanTurf]