Ample Creates Prefab Shelters and Saunas Inspired by Australian Sheds
Stella the Stargazer is a transportable tiny cabin that includes a detached bathhouse, deck with two soaking tubs, and roll out sleeping platform for stargazing.
Stella the Stargazer is a transportable tiny cabin that includes a detached bathhouse, deck with two soaking tubs, and roll out sleeping platform for stargazing.
Welcome to Prefab Profiles, an ongoing series of interviews with people transforming how we build houses. From prefab tiny houses and modular cabin kits to entire homes ready to ship, their projects represent some of the best ideas in the industry. Do you know a prefab brand that should be on our radar? Get in touch!
When Greg Adshead and Aaaron Shields were first introduced, they quickly realized they shared more than just a mutual friend. The duo bonded over their common frustration regarding the quality of housing in their home country of Australia. Rather than building bigger, more expensive homes, they envisioned a future where more people could choose to live in (or just visit) high quality, fully transportable, small homes.
The duo channeled their grievances into Ample—the offsite manufacturing business they formed in 2021. In partnership with the designers at Agents of Architecture, the Melbourne-based company offers a range of customizable prefabricated homes and saunas with an aesthetic inspired by, in their words, the humble Aussie shed (think galvanized metal exteriors complemented by wood and steel interiors). We spoke with the Ample co-founders to learn more about why their modular buildings are popping up across Australia.
Ample partnered with the tourism organization Visit Victoria to design Stella the Stargazer—a transportable tiny cabin with a detached bathhouse. It's part of a campaign encouraging younger generations to explore parts of the state beyond Melbourne.
Photo by Brook James
What’s the most exciting project you’ve realized to date?
It’s hard to choose one, but Stella the Stargazer and her Sauna Bathhouse is a great project. We were engaged by Visit Victoria, the state's tourism body, to create an accommodation aimed at encouraging younger demographics to explore the regional parts of Victoria—meaning the areas located outside of Melbourne. Stella and the Sauna Bathhouse is the result of our collaboration.
Stella is a luxury accommodation experience that is fully off-grid. The building is relocated every few months to a new regional location. We prioritized fun over function for this project, creating a space similar to a cubby house (Australia's version of a children's backyard play house) designed for adults. The intention is not necessarily to impress but to embrace the guests in a slow living experience.
There are a lot of unique features, but our favorite thing about Stella is her roll out sleeping platform for stargazing. The glazed gable end connects to the bed and opens on gas struts, the bed then rolls out and the glazed section becomes a glass roof.
The prefabricated cabin is discretely placed on a custom steel trailer, which helps with transporting the module across Victoria.
Photo by Brook James
What does your base model cost and what does that pricing include?
Our base model is called the Little Fella. Its basic form is a transportable studio pod, starting from around $49,000 AUD. This includes a complete building that is fully insulated with double-glazed, blackbutt timber windows and doors, and galvanized tin cladding. The interior is lined with hardwood plywood and contains a basic electrical package. This model is designed to be fitted out however you choose either by us to your specification, or by you once it is delivered. It can be used as a backyard studio, bedroom, office, or even as a compact cabin.
Toasted cork floors, an exposed structure, and steel finishes combine for a rustic, natural interior.
Photo by Brook James
See the full story on Dwell.com: Ample Creates Prefab Shelters and Saunas Inspired by Australian Sheds
