Tiny House Moves Down the Road

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Tiny House, a 128-square-foot, zero-net-energy house designed by Northwestern University students and recent alumni, will be on display at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago (MSI) from May 24 to June 7.

The house, completed in 2011 as a tool to promote sustainability and simple living, will be set up adjacent to MSI’s “Smart Home: Green + Wired” exhibit, a real, functioning three-story home -- one of the “greenest” homes in Chicago.

Tiny House will be open to guests during “Smart Home” exhibit hours. After taking a 20-minute tour of the “Smart Home,” guests will be invited to stop inside Tiny House.

Northwestern students will be on hand to show off their house, which took two years to design and build. It can function completely off the grid and comes equipped with a living room, kitchen, bathroom, sleeping loft, storage area, fireplace and an awning for shade. The house produces its own electricity using solar panels and also collects all of its water through a rainwater catchment system.

Viewing of Tiny House is included with purchase of a “Smart Home: Green + Wired” ticket. The “Smart Home” is not included in general admission and requires an additional timed-entry ticket. For “Smart Home” ticket information and hours, go to the MSI website.