The kind of person who moves into a dumpster to investigate sustainable living is sure to know a thing or two about downsizing. Dr. Jeff Wilson, aka Professor Dumpster, drew upon this experience to co-create Kasita: a modern and smart urban micro-home. Geared toward professional types, it can be moved to another location with relative ease.
Still in the planning and prototype stage, Kasita brings to mind elements of the tiny house and shipping container home communities. It comprises just 208 sq ft (19 sq ft) of floorspace, including a bathroom, a kitchenette, study, and a lounge. A cantilevering glass front section is a nice touch.
Available amenities include a walk-in shower, refrigerator, convection oven and cooktop, washer/dryer, and a queen-size bed that can be tucked away. The interior sports modular tiles that can be outfitted with shelving, gadgets, and furniture.
The home is smart too. "Your Kasita will welcome you home by adjusting the A/C, bringing up the lights and shades, and queueing your favorite playlist," says the firm's blurb. "Or, ask your Kasita to do something else (like rolling out the bed) via hands-free voice commands throughout."
Each Kasita is a self-contained unit that slots into a larger "rack," which provides the necessary plumbing and electricity. This modular system means that if you want to move, your home can follow. For example, if you live in San Francisco and want to move to Austin, you could access an app on your phone and request a move, the company would then take care of the rest (the rest involves removing the home from its rack before transporting it via truck to another rack with a vacant space).
While certainly ambitious, a plan is afoot to bring Kasita to market and the firm aims to build several units in Austin sometime in 2016. Additional units are also planned for 10 other cities the following year. The cost to buy hasn't been revealed, but rent in Austin is expected to cost around US$600 per month. This seems cheap, but Kasita says it has an innovative business model that makes it doable. Future plans also include a student housing model.
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