One tool to help deal with Vancouver's housing crisis could involve some extreme downsizing.
A tiny townhouse prototype sits at the corner of East Cordova Street and Dunlevy Avenue, across from Vancouver's Oppenheimer Park.
Its creator, Lanefab Design/Build co-owner Bryn Davidson, envisions the model not as permanent housing, but a temporary unit that would become a sort of transitory village if others were added in various areas of the city.
The small dwelling is under 10 square meters and less than five metres tall - dimensions small enough its construction would not require a building permit.
Units could also be butted up against each other, allowing for the addition of kitchen and bathroom modules, and could be kept on empty lots throughout Metro Vancouver.
"For years we've been trying to get tiny houses to be allowed in Vancouver as an alternative to laneway houses because we can do a tiny house for a third of the cost, a third of the time, versus a regular laneway house," says Davidson.
He is happy to collaborate further will developers and the city on implementing the concept but is waiting for officials to step up.
"There are people trying to make this happen and we just wanted to be part of that movement. The basic idea could be done by anyone, anywhere."
The structure will reside at its current location for several months until a permanent home for it can be found.
With files from Cameron Thomson
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