Living small doesn’t mean sacrificing the technologies or the amenities that come with high-end housing. Such was the case in the Align Project, a year-long exploration of how to design and build housing that aligns with environmental concerns and economic realities.
The Align Project, a collaboration between Green Builder Media and Kasita, was a unique approach to solve for the growing demand for more affordable housing. The research from the collaboration pointed to a small floor plan that was designed with sustainable features that would not only match the needs and desires of the buyers, but also align with their budgets.
“We are constantly doing research that shows a strong and growing need for novel housing solutions,” said Sara Gutterman, CEO of Green Builder Media. “The beauty of The Align Project [is that] it's adaptable and can be seamlessly upgraded as technology evolves to offer enhanced levels of independence, convenience, comfort, safety, and resource efficiency for homeowners.”
The home was displayed at the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas in January, highlighting the unique features that appeal to virtually all demographics—including Millennials, who want their homes to reflect their altruistic desire for a better planet and their minimal need for material things, and baby boomers, who are downsizing and want more convenience, less maintenance and a smaller footprint that gives them more freedom to travel and do the things that they have been putting off.
In the short video below, Gutterman, discusses the ideas behind creating the home and how it answers the needs of today’s home buyers.
The value of the project is going to be long lasting and the team is already looking at ways to improve both the design and the concept.
“The unit that we showcased is 400 square feet, and while it was simply meant to be a demonstration, or a stage for our story, we realized that a living space of that size has a limited application,” said Gutterman. “While a growing number of people in all walks of life are looking for small-footprint homes, something closer to 800 square feet may be more realistic.”
The project is also aligning with needs in hospitality. Kasita was recently purchased by a hospitality company that is going to use the Align design to manufacture units for its boutique hotels.
This story appears as it was originally published on our sister site, www.hiveforhousing.com.
