Is it a bach, or is it a box? The answer: both.
Dalefield resident and largely self-taught architectural designer Stepan Skala has spent the past two years designing, building and testing his "Bachbox", which could "theoretically" could be lifted by crane and transported just about anywhere, making it a modern-day equivalent to a caravan.
But recently the project became a reality. With the help of a 55-tonne crane, the 12.7m-long prototype Bachbox was hoisted without incident from its site, meaning Mr Skala's design could now be certified for marketing and production.
Czech-born, Mr Skala has lived in Queenstown for 11 years and when he bought a section at Dalefield he decided to build something liveable, but "fully transportable".
It was then the Bachbox idea was born - effectively taking a house and turning it into a container, designed to withstand a category 5 cyclone and winds of up to 300kmh, earthquakes and high altitudes.
It is also designed to fit comfortably on the back of a truck and trailer unit, meaning transportation during daylight hours was possible without lifting power lines.
Drawing inspiration from European builders who constructed collapsible houses, Mr Skala believed the 62sq m Bachbox was unique within New Zealand.
Working closely with Andrew Morris, of Hadley Consultants, Mr Skala spent about three months sketching and trouble-shooting the design; a 18.3 tonne structure that sits on four legs, and has four timber decks totalling 43sq m - three at the front and one at the rear - counter-balanced and retractable by manual winching.
It features two bedrooms with ensuites, a kitchen, laundry and living area, plus an insulated 10cu m sub-floor designed for storage.
After the design was confirmed, Mr Skala organised materials from manufacturers throughout New Zealand for his trademarked product.
Made from steel, the external surfaces of the Bachbox were designed to be "bullet proof',' while internally everything was made to be "as light as possible".
"With everything we tried to keep the weight down".
Wardrobe and internal doors were made from the lightest material possible, as were wardrobe partitions and internal cladding.
The internal floor was constructed from bamboo, while the shower floors were made from quila board, with stainless steel underneath.
Internal walls were made from triboard, which was not only light, but had no joins, ensuring there was little risk of damage during transportation.
Internal fittings include electrically driven heat pump, fridge-freezer, dish-drawer, washing machine and dryer, plus septic and water tanks, the latter heated by roof-mounted solar panels.
Subject to a building permit, Mr Skala said it was possible a Bachbox could be constructed within a month.
"This one took me four months from start to finish to build single-handedly because everything was made for the first time.
"Once you have got the suppliers ... the next time, because it's been done before, they really just repeat the process.
"A lot of the panels can be computer-cut."
The 12.7m kit was priced at $165,000 plus GST, excluding labour and site costs, with a larger Bachbox, measuring 15.1m, priced at $195,000 plus GST.
Additionally, Mr Skala intended to sell detailed plans that included a list of suppliers and building instructions, allowing buyers to organise materials and construction.
And while he enjoyed a small celebration party on Tuesday night, Mr Skala was already hatching his next plan - a small stand-alone unit which could be built at one end of the bachbox and linked to it via a glass walkway.
