{"id":7714,"date":"2017-10-24T14:43:15","date_gmt":"2017-10-24T18:43:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=7714"},"modified":"2025-10-10T10:57:03","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T14:57:03","slug":"olympic-hopeful-builds-unique-tiny-house","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/olympic-hopeful-builds-unique-tiny-house\/","title":{"rendered":"A Tiny House Big on Style"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n A Tiny House Big on Style\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

Under an overhang of Carleton University\u2019s Architecture Building, a pair of attractive wood-framed structures are taking shape. Small in size but ambitious in scope, they\u2019re energy-efficient tiny houses embodying an amalgam of research, education and environmental stewardship. If you missed the story of the the Northern Nomad house, read it here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the story of the Hobbit Van 2.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Three years ago, when Carleton architecture student and national team whitewater kayaker, Ben Hayward<\/a>, took time off from his studies to train and compete in Europe in a bid to qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio, the cost of accommodation and travel was tough to manage on his amateur athlete\u2019s budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So Hayward bought a used flatbed truck for just over $2,000 and, with $7,500 in materials and help from a Welsh mechanic friend, built a 72-square-foot wooden camper with a small wind turbine, solar panels and a round door at the back. He lived in the \u201cHobbit Van\u201d for two years, driving from country to country to attend races, sleeping in parking lots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although he was Canada\u2019s top ranked whitewater kayaker, Hayward didn\u2019t earn a spot at Rio, but he\u2019ll be returning to the Hobbit Van next year in an effort to make it to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n