9 May 2019

Now that the students’ tools are down and Ara’s two tiny houses are complete, it’s time for another hammer to fall: the auction hammer.

Over the last year, 16 dual enrolment students from Ara Institute of Canterbury created the two tiny masterpieces that are now on the market and are going to be sold on the 18 May at 12pm.

Ray White Ferrymead is auctioning off these modern minimalist houses at the Ara Trades Campus, on Sullivan Avenue in Christchurch.

Many of the dual enrolment students who worked on creating the houses had never picked up a tool before starting their course but have since signed up for the pre-trade programme that Ara offers and others have already found apprenticeships in the carpentry industry.

They were students from Christchurch Boys' High School, Shirley Boys' High School, Papanui High School, Mairehau High School, Hagley College, Linwood College, St Bede's College Burnside High School.

The Dual Enrolment Programme, which they participated in, allowed them to remain enrolled in secondary school, while spending two days a week in the workshop at Ara, learning skills applicable to a future in trades.

It took them four terms to complete the tiny houses but the effort was well worth it and Ara’s carpentry tutor Mick Cooke is happy with the end result of this first ever tiny house project.

“The students have done a great job on the tiny houses and I’m very proud of what they have achieved.”

The tiny houses measure 7.2m L x 2.5m W x 4.1m H with the total floor area just short of 23m2.

The houses are transportable, equipped with a fully functional bathroom and kitchen, gas hot water, plenty of storage, double glazing and have the option for the future owner to style and add value to it as they please.

Cooke points out that various design aspects have been included to make the houses more energy efficient and allow sustainable living.

“We added low-emissivity (low-E) glass to the tiny houses. The glass allows light and heat into the house and reflects some of the escaping heat back inside the room. The windows also have a tint on the outside.

“There’s also potential to put in a composting toilet or an incinerating toilet instead of a standard one if the buyer chooses to,” Cooke says.

The houses are insulated with a combination of Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS), OSB board and polystyrene to ensure they remain at a comfortable temperature.

All profits of the sale will go towards funding ten students, who have been involved in building the tiny houses, to go to Lautoka in Fiji to work with Habitat for Humanity.

During their time there, the students will work alongside a local community to help build homes for families that were affected after recent cyclones.

“It will be special for the students being part of something where we have the opportunity to help others. It will show them what they can achieve in the world with the new skills they are currently learning at Ara, and hopefully they will continue to help others,” says Cooke.

Ray White Ferrymead is holding open homes at the Ara Institute of Canterbury’s Woolston Campus on the corner of Ensors Road and Sullivan Ave on Saturday 11 May and Sunday 12 May between 3.30 and 4pm. The last open home will be on Wednesday 15 May also between 3.30pm and 4pm.

You can also watch this video to get an idea what the two tiny houses look on the inside.

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