As a political activist and 2010 mayoral candidate for New York Governor Jimmy McMillan once said, “the rent is too high.” He also has This was the case in London, where the average rent for a single room in a shared house soared to £933 ($1,109) in October 2022, a 17% increase since the start of the global COVID-19 pandemic. 19, according to CNN. For architect and artist Harrison Marshall, the rising cost of living hit close to home in the summer of 2022 as he looked for a flat in central London. Appalled by the high prices in the working-class neighborhood, Marshall created his own little “Skip the houselast December, using a dumpster as a foundation. A ICT Tac posted by London designer Jubel on March 3 of Marshall visiting his home has gone viral recently, prompting some to question the sustainability and practicality of the new excavations.
The tiny house was inspired by previous dumpster-related installations that Caukinthe social impact architecture firm co-founded by Marshall, complemented by artistic collaboration Skip Gallery. Marshall’s 25 square foot home took around a month and cost £4,000 (~$4,871) to assemble and decorate. Before starting construction in December 2022, Marshall had approached the architectural nonprofit Antepavillion about their empty lot. He shared with Hyperallergic that the use of the eight-meter dumpster gave the house a solid base from which to build that could also function as a strong visual statement for the art project: a livable environment where no one should ideally live.
“I wanted to convey the realities of the rental situation in London by creating something that could be considered better than many of the rooms on offer around London, even if it was in a dumpster,” Marshall said.
With the foundation and ground in place, Marshall created his cozy cabin using insulated wood framing and cedar shingles on the exterior walls. The barrel-shaped roof would create ample clearance, about 11 feet, for a raised bed while maximizing floor space. To enter the house, Marshall climbs a small ladder and crouches through a trapdoor. Three windows with curved openings provide ventilation and natural light to the room. Marshall plans to live in his dumpster on the Antepavillion lot for at least a year.
The tiny house is fully functional: Marshall rented a portable toilet, installed a metal bowl with a drain hole and a bucket for a sink, and built a storage space against two of the four walls. He carries water into the house from a neighboring property. He lived without electricity for the first six weeks, staying warm until February with blankets and heated water bottles until the house could plug into the city’s power grid. Since then, he can use his electric stove, heater, mini fridge, lights and dehumidifier. These devices put his expenses at just £50 ($61) a month. He showers either at the gym or at the office.
However, some are skeptical of the project. “Imagine bringing a woman back to your jump after a date,” TikTok user @dexterrjoe commented. Others wonder how much food can Marshall realistically store in his refrigerator. Marshall called the project performance art, not a permanent solution to homelessness. Still, some question whether the statement addresses the rising cost of living or simply sheds light on those who don’t have $4,000 to build low-cost housing in central London.
Despite the challenges, Marshall has enjoyed the experience so far. He was able to build a house exactly to his preference and says unconventional housing is a great icebreaker. “It can be hard to find a sense of community in such a big city,” Marshall said. “But with an easy conversation starter and a great excuse to throw a ‘jump-and-warm-up’ block party, it made things a little easier.”
