Here’s a custom-built 176-square-foot tiny house from Sanders Pace Architecture. Its name, Cape Russell Retreat, indicates both its function as a weekend getaway and its location on Norris Lake, down in the Tennessee hills a little north of Knoxville. Given the architectural emphasis on preserving the view, we’re guessing it’s quite something. Those aren’t glass windows you see in the picture, but screen panels that let in the fresh air; the large one slides away to let the owners walk right down the stairs to the lake.
The panels are framed with structural steel, which is covered with cedar boards to the rear and a butterfly roof above. Aside from its aesthetic appeal, the roof hosts a solar panel and channels rainwater to a 400-gallon external cistern. UV treatment and charcoal filtration mean the water can even be used for drinking, and the solar panel generates enough electricity to pump it to the kitchen sink. It also powers the lights, ceiling fan and refrigerator, so even though this cabin’s completely off-grid, it’s got everything you’d need for a comfortable summer weekend.
