Tiny Home Sweet Home – BSU Unveils Project Two Years In The Making

It’s not everyday that a college student gets the opportunity to design and build a home from the ground up. The Bemidji State University Tiny Home Project has been in the works since 2017. Around 70 students played a part in the final project.

“My favorite thing working on the tiny house is being able to get hands-on experience within a university and being able to work with different teams and understand how each person works and being able to learn from other people,” says Zoe Lindgren, a BSU student who worked on the home.

“My favorite thing – it wasn’t construction related. It was, we really came together as a team and we kind of developed a tiny house community within the technology department,” says Jeff Korpi, a project manager for the Tiny Home.

The Tiny Home comes equipped with everything a person could possibly need. The materials used to make it were donated by various Bemidji area businesses.

Channing Boe, another project manager for the Tiny Home, says, “Obviously with a tiny house you only have a certain amount of space. It does have a shower. There’s a tiny sink for brushing your teeth and things like that and there’s a one bed up top that’s in the loft area.”

The tiny home was specifically designed for sustainable living. There’s electricity, plumbing, and it’s run by solar panels on the roof.

“It’s going to have a composting toilet. It’s got a heat pump with air conditioning. I mean, it’s got a lot of those types of things involved with it but ultimately for anyone who put it out on that special spot, wherever that may be by the lake or on the back forty, they’re going to have a really nice little place that will be real low as far as bills go to keep it going,” says Lyle Meulebroeck, professor and chair for the BSU school of Technology, Art and Design.

Students still need to add a few minor details like granite counter tops and a washer and dryer. Once it’s fully complete, the school will auction it off at the 2019 Bemidji Dragon Boat festival in August. Students say they hope the future homeowners know just how unique the home is.

“We put a lot of hard work and dedication into this and I hope that they love it as much as we’ve loved working on it and I hope that they get a good experience like we did,” says Lindgren.

The BSU School of Technology Art and Design hopes this tiny home project will set the stage for an annual Tiny Home project program for students.