When traveling, the entire house truck is a compact and tidy package. The roof retracts, the sides of the walls fold in, the turrets rotate inwards and it’s ready to go. When compacted for travel mode, the house easily meets all the minimum road clearances and is therefore very easy to travel with.
Once parked however, the castle truck comes to life, expanding to create a beautiful little home for its builders / owners Justin, Jola and their son Piko. The family have a very active lifestyle and the indoor outdoor flow of the house was a central theme in it’s design.
The castle-truck is completely off-the grid. It is solar powered, heats water through a mixture of solar panels on the roof, a wetback fire, and gas, and it captures rain water from the roof that is then stored in water tanks below the truck.
Justin and Jola started off with the idea of having a house within the truck that would meet their minimum requirements. But their project eventually became more than that. It became a permanent home, with personal touches and smart designs that make the most of limited space. The couple love to cook, so they have a huge kitchen equipped with a full size oven and other appliances. There’s also a lounge area and dining table, and even a fold-out chair for Piko.
They’ve furnished the space with handmade pieces made from recycled materials, like a shelf made of old spanners. The kitchen bench-tops and cupboards are made from “a cross-section of power poles, all sliced into planks.” The bedroom sits in a small raised loft above the front of the truck, decorated with cut-outs of old musical songbooks. They store their clothes in a rotating cupboard with automatic lighting, beneath the entrance to the bedroom.
Two turrets open out at the back of the van, each featuring a composting toilet, a functioning shower and washing machine. Water is heated by a combination of solar panels, gas, and a fireplace. Rainwater is captured and stored on the roof, which also serves as a beautiful balcony complete with a hammock and bathtub. They literally have everything they need in the small truck, even an old sewing machine.
“These things will just keep changing all the time,” Justin explained. “As we develop and come up with more ideas, we find space for them.”
When they’re traveling, the entire castle and all its features fold in neatly, into a compact, tidy package. The roofs are retractable, the sides of the walls fold in, the turrets rotate inwards, and they’re all set to hit the road. The special house meets all the minimum road clearances, so it’s very easy to travel with.
Traveling usually involves lots of sacrifices in terms of material comforts, but Justin and Jola have truly managed to blend in the best of both worlds!
Sources: Living Big in a Tiny House, Daily Mail
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