Since the rise of minimalism, people have begun considering and contemplating how they live. From a psychological point of view, living and building extravagant homes makes one miss out on the real joys in life. In contrast, living in the tiniest houses encourage simplicity and mindfulness, helping one avoid becoming too immersed in materialism and fostering a greater appreciation for being present in the moment—whether with family, friends, or even enjoying time alone.
Urban designers in most cities are now adjusting their zoning laws and creating areas dedicated to tiny houses and sustainable living. Such houses are not necessarily homes with four walls; they come in a variety of styles like trailer homes, converted shipping containers, custom tiny houses, arched cabins, houseboats, recreational vehicles, and normal tiny houses.
What are tiny houses?
Tiny houses range between 100 and 400 square feet and are designed to have maximum utility and minimum negative environmental impacts. The advantages of living in tiny houses surpass that of traditional homes by requiring less energy, such as heating systems and air conditioning, which makes them categorized as sustainable living. Additionally, such homes, despite being very tiny, make so much room for people to live simply yet fully. It shifts people’s focus on the important things in life such as family, friends, and personal growth.
The tiny house movement attracted diverse people, from young adults to retirees, who want to live life in the simplest yet fullest way possible. The demand for living in peace is growing by the day, and architects are looking for smart ways to design sustainable tiny houses that instill a sense of positivity, peace, reflection, and relaxation.
Below are 10 examples of the world’s tiniest homes:
Roll it Experimental Housing
Architect: University of Karlsruhe Researchers and Students
Location: Germany
Year: 2008
Area: 6 square meters
The Roll it house was a prototype designed in 2008 by a group of students and researchers from the University of Karlsruhe in Germany. The house was designed in a cylindrical shape and divided into three functional needs, a bed space, a kitchen and sink, and an exercise cylinder.
The purpose of this prototype was to explore sustainable and innovative living. A unique feature of the house is that it changes function based on its rotation. It is designed to rotate to accommodate different needs, such as sleeping, exercising, or eating.
MuMA Hut
Architect: WeWilder
Location: Romania
Year: 2020
Area: 15 square meters
MuMA Hut is a tiny house built by the efforts of volunteers in an old town in Romania. Integrated with the natural surroundings, its concept came from recreating tree houses in a more innovative way. The hut was designed using local materials like wood and hand-crafted shingles, making it vernacular and minimalist, with large windows offering panoramic views of the town’s nature.
The project is part of a larger vision of WeWilder, aiming to create an eco-friendly village and community in the region. MuMA Hut was a catalyst for this promised vision. Like most tiny houses, this one has 4 main functions: a sleeping area, kitchenette, bathroom, and living space, all complemented by a large window that offers the illusion of a huge space.
Great Britain’s Tiniest House
Architect: Not specified
Location: Great Britain
Year: 16th Century
Area: 2.1 square meters
Featured in the Guinness Book of World Records, Great Britain’s Tiniest House was built in the 16th century as an infill between cottages to maximize available land. The design is a traditional English house that is functional and built using local materials like timber and stone, providing durability and insulation from the harsh Welsh climate.
It has a pitched roof, which is also a common feature of Welsh architecture for snow shedding and rain runoff. The interior layout is simple, including functions like a sleeping area, kitchenette, and a living space, which was designed to fit the needs of tenants without anything unnecessary.
Drina River House
Architect: A group of local youths
Location: Serbia
Year: 1969
Area: 8 square meters
Near Bajina Basta in Serbia is the Drina River House, which can be accessed through the Tara National Park. It was built in 1969 by local youths who loved hanging out in the Drina River which made them build a house nearby like a staycation where they can chill together.
Designed using cabin-style architecture, the river house, made of local materials like wood, sits on an outcrop in the river. The use of timber reflects Serbia’s traditional architecture, allowing it to blend in with the environment and minimize footprint. The cabin is now a symbol of culture, tradition, adventure, and friendship.
8 Smallest Architecture Examples
Keret House
Architect: Jakub Szczęsny
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Year: 2012
Area: 4.3 square meters
Keret house is one of the narrowest houses in the world, designed by artist and architect Jakub Szczesny. His intention was to create a creative refuge and retreat for artists in bustling Warsaw. The interior layout is very simple: a sleeping area, a staircase, and a working area. Everything is designed to be compact and space-saving.
Materials used are steel and glass, which are considered extremely lightweight and give an industrial look to the exterior façade. The Keret House challenges the ideas of traditional housing and symbolizes isolation and self-reflection amid the dense cityscape of Warsaw while also emphasizing the high demand for sustainable and affordable housing.
Ursa Tiny House on Wheels
Architect: Madeiguincho
Location: Portugal
Year: Around 2020
Area: 17.5 square meters
For those interested in mobile living, this house is a great option. Designed by a Portuguese firm known for creating prefabricated tiny houses, the Ursa Tiny House on Wheels is in Portugal but can easily be moved to different locations.
Madeiguincho’s design philosophy focuses on creating tiny houses that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing, as demonstrated in this project. These houses have a time frame of about six months from the moment an order is placed until the client can move in. In some cases, clients may need to meet with the builders to finalize the layout of the interior spaces.
Guincho
Architect: Madeiguincho
Location: Portugal
Year: Around 2020
Area: 12 square meters
Also designed and built by Madeiguincho, the Guincho is a tiny mobile house optimized for space, measuring just 12 square meters. The key architectural features include space efficiency and minimalist living, where every square meter is carefully designed to minimize waste.
The design philosophy follows the principles of temple-like architecture, emphasizing tranquility and careful attention to both space and function. The Guincho is crafted to influence emotions, evoking a sense of peacefulness within the space. The purpose of the house is to demonstrate that, by making the most of limited space, one can live richly with very little.
Tengbom Student Housing
Architect: Tengbom Architects
Location: Lund, Sweden
Year: 2013
Area: 10 square meters
The Tengbom student housing is an innovative project designed for university students with the intention of being sustainable and affordable, like most tiny houses. A unique aspect of this project is that the construction itself used a minimal amount of energy.
The interior space was designed efficiently, with every space designed for necessary living functions like a sleeping area, which includes a lofted bed, a living space, a storage space, a bathroom, and a kitchenette. All materials used are local sources, making the project a modern example of vernacular architecture.
One Sqm House
Architect: Van Bo Le-Mentzel
Location: Germany
Year: 2012
Area: 1 square meter
Designed by Van Bo Le-Mentzel who arrived in Germany from Laos seeking refuge. He was always so fascinated by Peter Parker, aka The Amazing Spiderman, because of his dream of helping the helpless. Having been a refugee himself, after he pursued his studies in architecture, his designs later were based on affordable and sustainable living and allowing underprivileged people to have access to the normal life necessities that many lack.
The one-square-meter house is an example of one of his works where the house is made of lightweight materials like wood and plexiglass. Depending on the tenant’s preference, it can be easily carried and flipped around. The house addresses social issues related to housing affordability and the need for it.
Vicky Won
Architect: Not specified
Location: Texas
Year: Not specified
Area: 15.79 square meters
The Vicky Won tiny house in Texas is available for short-term stay through Airbnb. It is designed in Victorian-style architecture with a charming and inviting atmosphere that is meant for people to stay in and time-travel to the past during a time when there was no technology or the internet.
The house has an open floor layout with a queen-sized bed in a loft area and a twin-size bed on the ground floor, among other necessary living amenities. Materials used in the tiny house are a mixture of modern and traditional ones, including wood, glass, and insulation materials for the walls and roof for maximum comfort.
In conclusion, the tiny house movement is more than just about size; it is a mindset that people find very useful on their journey of self-discovery and minimalist living. It emphasizes mindful spending and enjoying the simple things in life without excess clutter. It is also an opportunity for the underprivileged to live in well-serviced homes like everyone else.
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