Wind turbine nacelle gets second life as tiny house

In a collaboration which could really only have blossomed in north-western Europe, a Dutch design studio has converted a Vattenfall wind turbine nacelle into a tiny house.

Designed as part of collaboration orchestrated by Dutch design service company What if Lab, which connected four design studios with Vattenfall to create unique solutions for wind turbines reaching the end of their technical lifespan, the tiny house, if nothing else, perfectly encapsulates Nordic minimalist design.

Measuring four metres wide, ten metres long, and three metres high, the nacelle once served in an Austrian field for 20 years as part of a V80 2MW turbine before reaching the end of its original life as a key wind turbine component.

While on the outside, it’s quite obviously a wind turbine nacelle, on the inside, the designers have aimed to create a cosy cottage feel with kitchen, bathroom, and living space, and equipped it all with smart features such as a heat pump, solar panels, and a solar water heater.

Vattenfall wanted to prove that even a wind turbine nacelle, somewhat less recyclable than other parts of a wind turbine, such as metal or concrete, can be recycled and reused.

Moreover, though, the aim was to demonstrate options other than energy- and emissions-intensive recycling techniques such as melting steel back down to be reused.

“We are looking for innovative ways in which you can reuse materials from used turbines as completely as possible,” said Thomas Hjort, director of innovation at Vattenfall.

“So making something new from them with as few modifications as possible. That saves raw materials, energy consumption and in this way we ensure that these materials are useful for many years after their first working life.”

The tiny nacelle house was designed by Superuse and executed by Blade-Made and Woodwave and has been designed to be building code-compliant.

The house, which is on display during Dutch Design Week, was also furnished with sustainably produced and second-hand furniture, including a table made of circuform that incorporates material from a recycled wind turbine blade.

“At least ten thousand of this generation of nacelles are available, spread around the world,” said Jos de Krieger, partner Superuse and Blade-Made.

“Most of them have yet to be decommissioned. This offers perspective and a challenge for owners and decommissioners. If such a complex structure as a house is possible, then numerous simpler solutions are also feasible and scalable.”

The tiny house was one of several second-life design concepts that came out of the What if Lab challenge alongside an idea to use turbine blades as flotation devices to expand potential housing space.