Twelve Cubed Homes - the Hip New Square

We've seen economic hardships over the last few years, and if there's a silver lining to this cloud it is that society is being forced into becoming more innovative with the way we look at the world around us.  With such a tightening economy, it's becoming increasingly important to reevaluate the way we look at the spaces we live in, the way in which we spend money, and the way we look at sustainability.  As a father of three, I want to help this 'sustainability trend' become a normal way of life – I want my kids to live in a world that is forward-thinking and recognizes the importance of a cleaner, simpler life.  

As housing prices in Canada become increasingly unaffordable compared to the wages we earn (I've heard that on average, housing prices double every 10 years, and I'm certain that wages do not), we are forced to look at new ways of making our monthly mortgage payments and becoming financially sustainable – to make our home into an income-generating asset, rather than a liability. Twelve Cubed Homes provides consumers with a unique housing option that seems financially viable, ecological, and representative of forward-thinking, sustainable construction.

The concept of Twelve Cubed is to create an affordable, compact dwelling that maximizes space, construction materials, and therefore, cost.  The dwelling uses 12-foot dimensions because most building materials fit well into this measurement with the minimum amount of cutting. The Urbana, the first model home created by Twelve Cubed, is an innovative and attractive example of future-minded housing realized by ex-soldier, James Stuart. The dire need for affordable housing struck James after the tragic death of a homeless woman who was trying to keep warm with a candle.  

I first learned of Twelve Cubed through my realtor, who had done some research for me regarding carriage houses and rental properties.  My wife and I were looking for a property that included either a rental unit, or the option of building a carriage house so that our monthly mortgage expenses could be partially covered.  Properties with rental suites, as it turns out, were generally out of our price range; rental units are such a common way to supplement income that housing prices for these types of properties have become completely unaffordable for most single-income families.

So, we decided to look at the carriage house option.  According to my realtor, the city will allow you to have a carriage house (a suite that is completely separated from the primary dwelling) on your property if you meet one of the following requirements:

1.    Your property backs onto a laneway
2.    Your property is situated on a corner lot
3.    Your property exceeds 10,000 sqft.

Regulations for carriage houses may vary between cities, and do require a building permit.  For a Twelve Cubed home such as the Urbana to be used as a carriage house, the site would also need to be first prepared with a foundation, as would any carriage house.  Conveniently, Twelve Cubed will handle all the works from permitting, to handing keys over to the homeowner.  This also includes: connecting the unit to electrical, and plumbing; foundation work; and installation and finishing.  This is typical of many pre-built homes, except a cube would be far easier to finance.

I was excited to finally get to tour the Urbana.  From the outside, the home looks like an immaculately designed storage bay; stylish corrugated metal siding on the face of the building, Hardie-Plank enveloping sides and back, and a small deck with a generous overhanging eave.  For lack of a better word, the Urbana looks ... European.

Upon entering the unit, I was struck over how open the structure was on the inside.  The high ceiling and the finely-finished blonde birch plywood gave the interior a light, open feeling despite its restricted dimensions.  The floor appeared to be finished in dark, strand-woven bamboo, which contrasted well with the lighter walls.  High windows and numerous LED lights gave the dwelling a showroom appearance.  My impression was that the Urbana was a combination of Scandinavian aesthetic, coupled with the space-conserving design of an RV.  To put it in other terms, the Urbana has the quality feel of the Volkswagen Beetle of small home construction.

The Urbana does an excellent job of balancing space restrictions with function have been around for a while now in other countries.  The washroom, for example, has integrated shower / toilet area; instead of having a separated basin for the shower, the entire washroom floor is a stainless steel basin.  A shower curtain divides the toilet from the shower to keep it dry.  I once lived in an apartment in space-savvy South Korea that had the same setup.  The upside to this is that the entire washroom is a breeze to clean, the downside is that using the toilet after having a shower means walking on a wet floor - nothing that a pair of washroom flip-flops won't solve.  It's worth noting that the bedroom and bathroom are on the same floor – pretty convenient for late-night bathroom breaks.

The Cube's innovative use of space may need some readjustment of how we think in terms of living space, but with an open mind, it seems reasonable that this would be very comfortable to live in.  I imagine that living in this structure would be similar to living in a larger, more luxurious high-end RV  except with more amenities.  To give a little perspective on just how comfortable one of these could be, amenities for the Urbana (some at additional cost) include:  a washer-dryer combo; a combination microwave/convection oven;  flat-screen television; a dishwasher; and solar panels.

1700 cubic feet of space, or, 12 feet x 12 feet x 12 feet is a little misleading as living area is normally measured in square footage – not cubic feet.  The unit's 144 square feet is a also a little misleading because the suite is actually split-level, which adds another 44 square feet to the floor plan.  Factor in the 12ft ceilings, the Urbana feels more spacious.  You have to be in it before you can appreciate its excellent use of space.

Despite the Urbana's restrictive dimensions it does very well in terms of value.  A typical installation comes in at around $55,000, with options to deduct out a number of features.  With its income-generating potential, it seems reasonable that a unit such as this could be paid off within 5-10 years on rental income alone.  As a self-contained rental unit with limited space, I would assume that the cube could be rented for around $600-$800/month – possibly more in the Lower Mainland.  Add the equity that it ads to a property because of the income-generating potential, and you've got yourself what seems to be a solid investment. 

From an environmental standpoint, I am told that the Urbana could qualify for LEED certification.  The company can supply the buyer with all necessary information needed for a LEED appilcation, but would ultimately be up to the homeowner to apply.  Registration for residential LEED certification would most likely need to be done under the US program, as the Canadian program is not fully established.  Rest assured that the Cube has a very small carbon footprint, with low energy consumption, and mimimal waste in the production of the unit.

It may not be for everyone, but counting it out without taking a live tour would be doing yourself a disservice.  Living in a structure such as the Urbana might force you to become a little more organized; I'd argue that maybe a little order and simplification is a good thing in a society so bombarded with 'bigger and better' options.  Perhaps what we should really be looking for is the better option.  The fact that this type of housing hasn't yet become ubiquitous in the housing market is a sure sign that we still have a ways to go in changing our perceptions of how much space we actually need.  I just hope this type of innovation spurs on a wider open-mindedness for innovative construction.  I'm happy to know that there are people like James Stuart and his team who are taking these first steps in the right direction.

To find out more about Twelve Cubed, please visit their website.