HFC, in collaboration with RE/MAX, LLC – the Colorado-based global real estate company – built a “Tiny Home for Tiny Tots” that RE/MAX subsequently auctioned off to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
The Tiny Home interior feels surprisingly spacious, due to careful design, windows, and a loft area for sleeping.
The Tiny Home sold for more than $47,000 in an online auction held from July 26-28. Bidding began at $12,000 and increased steadily over the weekend.
Students in HFC’s Architecture/Construction Technology (ACT), Energy Technology (ET), and Interior Design (ID) programs joined forces to build and design the Tiny Home. With faculty direction and assistance, the students completed the Tiny Home on the HFC campus. It’s a single-story home with a loft that has a footprint of just 202 square feet, including one bedroom and one bathroom.
“This is a big project. We’ve never done anything this complex,” said Chad Richert, HFC ACT program coordinator. “This is a great opportunity for students at the College. The ACT program beat professional contractors when bidding for this project. That speaks volumes about our program! We’re really passionate about this project. It gives us the opportunity to collaborate with other departments within and beyond the College and showcase our work.”
Upon completion, the Tiny Home was auctioned off for $47,000. The proceeds went to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
The Tiny Home movement
The Tiny Home movement has surged in the past decade, as more people vow to live minimally and conserve resources while still achieving the goal of home ownership.
“Our more than 26-year partnership with CMN Hospitals has shown us that miracles come in all shapes and sizes – and so do homes,” said Mike Reagan, RE/MAX Senior Vice President, Business Alliances. “In all dimensions, styles, and location of houses, RE/MAX agents are experts at matching their clients’ unique preferences to their perfect home. During the online auction, the highest bidder achieved the dream of owning a home, and was also able to support sick and injured kids in the community.”
CMN Hospitals provide care for more than 10 million children treated at 170 member hospitals across the U.S. and Canada.
Learning and serving at the same time
According to Richert, more than a dozen HFC students were involved in the design and building process. Students in HFC’s ID program also helped design and select interior furnishings to complete the home, with an eye for trendy and unique styles that would make the place homey and draw interest in the auction.
“The Tiny Home project has been a rewarding hands-on experience. It’s taught me a lot,” said ACT student Darren Reed, of Detroit.
“This is a great architecture program. The decision to come to HFC is probably the best one I ever made,” added ACT student Summer Hassan, of Dearborn.
“This is a notable and worthwhile project,” said Karen Wilmering, HFC ID program coordinator. “Our students got to work on a real-world project, which will enhance their résumés, and it also allowed them to collaborate with students across three disciplines. The Tiny Home will help someone who needs housing, and the auction proceeds will benefit the CMN Hospitals. Everybody wins.”