Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Aug 29, 2025

The Ursa Off-Grid Tiny Cabin Is as Sustainable as It Is Stylish

The Ursa Off-Grid Tiny Cabin Is as Sustainable as It Is Stylish

Inspired by the idea of a living organism, Madeiguincho designed a 188-square-foot cabin that collects, stores, and reuses rainwater and produces food and energy.

When Gonçalo Marrote, João Filipe, and Pedro Paredes of Portugal-based architecture and woodworking studio Madeiguincho designed and built this 195-square-foot cabin in Lisbon, they had utopian ideals in mind. "We wanted to reimagine the typical way people live in contemporary society, so we envisioned a new type of dwelling that’s mobile, efficient, clean, and beautiful," Marrote says.



Located in Lisbon, Portugal, the Ursa tiny cabin is wrapped in vertical Thermowood boards.



A large, oval window extends from the facade to the ceiling, flooding the cabin with sunlight and providing views of the land and the sky.

Inspired by the concept of a living organism, Marrote and his team designed the Ursa tiny house on wheels to be as sustainable as it is artful. Clad in caramel-colored wood siding with a massive oval window, the off-grid structure collects, stores, and reuses rainwater, produces food and energy, and is powered by photovoltaic panels and wind turbines.



The oval window lends an artful aesthetic to the tiny cabin on wheels.

The cabin channels rainwater from its roof to a particle filter and then two large water tanks that can store a total of 650 liters. A pressurized system pumps water to the kitchen sink, the bathroom sinks, and the shower. A three-stage, reverse-osmosis filter beneath the kitchen sink provides drinking water. "Following use, all water is stored in a tank and later reused for watering plants," Marrote says.



The interior of the cabin is outfitted with an open kitchen and a living space that converts to a sleeping area. Birch plywood wraps the interior, lending warmth and texture.

The tiny cabin can accommodate up to four people, and it features two sleeping areas, a workstation, a kitchen, a full bathroom, and a terrace. The kitchen water pump, refrigerator, and glass-ceramic cooktop are powered by five solar panels installed on the south-facing roof. The photovoltaics can be adjusted to a 30% incline that maximizes energy production throughout the year. "To close the off-grid cycle, we installed an electric dry toilet that produces compost," Marrote says. "It’s a mobile shelter that collects water and produces both energy and food."



The daybed in the living area converts to a bed that sleeps two at night.

At 188 square feet, Ursa is the largest of Madeiguincho’s tiny cabins, which also include the 107-square foot Guincho and the 134-square-foot Abano. All three cabins are wrapped in Thermowood cladding and feature plywood interiors. "The birch plywood is simple, minimalistic, and no-frills," Marrote says.



Vertical Thermowood shutters can be opened or closed, offering connection to the landscape or privacy when needed.

The design team was inspired by portholes when they created the massive oval-shape window. "This was the starting point," Marrote says. "Then we decided the window should continue from the facade to the roof, allowing residents to be constantly connected to the ocean, the stars, and the sky."



When the shutters are open, the interior of the tiny cabin feels connected to the landscape via the large glass doors in the kitchen area.

The aperture-like window brightens up the interior, but shutters can darken and close off the tiny home when residents desire privacy. "We designed this cabin with the possibility of being completely closed or open, and connected with the natural surroundings through the big oval window," Marrote says.



The bathroom is finished with a birch plywood ceiling, and Thermowood makes up the walls and the flooring in the wet areas. Brass fixtures contrast with the wood and add a touch of glam.

According to Marrote, compact residences like Ursa are here to stay. "The tiny home movement is going to last," the architect says. "The idea that we don’t need many things to live a quality life-and that we can do it with a smaller footprint-is changing the paradigm of construction, and making us rethink the way we live. Structures like Ursa help people disconnect from daily life and connect with nature. And in today’s housing market, they make it possible for people to buy a house without a mortgage or a loan that takes a lifetime to pay."



Rooftop solar panels produce energy for the tiny cabin, which features a large wood deck at its front facade.



In the evening, warm light shines through the oval window and the large glass doors, creating a lantern-like effect.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
×