Auto House: Tamil Nadu Youth's Improvised Living Space Model

Fancy living in an autorickshaw! Well, Arun Prabhu from Namakkal in Tamil Nadu is doing just that through the most creative and ingenious use of living space. The innovative designer of this auto-house says the underlying purpose is to utilise space effectively and seeks to drive this message to people everywhere.

Prabhu says that most people, especially in India, believe that a house or office needs considerable space. He wanted to prove them wrong by building the auto-house.

Arun Prabhu's auto-house serves as a dwelling and doubles up as a regular auto, a mode of transport, as well.

The improvised residential structure has a compact kitchen (4 feet x 2 feet) and a bathtub of the same size. A sink and an exhaust fan are additional fittings. The exhaust fan according to Arun Prabhu serves a very key function by sucking out hot air and providing balance to room temperature.

There is a kitchen stove with an LPG cylinder and a small toilet of the kind used by trekkers. A battery stores energy from the solar power panel on the roof of the autorickshaw, while an inverter serves as a backup.LVT flooring is useful according to Arun, as it is heat resistant and also has an attractive look.

The roof is arch-shaped and therefore prevents direct radiation of heat. It also gives a sense of more space and comfort. There is plenty of ventilation and Arun has also managed to find room for a small stand to place his laptop. A 4 feet x 2 feet bathtub made of metal plate serves not just as a place of bathing but also where vessels and clothes can be washed.

The auto house has both a study light in the form of a table lamp and an overhead light as well. Arun Prabhu has designed an innovative window to let in the fresh breeze and which also provides him with a good view of his surroundings.

On the roof of the auto house, Arun Prabhu has set up a cantilever umbrella, which is fixed. It can be manoeuvred to cover the area where one would like to sit. There is a lounge chair which can be used to sit or recline and an overhead tank for water storage on the terrace with the normal plumbing system. An interesting feature is the 600 w solar panel which serves as the main source of power to the auto house.

Arun Prabhu has also set up his own clothes-line on the outside with rods of 4' x 2'. Under the auto-house, he has fixed a stand so that jerks can be absorbed. A leader helps him to climb.

A coal tray at the bottom helps to heat the water in the bathtub and a manual motor drives the water up into the overhead tank. A small compact letterbox completes the features of a well-designed auto-house, a lesson in the creative use of space.