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A Rhombic Triacontahedron Scaleable Tiny House
About the project
About the project
Jamie York, author, math educator, and founder of Jamie York Academy, long dreamed of building a unique, geometric house in the shape of a rhombic triacontahedron (a shape with 30 rhombuses or diamonds). His award-winning Phi House™ is so called because the Golden Ratio, Φ, Phi, is found in multiple places within the rhombic triacontahedron. Architects appreciate structures that incorporate Phi because its presence results in harmony and balance within structures, and a high aesthetic. York's design won a 2024 prestigious Good Design award in the structure in environment category. He hopes his Phi House™ achieves recognition as an economical, practical, and beautiful housing option. He is currently looking for partners to license the design in the hopes of taking the Phi House™ to a broader market.
The Golden Ratio
The Golden Ratio
The Golden Ratio (Φ) comes from the pentagon. It answers the question: How many times longer is the diagonal (D) than the side (X)? (See the drawing on the right.) The answer is that the diagonal of a (regular) pentagon is Φ times longer than its side, where Φ is equal to approximately 1.618.
How the Golden Ratio Appears in the Design
How the Golden Ratio Appears in the Design
The rhombic triacontahedron consists of thirty identical rhombuses (diamonds). One of the places that Φ appears in this form is with each of the rhombic faces. As shown in the drawing here, the long diagonal of each rhombus is Φ times longer than the short diagonal.
About the House
About the House
This 420 sq. ft. house has a sleeping loft, a kitchenette, living room space, and a 3/4 bathroom. The cost for this project on the Western Slope of Colorado was less than $140k, making it surprisingly affordable. The rhombic triacontahedron framework was assembled in one day on site with pre-made wooden panels.
Watch the Building Process
Watch the Building Process
In this video, Jamie explains the math behind the Phi house™ and shows behind the scenes of the building process.
Good Design Award
Good Design Award
This project received The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and Metropolitan Arts 2024 GOOD DESIGN® Award in the Environments category.
Questions?
Questions?
For media inquiries and or licensing interest,
contact Karen van Vuuren at
karenvanvu@gmail.com , 303-520-1759.
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