Development

TomaHouse Modern Tropical Style Villas are masterpieces of prefabricated design – marrying Pacific-Rim simplicity and comfort with ‘State of the Art’ European precision engineering. Developed with a knowledgeable and international clientele in mind, TomaHouse provides a brilliant solution to the question of how to build efficiently in difficult or remote locations. By using click-in fasteners and a patented, modular construction system, a unique interlocking grid of aluminium frames and bars creates a lightweight, flexible core structure designed to withstand enormous tension and pressure. All modular parts of a typical TomaHouse Villa fit together smoothly and can be lifted comfortably without machinery during construction.

Originating from the idea of a moveable Swiss-style chalet, TomaHouse was conceived by Frank Thoma, a German economist and entrepreneur. Today, they offer a wide variety of sleek and elegant tropical designs, created to suit virtually any taste in architecture and interior design.

Four years ago, Thoma and his team of engineers and architects began developing the TomaTech system. Based on extensively researched technology, two years later TomaHouse began producing of the first prefabricated Multi-Purpose Villas. The company is steadily growing and today employs fifteen in-house architects and engineers, with representation in Europe, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, Indonesia and Western Australia.

The ingenuity of the TomaHouse system lies in three essential aspects; flexibility of design, interchangeable modules, panels of natural hardwoods and stone used for walls and flooring, and adaptability to virtually any kind of flat, steep or over-water terrain. Whether in Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica or Zanzibar, a TomaHouse Multi-Purpose Villa can be designed for any type of location, furnished and shipped in manageable-sized pieces that are easily assembled on-site in a fraction of the time required for conventional construction.

One obvious benefit of pre-constructing a TomaHouse Villa under quality-controlled conditions is that the key elements and fine details can all be produced to exacting “plug and play” specifications before shipment, resulting in a precisely fitting combination engineered to assemble correctly the first time. This is particularly important in remote locations where supplies, materials and expertise are in limited supply.

Accordingly, construction of a cost-competitive TomaHouse Villa can be finished months, or even years, ahead of conventional building alternatives. A Villa can also be de-constructed and moved if ever the need arises.

TomaHouse Villas have evolved to keep pace with the ever-changing and sophisticated lifestyle of todays informed and well-traveled individual, who now lives, works and vacations wherever an internet connection and a stunning panorama are available.

TomaHouse Construction

A TomaHouse is a high-tech and modular prefabricated building. It consists of a virtually indestructible grid of aerospace rated aluminum. Click-in stainless steel fasteners eliminate the need for nails or screws. The cross sectional grid of interlocking aluminium profiles, rafters, and beams are all designed to withstand enormous pressures, while being both strong and flexible. All modular panels, from the floor to ceiling are prefabricated using a range of natural or synthetic materials to provide a choice of custom made panels to suit the preferences of every client.

Floor and wall panels fit precisely within the aluminium grid frames, and ceiling coverings slide into place between the roof and rafters. Each panel can easily be replaced for maintenance, expansion or any change in aesthetics or design, if ever the need arises.

A TomaHouse Villa can be built on any terrain, even sand and water, and requires only one meter of foundation depth to achieve optimum stability. Depending on ground terrain, three types of foundation pilings are available.

Suitable Climates

TomaHouse structures are particularly well suited to tropical island life. Presently over 60 % of all orders come from tropical island locations throughout the world. In addition, TomaHouse Villas can be adapted for colder and variable-weather climates by adding insulation between sandwiched wall and roof panels.

The TomaHouse system has also been designed to withstand storms and earthquakes. Since much of our demand comes from hurricane, monsoon and earthquake areas they have certification for wind speeds of up to 265 km/h and earthquakes of up to degrees of eight in the Richter Scale.

Sizes and styles:

There is an extremely wide variety of sizes and styles available, depending on roof shapes, layout, materials and wall panels selected. Whether creating a high-tech office, a simple pool cabana, or the ultimate holiday residence, there are virtually no limits to possible design variations.

For example, any particular roof style can be employed, from traditional Asian architecture, Fijian Bures, to the steep roofs of a Baracca Valenciana. Modern minimalist aesthetics, such as flat or slanted roof styles can also be incorporated. Currently, a project in Fiji is using a tensile membrane, “tented” roof structure. The height of a ceiling is typically defined by two standard sizes, 238 cm and 280 cm, with custom variations also possible.

Electrical system:

The electrical system of a TomaHouse is fully integrated into the aluminum structure and wiring is encased ingeniously within the Multi-Purpose structural profiles. The entire system is designed to operate from one single external power source, be it generator, wind power or a traditional municipal power grid. The electronic switchboard of precision German technology is housed in a standard panel that becomes part of the interior joinery unit, controlling all of the lighting, fans and security systems within the TomaHouse from a single point. Voltage and power points can be adapted to the requirements and building codes of any country.

Plumbing:

In keeping with the TomaTech MPC modular concept, each unit uses snap-on fittings for water and waste which can be connected to public facilities or used as part of an external environmental processing system.

Budgeting and Design:

The first step in building a TomaHouse Villa is to settle upon a design and a budget. For this purpose they have a wide variety of designs readily available from which to choose. Once a basic configuration has been selected, their architects will modify that design, or create a new design that meets your stated requirements. In so doing they consider many variables such as location, climate and terrain, as well as desired size, materials, and other specific details.

This initial process takes approximately two to three weeks, during which time they will produce all necessary drawings for your chosen design upon which they will base the formal cost quotation. Accordingly, for the detailed work involved TomaHouse will charge a one-time design fee based on the size and scope of work, which will be credited to the final cost of the contract.

General local regulations or restrictive covenants that would affect the feasibility, approval or local permitting of the chosen design should be researched in advance by the client and communicated to TomaHouse before beginning the design process.

Fees for schematics will vary according to size and scope of the work and will be invoiced according to those requirements involved. Fees for custom designs of under 50 square meters begin at €1,000 and increase per mutual agreement thereafter depending on the size of the structure or type of the overall project, such as a single villa or an entire resort.

Prices:

Houses can be configured to the taste and budget of clients and start at 850 Euros per square meter, depending on materials and finishes chosen.

Shipment:

The TomaHouse will arrive packaged in containers from Germany and Bali.

Set up:

Because TomaHouse Villas are constructed of lightweight materials they are easy to ship and deliver anywhere, even to remote or difficult to access areas. The typical Villa is easy to assemble within a matter of one to three weeks and TomaHouse can provide a set-up crew to assist with the process, if desired, for a nominal fixed-fee additional cost.