For some people small space design is a challenge. For others, it's an opportunity to get really creative
The couple that we're about to meet have created a house truck that you're really going to have to see to believe
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We were travelling around overseas
and thought about
coming back to New Zealand
where we were going to live
And I remembered living in this bus
and I was thinking, "Oh, that's actually not a bad idea"
That'd be a good start for when we get back
until we decide on something else
So we made some plans - build my own, of course
We got here, and that's what we started
I remember lying in bed, and he showed me these pictures. And I was like, "Wow! they look so awesome!"
It pretty much looks like our truck
I said, "We have have to build this" And we have !
Yeah
[Bryce] I have to say when I heard of the transforming castle truck
I didn't exactly know what to expect
But this is actually way more space-age. It's a work of art about to unfold.
So this is it, in its travel state right now ?
Compact. This is all compacted. So right now, all folded up as it is, it's road legal, can travel ? Absolutely
Meets all of the minimum clearance requirements and all that sort of thing?
Surprisingly. Yeah
It won't look like that soon ......
[Whirring Noise]
Voila !
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Last cosy carpet
[Whirring Noise]
I like engineering. I like art
When you can put them both together, it's really good
This is like one big art project
I'm a performing artist. Acrobat. Taken traveling into my business life as well
All right, so it's all folded out now. And I have to say it's looking really impressive
I mean the transformation - it's incredible
Shall we have a look inside? Yeah, let's go have a look
Welcome
Wow !
That is a transformation !
I mean
the space is not even recognizable to what it was before. And this is - this is beautiful. And it's spacious
There's a lot of love and a lot of dreaming that's gone into this house because
to be honest when I was talking with you before
about some of the features that you've built into this house
I didn't even think that was going to be possible to accomplish in such a small space
And to see this all actually
fold out and transform like this - I'm actually gobsmacked
And so we've got the kitchen space over here
That's right. Everyone needs a kitchen space. That's where you spend most of all your time
So that should be part of the priority when you're designing
I think. Full-size oven, stove - so we can do standard baking, like anyone would
[Bryce] And just the shape of the kitchen as well
there's just something about this that feels really nice
And I have to say, the wood that you've used in this kitchen is just gorgeous
because it looks like it's got a story
It does. Those are the cross-section of power poles, all sliced into planks
[Bryce] Right. And the lounge space as well
So again a really, really lovely sized area. Good head space
Great head space. Important for me, obviously
And this is one of the designs that I liked most - the entrance
Not climbing into a vehicle
but just walking in and feeling already inside
There we go. Opens right the way out
That's how you want to spend your summer !
[Bryce] I'll say !
A lot of homes have such small doors to get through, you almost have to go through sideways
Having an entire space open
makes it just a nice shelter for a good time, really
This is his little seat. [Bryce] Oh !
This is one of my favorite parts of the truck.
[Bryce] Wow! That is such a cool idea
And automatic lighting
If you didn't notice first time you get to see it this time
You didn't think that was enough space, you've got that too
[Bryce] Wow !
And there's another one on the other side
So you've got a fire down here for heating in the winter? That's right
It's a nice fire. We have water heating on there too.
Oh, right. So it's hooked into a wet-back
That's right. Got some pipes there, and
there's a tank above us
So, to heat your water in this house you've got a wet-back on the fire
you've got solar panels on the roof, and you've got gas. That's right
So is there anything you don't have to heat water?
...... Volcanic .......
[Laughter]
Had me thinking there !
Have a look inside
Oh. Wow !
That is beautifully done
It's a yin yang toilet
You can see it when you like come down from the sky
[Bryce] That is really lovely. So it's a composting toilet ?
Yes
So this is the toilet part. And this is where we keep our sawdust that we
put into the toilet after we've been on it
[Bryce] All right. So a shower over this side? That's right
This is amazing !
Little one's bath. Washing machine as well
It's great for little things
[Bryce] Yeah. So you guys really have not just built in the necessities
There are luxuries in here too. Yeah, absolutely
It's a good-size space for a shower. You get plenty of room to move around in
[Bryce] Yeah. Sing and dance as well !
It's not high enough for you that shower, you don't think? [Bryce] Well, you know there's a turret here, which helps as well
I'm not complaining
It's amazing watching this place come together
It's like every time they lift something or pull something the space just finds more room
It's incredible !
And these things will just keep changing all the time as
we develop and come up with more ideas
Yeah. We'll find space for them
Should we have a look at the next level ? All right
What a cute space up here. Yeah, that's pretty cozy
Yeah, when I'm in the house trucks
I'm so used to seeing box shapes
But it's like each and every part of this house that I'm in just has its own unique character
And the wallpaper. I made it. It's all old musical notes. Every angle you're at, you see different little
captions. I still see things, "Ah, I never read that before"
And .... There's another level still to come
[Bryce] No way !
A rooftop balcony
This is such a cool idea
You guys are situated in the most beautiful place as well
So I mean you've got amazing views over there the mountains
Is that a bathtub ?
Better get a look at that one
This is seriously a bathtub ?
It sure is ! [Laughter]
It's our heavenly bath ...... See if you fit
Aaaah !
I could get used to this
So, all of a sudden, now that I see this bathtub up here
it makes perfect sense that you would have three
different ways of heating water in this house
Absolutely
You'd never want to run out of hot water
with a beautiful bath like this
Wow !
What's this contraption up here then ?
This is our food drying compartment
We've got like solar panels on each side which heat up from the sun
And let's see if we can lower it actually
This is also quite new. So we're looking forward to the season's fruit harvets....
... and drying and bagging lots of fruit
Because we really quite like dried fruits. It makes a lot of sense
There's so much heat generated on a roof
And it usually gets vented out nowhere
So we might as well channel it into one spot, dry some fruit up and
then let it go
Be nice if we had something in there now
When people talk about making their home their castle you guys have literally done that, haven't you ?
But I think I wanted turrets, you see
.... or a rocket ! [Laughter]
So maybe they just rockets disguised as turrets !
[Bryce] But you're not building a spaceship ?!
Can't tell you that !
[Laughter]
Well guys I have to say
I've been in a lot of tiny houses and house trucks
and what you guys have created here has left me completely speechless
It is an absolute marvel of design
[Bryce] It's been a real pleasure and
I honestly can't wait to see what you create next
For me, this castle truck has
completely raised the bar on what's possible in small space design
The amount of features that have been built into this house
just completely blow my mind
I mean, I am now sitting in a rooftop bathtub of a castle truck
I think that anyone that's out there
that is worried that they're not actually able to achieve
what they want to achieve in a small space
can take a look at what these guys have created
and really use that as an example to realize that
anything is possible, if you really put your mind to it
My hat goes off to them
And now ......
I kind of want to run this bath
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Caro Bois enjoyed subtitling this film