Behind the scenes: The Block tiny homes Challenge
October 9 2019
On the 9th October, our innovative Harris Transportable Housing Project made an exciting appearance on the silver screen as part of The Block’s Challenge episode.
Shelley Craft and Scotty Cam, the hosts of the popular Nine Network show, joined the 10 contestants and Launch Housing’s Chief Executive Officer Bevan Warner for the filming at a site of the tiny homes project in Melbourne’s inner-west.
The contestants had limited time and budget to give five of the homes a makeover, and the results were impressive!
Despite contending with sporadic rain and mud, it was exciting to see how each couple tackled the project and transformed the unique homes using a range of décor, furniture, plants and colour palettes.
(Image: Bevan Warner, Shelley Craft and Scotty Cam at one of the tiny portable homes locations in Melbourne)
Each tiny home had its own style, from cozy and comfortable, to modern and chic. This extended beyond the interiors to incorporate creative design elements for outdoor living, with comfortable chairs and planters on the porches nearly doubling the living space of each unit.
As the site hummed with competitive creativity, Bevan and Scotty had some time to discuss the fact that everyone deserves a safe, affordable place to call home, and that solutions to homelessness exist, like these low-cost, transportable homes on unused land.
(Image: Tess & Luke tiny home interior decorating The Block Challenge)
Since the filming of The Block Challenge, people with a lived experience of homelessness will now be able to enjoy these newly designed homes with the stylish furnishings chosen by the contestants.
About the tiny homes
Each of the 57 homes in the Harris Transportable Housing project measures 20 square metres internally, with 8-9 metres of deck at the front and rear.
With open-plan style living, they feature a kitchen, bathroom with toilet and shower, lounge/living area, a fold-away bed and an enclosed courtyard and balcony.
(Image: Andy & Deb tiny home interior decorating, The Block Challenge)
(Image: Jess & Mel tiny home interior decorating, The Block Challenge)
(Image: Mitch & Mark tiny home interior decorating, The Block Challenge)
(Image: El’ise & Matt tiny home interior decorating, The Block Challenge)
(Image: Some behind-the-scenes photos of The Block Challenge at the tiny transportable homes project in Melbourne’s inner-west)
The homes boast a 6-star energy rating, with solar hot water and correct solar orientation and north-facing windows to enable economical energy consumption.
Sitting on top of a removable surefoot footing system, the homes can be relocated as much as needed during their 50-year lifespan.
(Image: The Block crew at the tiny homes project in Melbourne)
Our tiny homes are pet-friendly, cost effective and quick to build, making them an ideal long-term solution for people with a chronic experience of homelessness.
This project has been a collaborative effort, bringing together architects, builders, people with a lived experience of homelessness, philanthropists and government agencies.
Life changing for people experiencing homelessness
With between 6 and 12 homes on each of the 9 sites, the Harris Transportable Housing project is creating small communities within a larger community where the tenants can support each other.
Deborah is one of the tenants, who moved into site one with her dog Zeus in early 2019.
Having a safe, stable home has drastically changed her life.
“I’ve been homeless since I was 13. I was always searching for somewhere that’s homey, where I can have a garden [and] a dog, where it’s safe,” Deborah said.
“If it wasn’t for the workers from Launch Housing who have come into my life, I wouldn’t be sitting here. I feel like someone took me from basically hell, and put me on this cloud of puffy niceness.
“I get to stay here for as long as I need to. It’s a really big gift [to have this home] and because it’s a gift, I want to take care of it.”
If you want to support more people into more homes like these, donate today.