Tiny Home Project — Owen's Portfolio

Owen’s Portfolio

Owen Champness
owen@owenchampness.com
LinkedIn

Hi! I’m Owen. I’m an Architectural Engineering student at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. I am passionate about creating affordable housing through volunteering and thermal insulation and its effect on the environment. I have experience in AutoCAD, SketchUP and Revit. I volunteer for Engineers Without Borders, in particular the WATurbine team.

In my free time, I really like coffee. I like light roasted beans and making pourovers; I find the experience quite meditative. I also play a lot of rhythm games, specifically Osu!. I host a multitude of tournaments for that game, as well as being a pretty solid player if I do say so myself. Apart from that, I listen to a lot of music. My favourite genres to listen to are hyper-pop, egg punk, and dariacore.

CV

Tiny Retreat - Thumbelina DOC 0001

BACK

Tiny Retreat - Thumbelina
DOC 0001

 Publisher: University of Waterloo
 Class: AE100 (Concepts Studio)
 Tools: AutoCad, SketchUP
 Credits: Owen Champness, Klara Willmetts, Xavier McKinnon, Ezra Chan

DESCRIPTION

Inspired by the fairy tale Thumbelina, this project explores how architecture at a small scale can create an immersive and enchanting spatial experience. Designed with a 10 square meter interior space in mind, the tiny home balances intimacy and whimsy while remaining grounded in real-world building performance and code compliance.

The design process began with narrative-driven massing studies, translating the story’s sense of wonder into architectural form. Key features include: a clock tower element, a suspended lounge net, and a softly curved roof. These elements were developed to enhance verticality, lightness, and playfulness within a constrained footprint. The interior spaces were carefully sequenced to evoke discovery and delight, inviting guest lectuers into a fairytale environment without sacrificing functionality.

Technical development was carried out using AutoCAD and SketchUp, with construction drawings produced in compliance with the Ontario Building Code. Building envelope performance was a central design driver as well: thermal resistance (R-value) strategies were researched and evaluated against LEED Gold requirements, informing wall, roof, and floor assemblies. Glazing systems were analyzed based on U-value, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), and visible transmittance to optimize daylighting, energy efficiency, and occupant comfort.

Seeing as budget wasn’t a big factor for this project, the final product uses aerogel for wall insulation to minimize thickness while maximizing thermal resistance. The building also incorporates triple glazed IGUs filled with Krypton gass with a low e coating applied to the outer layer.

Through an iterative design process that integrated storytelling, environmental performance, and constructability, Thumbelina demonstrates how small-scale architecture can be both technically rigorous and emotionally resonant, transforming a minimal footprint into a richly imaginative spatial experience.