The tiniest house
Living in a Box: 15 of the Smallest Houses in the World
Have you ever wondered what is it like to live in one of the smallest houses in the world? The American dream of a big house has definitely changed over the years—people are learning how to let go of unnecessary possessions and live with only what they need; even in terms of space.
Arch3O has listed for you 15 of the smallest houses in the world; their area ranges from 17 square meters to ONE square meter! Keep reading to find out why and how these houses were built.
Table of Contents
Area: 17 m²
© Junior Carranca
“The CEO of Madeiguincho set the challenge of designing and building three prototypes of houses on wheels (based on the concept of trailers) with different lengths (4m, 5m, and 7m), 2.5m in width, and a maximum height of 4m, according to the size regulations for motor vehicles—to be among the smallest houses in the world.
The concept of mobile homes is intrinsically related to the concept of tiny homes and implies rethinking our modern lifestyle to fit the various aspects of living (eating, sleeping, lounging, bathing, working, socializing) into a tiny space (17,5m2).
”
© Junior Carranca
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MuMA Hut | WeWilder
Area: 15 m²
© Răzvan Dima
“Muma Hut is one of the smallest houses in the world, built through voluntary efforts in an orchard, in the Old Village of Armenis in Romania, inviting guests who want to experience nature both outside and inside the cottage with an audacious window onto the landscape.
The hut aims to be an example of shape – an “orchard room” and the materials used, which are purchased from the area to revitalize traditional practices. Wood was used for the structure/enclosures as well as shingles, made locally by the nephew of an old craftsman.”
© Răzvan Dima
Area: 15 m²
© Getaway
“The cabin was conceived as an exploration of the potential for a productive lack of fit between program and inhabited surface. The space is comprised of a series of levels, each charged with programmatic intent, but with a degree of non-specificity such that use can be defined by the user.
A sitting surface becomes a sleeping surface becomes an eating surface becomes a walking surface. The cabin’s external logic was governed by the limits of vehicular transport to the site, in which a cantilevering volume pushes beyond the constraints of a vehicular transport bed.”
© Getaway
Area: 15 m²
© Felipe Camus
“To fit in a budget, the activities required to fulfil within one of the smallest houses in the world were explicitly simple: a place to eat, sleep and read for two, everything else is to be offset outside. In contrast with the open surrounding, the cabin is designed as a shelter with a measured connection with the exterior, which can be understood in two moments.
The entrance level (1) is depicted by a single window with a particular height, which shapes the activities of the lofty room, whereas cooking and bathing are pressed by the mezzanine. In the middle of the floorplan a steel ladder allows for an attic (2) which differences with extensive horizontal windows framing iconic mountains.
”
© Felipe Camus
Area: 15 m²
© Sean O’Neill
“Elsewhere, an Austin-area vacation rental company and one of the smallest houses in the world, commissioned Sean O’Neill to design their first cabin. The goal was to create a compact living space with everything one would need for a weekend of focus and fresh air.
The atmosphere the architect aimed to recreate was that of a Texas porch. It’s a serene feeling of sitting outside in the heat, the breeze, and the rain under the shade of a roof. A 10′ folding glass wall allows the entire living space to become a porch.”
© Sean O’Neill
Area: 14.5 m²
© Polish Modern Art Foundation / Bartek Warzecha
“In Warsaw, Poland in the district of Wola lies a small crack of space between the buildings on 22 Chłodna Street and 74 Żelazna Street. Jakub Szczęsny of Centrala, recognized the potential to create something unique within this narrow area, and derived a design of an art installation entitled Keret House that ended up one of the smallest houses in the world.
Measuring an interior that will vary between 122 centimeters and 72 centimeters in its narrowest spot, the house is a workplace, a hermitage created for an outstanding Isreali writer, Etgar Keret. Besides, it also fulfills a function of a studio for invited guests – young creators and intellectualists from all over the world.”
© Polish Modern Art Foundation / Bartek Warzecha
Area: 14 m²
© Leonas Garbacauskas
“Tucked in an old sleepy woods Etno Hut is the tiniest shelter for your romantic getaway, creative studio, yoga retreat camp or anything you can think of doing surrounded by breathtaking Lithuanian nature. It started as a personal architectural project.
The primary idea was to design a house that would be one of the smallest houses in the world and at the same time, it could meet all the basic needs of two people. And maybe a dog.”
© Leonas Garbacauskas
Area: 12 m²
© Jules Couartou
“FREAKS has been commissioned to refurbish a preexisting concrete fishing shack built in the 50’s on a rock, on the beach, facing the sea.
Its dimensions and ratio are exactly the same as Henry David Thoreau’s log cabin in Walden, 3 meters per 4, 12m². The summer house is now one of the smallest houses in the world.
Because of the very strict French coastal construction regulations, the project couldn’t change either the size nor the shape of the shack, but major works have been done to change the roofing and exterior insulation by using a light champagne-colored galvanized metal cladding and to install two large sliding windows allowing to open the house towards the horizon.”
© Jules Couartou
Area: 12 m²
© El Sindicato Arquitectura
“Parasite House is one of the smallest houses in the world. Design and construction of a 12 sq.m dwelling, located on the rooftop of an existent building at the popular neighborhood San Juan in Quito-Ecuador Casa parásito (Parasitic house) is a minimal design object, focused on solving the basic habitation necessities for a person or young couple.
It includes: bathroom, kitchen, bed, storage space and To-be space (eating, working and socializing), which secure all the facilities of a dwelling in a reduced area.”
© El Sindicato Arquitectura
Area: 10 m²
© Bertil Hertzberg
“To successfully build affordable student housing requires innovative thinking and new solutions. The area in each unit is reduced from current requirement, 25 square meters to 10 square meters through legal consent. This truly compact-living flat still offers a comfortable sleeping-loft, kitchen, bathroom and a small garden with a patio.
Through an efficient layout and the use of cross laminated wood as a construction material the rent is reduced by 50 % and the ecological impact and carbon footprints is also significantly reduced.”
© Bertil Hertzberg
Area: 9 m²
© Deyan Tomov
“The limited space was a challenge but we managed to fit everything necessary without the unpleasant claustrophobic feeling of being stuck in a narrow place full of stuff.
The standard height of 2,4m at the ridge of the roof as well as the substantial glazing made this tiny project feel more like a spacious house.
The light coming from the full height windows allowed the amazing sea view to become a dominant part in the interior. As the feel of the used materials were very important to us we chose to go with white oiled cladding and ply wood.”
© Deyan Tomov
Area: 8 m²
Courtesy of allergutendinge
“The dream of Arcadia has been deeply rooted in european culture for centuries. On the one hand the term describes a real swath of land in antique Greece. On the other hand it is an idea for an emotional hideaway, to live in harmony with yourself and nature.
In the sleeping section there is space for meditation and self-exploration. In order to find one‘s personal Arcadia the Spirit Shelter is designed mobile. The woodframe construction can be disassambled and transported to any scenery.
”
Courtesy of allergutendinge
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Diogene | Renzo Piano
Area: 7.5 m²
Photography by Julien Lanoo © Vitra
“The design has its origins in a recurring fascination that Piano has had since his days as a student: the minimum space that a person can possibly live in. Returning to the theme around 10 years ago, Piano developed a prototype for a minimal space, which he dubbed Diogene as a reference to Diogenes of Sinope, the ancient Greek philosopher who was said to live in a barrel.
Inside, Diogene consists of a partitioned space featuring a pull-out sofa and folding table in one end, and a shower, toilet and kitchen in the other. As a Vitra product, Diogenes is intended to be a versatile unit that could serve as a weekend retreat, office or even placed in groups to form an informal hotel—a lot potenial can come out of the smallest houses in the world.”
Courtesy of Renzo Piano
Area: 5 m²
© George Fielding
“The cabins, design by Ben Huggins are intended to be the first phase of a wider masterplan for the site offering the public the chance to experience temporary small scale experimental architecture.
Huggins’ worked with client and long-term collaborator Louise Middleton on the project brief before developing the first four prototype cabins.
Built by boat builder turned furniture maker Toby Sharp with a small team of master craftsmen in a nearby workshop, the cabins were then assembled and transported to site before being craned onto their cradle bases, turning into one of the smallest houses in the world. The cabins are constructed from structural, insulated paged-pine panels with an EDPM rubber membrane covering.”
© Roy Riley
Area: ONE m²
© Daniela Kleint
This is the smallest house in the world. In 2012 Berlin-based architect Van Bo Le-Mentzel created the One SQM House, a DIY structure that offers one square meter of floor area that can be used for any purpose imagined. Standing at two meters tall, it can be used upright or laid down flat for sleeping. As the house is on wheels it can be moved easily to any location.
Van Bo describes the One SQM House as a place where “no one other than I, myself, can decide what happens with this one square meter of mine in the world. It’s the only square meter in the world where I can decide what direction the window looks in, what direction the door opens in, what neighbors I have.”
Smallest Homes in the World
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With his arms stretched, Peter Miller can touch both walls of his micro-apartment kitchen, which also serves as a bathroom vanity. ZillowThink your place is small?
These small spaces will put your 500-square-foot studio to shame. Small spaces are trending in real estate these days, and these folks are grabbing the bull by the horns.
Here are 24 of the smallest homes we could find, from all over the world.
They're on roofs, on wheels, and in backyards.
They may make you feel claustrophobic, but their owners have found them to be quite livable.
Know of an even smaller living space? Let us know in the comments.
New York City will get 370-square-foot micro apartments.
NYC Mayor's Office/FlickrSize: 250 to 370 sq. ft.
Location: New York, NY
Last January, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg finally revealed the design of the studio apartments that will be no more than 370 square feet.
These apartments would be an affordable housing solution for young professionals and will be able hold a kitchen, bathroom, living area, and sleeping area.
The affordability is debatable, however, as the micro apartments will still cost between $940 and $1,700 a month to rent.
This 330-square-foot apartment in Hong Kong transforms into 24 different room combinations.
JellyWoo1014 via YouTubeSize: 330 sq. ft.
Location: Hong Kong, HK
Gary Chang, an architect in Hong Kong, turned his family's tiny 330-square-foot tenement apartment into a sleek and efficient living space with 24 different room combinations, including bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, and even a guest bedroom area.
So, how does he do it? Chang installed a number of sliding panels which he can move around the space to reveal hidden areas and storage. It's a system he calls the "Domestic Transformer."
San Jose is also getting its own 300-square-foot micro apartments.
screenshot via Studio E Architects blogSize: 300 sq. ft.
Location: San Jose, Calif.
In August 2012, the San Jose Department of Housing built a development of 42 affordable single-room-occupancy apartments, each one 300 square feet or less.
Designed by Studio E Architects, each unit measures about two parking spaces and includes a full kitchen, a bathroom, and a combined living/sleeping area.
There is a long wait list for one of these studios, but at a price of $650 a month, the wait may well be worth it.
People like Peter Miller have already made home in places smaller than 300 square feet in Seattle.
With his arms stretched, Peter Miller can touch both walls of his micro-apartment kitchen, which also serves as a bathroom vanity. ZillowSize: <300 sq. ft.
Location: Seattle, Wash.
Peter Miller lives in Seattle’s Footprint Wallingford, a community of 40 micro-apartments, in one of Seattle's most desired hotspots. In less than 300 square feet he has a bed, lofted above the living area; a bookshelf and desk for working; and a wardrobe. While he has his own bathroom, he shares a kitchen with the other building residents.
It's not ideal, but at $950 a month in a neighborhood where the median rent is $2,429, Miller gets the luxury of location and month-to-month commitment, should he decide to opt for a bigger space in the near future.
Twelve Cubed is a company that makes 10- and 12-foot cubed housing units.
james stuart via YouTubeSize: 288 sq. ft.
Location: Vancouver, B.C.
When James Stuart learned of a homeless woman who died of a fire in her cardboard shelter on the streets of Vancouver, he decided to found Twelve Cubed, a company that designs and manufactures 10x10x10-foot and 12x12x12-foot homes.
Each home, which is up to 288 square feet when you consider that it is two levels, has a bed, a living area, desk area, kitchen, and bathroom. It can even come equipped with a washer, dryer and a dishwasher. Stuart himself lived in one of these units for eight months to prove that it can be done, and is hoping cities will be interested in buying them as housing options.
This 258-square-foot home in Barcelona was once an old pigeon loft.
kirstendirksen via YouTubeSize: 258 sq. ft.
Location: Barcelona, Spain
When photographer Christian Schallert moved to Barcelona in 2003, he went searching for the perfect, affordable home. He found it in an old pigeon loft on top of a building, about 100 steps up.
When Schallert arrived, the 258-square-foot space was dirty and had not been maintained, but he designed and remodeled it into a warm, open, "Lego-style" apartment. The walls slide to reveal different room set ups. Moving panels hide his kitchen, closet, bathroom, dining room and living room, and the bed is stored under the terrace balcony that overlooks the city of Barcelona.
San Francisco is getting tiny 220-square-foot micro apartments meant for two people.
Panoramic InterestsSize: 220 sq. ft.
Location: San Francisco, Calif.
In November 2012, San Francisco's Board of Supervisors approved plans for 220-square-foot apartments, but only on the condition that they cannot be occupied by more than two people.
375 units of these apartments will be built to help manage the affordable housing crisis in San Francisco, where the average studio currently rents for $2,000 a month. The new micro-apartments would rent for $1,200 to $1,500 a month, which is considerably cheaper, but still surprising for the size of the apartment.
A Yale student built a 144-square-foot environmentally-friendly home instead of living in traditional student housing.
Turnbull in her tiny home Michael Janzen via YouTubeSize: 144 sq. ft.
Location: New Haven, Conn.
When grad student Elizabeth Turnbull was accepted into Yale's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, she built her own 144-square-foot tiny house instead of opting for university housing.
During the building process, Turnbull made sure to keep in mind the environmental impact her home would have and to minimize any potentially harmful effects by using all FSC-certified wood, non-toxic paints and finishes, and recycled windows.
This 140-square-foot home is beautifully designed.
Chris and Malissa TackSize: 140 sq. ft.
Location: Seattle, Wash.
Chris and Malissa Tack built their 140-square-foot home just outside of Seattle. They had both been working in the tech industry and decided to leave their complicated, material lives behind and make a clean break, starting with a smaller, simpler home.
The home has cut their living cost substantially, and they predict the home will be paid in full in just two or three years. Chris Tack, who now works as a photographer, has taken many beautiful photos of the home, which has a kitchen, living and dining area, bathroom, storage area, and sleeping loft.
A Colorado couple prefers to live in their 124-square-foot mobile in the middle of nowhere.
Screenshot, "TINY: A Story About Living Small"Size: 124 sq. ft.
Location: Colorado
Colorado couple Christopher Smith and Merete Mueller began building their home back in 2011 and documented the journey in a new movie called "TINY: A Story About Living Small."
The house has a small galley kitchen, a bathroom, and a sleeping loft nestled between the floor and the 11-foot-high ceilings. For storage, the couple makes use of a small closet and two built-in bookshelves, and works from a built-in desk a reclaimed hardwood table.
This 112-square-foot mobile house traveled across 9,000 miles.
OutdoorResearch via YouTubeSize: 112 sq. ft.
Location: Mobile around the U.S. and Canada
Zach Griffin and four friends decided to take an epic, cross-continental ski trip, and built a 112-square-foot mobile pod house where they lived for the six week, 9,000 mile-long trip.
The tiny house has a “drawbridge” bunk bed that comes down from the two-person sleeper loft, and a pull-out sofa bed. The skiers relied on the kindness of hostels and strangers for bathrooms, as the pod has none. It does, however, have electricity, a generator, and a toaster oven and propane stove as their kitchen.
They even made a movie about their trip in their tiny, temporary home.
This 100-square-foot environmentally-friendly house will actually earn you money.
thehypnoguy1 via YouTubeSize: 100 sq. ft.
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
This home is called the "Eco-cube." At 10 feet cubed, it's still sizeable enough to hold a small living room, dining area, kitchen, washer and dryer, a closet, full shower, toilet, and full-sized bed.
It was designed by Dr. Mike Page of the University of Hertfordshire and founder of the Cube Project, an initiative created to prove that a person could "live a comfortable, modern existence with a minimum impact on the environment." With solar panels, the Eco-cube can earn you $1,600 a year through the UK’s feed-in tariff.
This Manhattan studio measures just 90 square feet.
kirstendirksen via YouTubeSize: 90 sq. ft.
Location: New York, NY
Felice Cohen pays just over $700 for her 90-square-foot micro studio in Manhattan, where a studio could typically rent for an average of $2,569 per month.
Cohen, who is a writer and professional organizer, has made efficient use of the space with high, narrow storage units and a lofted bed that is just 23 inches down from the ceiling. The studio has no true kitchen, but Cohen has a toaster oven and mini fridge, which she restocks a couple of times a week.
The bathroom, surprisingly, is a decent size.
This 89-square-foot home has an "entertainment area," a kitchen, and even a fireplace.
screenshot via YouTube/Fair CompaniesSize: 89 sq. ft.
Location: Sebastopol, Calif.
Jay Shafer is the founder of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, which constructs small homes ranging from 65 to 874 square feet.
Shafer's own tiny house, at 89 square feet, has an "entertainment area," a kitchen with plumbing, a working fireplace, shower and toilet, lofted bed, and shelves on almost every wall.
This 84-square-foot home cost just $10,000 to build, and even less to maintain.
radley87 via YouTubeSize: 84 sq. ft.
Location: Olympia, Wash.
Dee Williams returned from an eye-opening trip to Guatemala and decided to downsize her home from 1,500 square feet to just 84 square feet. She moved out of her big house, built a small one from scratch, and parked it in her friend's backyard.
This home, which she calls "The Little House," cost about $10,000 to build, and even less to maintain. With a propane tank for heat and solar panels for electricity, Williams pays very little to live there.
This 80-square-foot home was listed for an incredible $145,000.
via CNN MoneySize: 80 sq. ft.
Location: London, England, UK
The 8-by-10-foot London apartment is in a prime location right near the famous Harrod's department store on Brompton Road.
The location may account for the steep price: The flat was originally on sale for $145,000, but more than a dozen offers were made on the tiny pad. One person was even willing to pay $280,000, according to CNN Money.
Famed architect Renzo Piano jumped into the tiny homes business with these 79-square-foot German models.
Ariel Huber for VitraSize: About 79 sq. ft.
Location: Weil am Rhein, Germany
Best known for Manhattan's New York Times Building, London's The Shard, and the Paris' Pompidou Museum, now Piano is turning his attention to the tiny details — specifically, to "Diogene," a tiny house prototype built for German furniture company Vitra.
The house, constructed of wood and aluminum paneling, collects, cleans, and reuses water; it also supplies its own power, and features photovoltaic cells and solar modules, a rainwater tank, a biological toilet, and natural ventilation.
The owner of this 75-square-foot house in Rome rents the space to friends and tourists.
Photo by Matteo RossiSize: 75 sq. ft.
Location: Rome, Italy
Architect and designer Marco Pierazzi saw the potential in an abandoned, one-room alleyway house just steps from Roman landmarks like the Pantheon and Saint Peter's Square. He bought it, fixed it up, and lived there with his wife until their child was born.
While it's not commercially available, Pierazzi now rents what he calls the "smallest house in Italy," making it a convenient place to stay on a Roman holiday. All the comforts of home, the little house has a full kitchen, a bathroom with a shower, a small lofted sofa bed, and an LED TV with Hi-Fi sound system.
This 60-square-foot home is the smallest house in the UK.
mel vyn via YouTubeSize: 60 sq. ft.
Location: Conwy, Wales, UK
Also known as the Quay House, this tiny red home, which measures just 10 feet by 6 feet, is known as the smallest house in the U. K., and has actually become a tourist attraction in Conwy, Wales.
The home has been occupied by various people since the 16th century, including a 6-foot-3-inch fisherman. The house has room for a stove, water tap, bed, and bedside storage.
China is building 50-square-foot apartments which are meant for two people.
screenshot via New York Daily NewsSize: 50 sq. ft.
Location: Wuhan, China
In the city of Wuhan, China, where housing is getting more and more difficult to come by, the city is building 50-square-foot "capsule" apartments which are meant to be shared by two people.
One six-story building in China’s Hubei Province has been divided into 55 separate capsules, each of which functions simultaneously as a bedroom, living room, bathroom and kitchen. The apartments primarily house young adults recently out of college who are un- or underemployed.
This 5-foot-wide home in Poland is possibly the skinniest apartment in the world.
Photographed by Bartek WarzechaSize: 46 sq. ft.
Location: Warsaw, Poland
This 46-square-foot apartment in Warsaw, Poland, is just five feet wide, possibly making it the skinniest apartment in the world.
Polish architect Jakub Szczesny sandwiched the tiny home, called "Keret House," in an alley between two other buildings. With no windows, a microscopic fridge, and a shower that aims almost directly over the toilet, this place is as small as they come. The kitchen table has room for two chairs, and the fridge has room for just two sodas.
This small home in China is built on top of a tricycle.
Courtesy of the People's Architecture OfficeSize: About 33 sq. ft. when folded
Location: Beijing, China
Beijing’s People’s Architecture Office and People’s Industrial Design Office designed and built a polypropylene mobile home so small that it can be folded up, accordion-style, and carted around on the back of a tricycle.
The expandable home can attach to others for more space, or to portable gardens to give the appearance of a “yard. ” Facilities in the house include a sink, stove, bathtub, and water tank. All the furniture is convertible: The bed becomes a dining table, the countertop becomes a bench for seating, and it can all fold up into the front wall.
This 11-square-foot home in Berlin is dubbed the "world's smallest house."
CNN via YouTubeSize: 11 sq. ft.
Location: Berlin, Germany
Architect Van Bo Le-Mentzal built a one-square-meter (11-square-foot) house which is light enough to pull on its wheels, and provides just enough room to sit or lie down and sleep (but only when tilted on its side).
Le-Mentzal says he designed the structure not as a way to address homelessness or create a new kind of emergency shelter, but as a thought experiment to make people think about the way they define the concept of "home."
However, that hasn't stopped governments and private citizens all over the world from contacting him about the plans.
Now check out the other end of the spectrum
Zillow.comMelissa Stanger
Associate Editor
Melissa Stanger was the Lists and Features Associate Editor. Previously the Associate Editor of Levo League, her work has been syndicated to the Huffington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, and Yahoo Finance. She is also a craft beer enthusiast and homebrewer, and a mentor with the Digital Mentoring Program at Girls Write Now — an organization that fosters a community of mentorship between professional writers and high school-aged girls in New York.
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Rating of the smallest houses in the world
Many, tired of living in modern high-rise towers, dream of their own home. But for some, the dream remains a dream, and people with a creative mindset and a share of healthy adventurism are already realizing it. After all, a house is not necessarily a huge mansion. Even on a modest amount of square meters, you can build comfortable, cozy and beautiful housing.
Rating of the smallest houses in the worldThe proof of this is the list of the smallest houses in the world. Miniature buildings outwardly look very interesting and original. And inside, the extraordinary-minded owners managed to place everything that a person needs for life. After all, if you think about it, it's not so much.
Arthur Wieden House. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the house built in 1919 by Englishman Arthur Wyden is officially the smallest in the world. An enterprising English contractor managed to squeeze a house of 28 square meters into the passage between two other houses. The length of the building is 14 m, the width is 2 m, and the ceiling height is 2.4 m. At the same time, having competently designed the dwelling, the architect managed to place a kitchen with a folding table, a stove and a washing machine and a bedroom with a bed that retracts into the wall on this area .
The house has a bathroom and a cozy living room. It fit a sofa, sitting on which, the Videnov couple watched their favorite films on TV, which also found a place. The family also equipped a basement in the house and ennobled the territory with a patio with a tiny garden.
House of Robin Falk. Finnish designer Robin Falk built a magical house in the forest for himself. The laws of the country do not prohibit the construction of houses up to 40 square meters without special permission. Robin took advantage of this by creating his "bird's nest". The house was conceived by the owner to relax, enjoy the Scandinavian nature, and arrange walks in the forest. The construction took two weeks and 10 thousand dollars.
The architect used only recycled materials. The house has a large window that fills the room with sunlight. And at night, through it, the owner admires the starry sky, lying on the bed. On the ground floor there is a living room with a small kitchen, on the second floor there is a bedroom. And Robin drinks morning coffee in the attic, inhaling its aroma along with fresh air.
Michael Page's house. The Eco-Cube project, or 3x3 meter House, belongs to Professor Michael Page from the UK. In addition to the idea to arrange the necessary amenities in the designated space, another important point for the author was to use only environmentally friendly materials for housing. Inside there was a place for everything you need: a living room with two folding soft modules, a wardrobe and a TV. There is a washing machine next to it. A little higher is the kitchen with stove, oven and refrigerator. And on the third tier there is a double bed.
The house is heated by solar panels and illuminated by LED lamps. Thanks to the thermal insulation located around the perimeter and the triple glazing in the windows, it is very warm in it. It turns out that the house creates more energy than it consumes. The owners also earn up to £1,000 a year from it, because the UK subsidizes those who live off natural food sources.
House of Nina Tolstrup. The beach house on the seashore was built by the architectural studio Studiomama under the direction of the Englishwoman Nina Tolstrup. Despite the small (36 sq.m) area, it is extremely reliable. The foundation is based on galvanized piles that protect against flooding.
House of Nina Tolstrup The exterior and interior of the house are functional and attractive at the same time. Full-length windows provide an opportunity to admire the sea. The compact house has a dining room, living room, two bedrooms and a bathroom with a kitchen. Studiomama's creation could win a prize in the nomination "the most beautiful small houses".
Medieval house in Salzburg. One cannot ignore the tiny house in Salzburg, built in the 15th century. The house is so small that it is difficult to notice it: the width of the facade barely reaches 1.5 m. The reason for the construction is considered to be a romantic legend about how a poor Austrian student fell in love with a rich man's daughter.
Mini-house in SalzburgThe bride made a condition: the groom must have his own house. The resourceful student did not lose his head and squeezed his tiny dwelling between two other buildings, fulfilling the contract. Part of the roof and the bronze gargoyle with which it is decorated are still preserved in the house.
Jay Schafer House. Mini campers are very popular in America. It is believed that it was first invented by Jay Shafer, who redesigned the classic American trailer, equipping it with a trailer.
In it, he placed the kitchen, shower room and bedroom. The idea was liked by Jay's friends, who wanted to get the same. Thus was born the now thriving company Tumbleweed Tiny House, which for over 10 years has been building the smallest houses to order for those who wish.
Hank Boutita's motorhome. It turns out that buses make great houses when done by a professional. Architecture student Hank Butita successfully proved this in practice. Buying an old school bus cheaply, he turned it into a real home.
Hank Boutita Mobile HomeIt has 4 functional areas: bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom. The structures of the zones are mobile and, if necessary, change places. Having defended his diploma, Butita went to travel with friends around the country, literally without leaving his home.
House of Christian Schallert. Photographer Christian Schallert built a house in an abandoned dovecote. When he arrived in Barcelona in 2003, he did not find affordable housing. But in the end, he found the perfect home for himself, located on the roof of the building. It turned out to be an abandoned dirty dovecote with an area of 24 sq.m.
Schallert put it in order, made repairs, and the place no one needed was transformed into a cozy house. In it, behind sliding panels, there is a kitchen, a dining room and a bathroom. And Christian's bed just slides under the balcony, because from there you have a great view of the center of Barcelona.
Student houses in Sweden. The builders and designers of a tiny dwelling of 12 square meters were Swedish students from the city of Lund. They were motivated to do so by the desire to create cheap and comfortable housing for young students. And they succeeded quite well. Inside the house there is a kitchen with a dining table, a bathroom, working and sleeping places, shelves for things and books. The house has seven windows, two built right into the roof. The house is heated with radiators.
The house was the cause of criticism from the city authorities for violating building codes. But the students managed to defend their rights. What's more, inspired by this project, Swedish architecture firm Tengbom has created its unique 10 sqm smart home. It is built from wood glued using a special technology that combines environmental aspects, low cost and excellent thermal insulation. The project turned out to be so successful that already in 2014 more than 20 smart houses were built, in which students settled.
Squirrel wheelhouse. And this unusual house was designed by students from Germany. It is made in the form of a rotating cylinder, in which there are three separate areas, including a bed and a Velcro chair, a toilet and a sink.
Wheelhouse in GermanyMoving to the center of the block, the structure turns over under the weight of a person, and he enters the desired zone. It’s hard to say how convenient it is, but you definitely can’t refuse originality for German students!
The smallest house in the Czech Republic was discovered in Prague. It was built in 1883. The width of the building is 2.25 m. It is easy to miss between ordinary houses. From an architectural point of view, it is not particularly remarkable.
First, the artist Kvost set up a workshop in it, then an enterprising lady bought the house, opening a brothel on the premises. It is amazing, given the tiny size, that the institution has been operating for almost 40 years. The second small house in Prague is the Klementin Hotel, which is 3.28 meters wide.
The narrowest house. An unusually narrow house was built in 2012 in Warsaw. Its façade, wedged between two large buildings, measures only 152 cm, while its inside width ranges from 72 to 122 cm.
The narrowest house. Warsaw, Poland Living space of 14.5 sq.m allowed to accommodate everything you need: bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen. The Polish authorities did not allow it to be registered as a dwelling due to non-compliance with building codes. Therefore, the narrow house is considered an art object.
Transformer house. Architect Gary Chang from Hong Kong built it on 30 sqm.
He transformed the apartment he inherited with the help of several panels on rails in such a way that now the living space is transformed into 24 options, turning into kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and even guest rooms.
The smallest house in Russia. We failed to find the smallest house in Moscow: they are used to building on a grand scale. But such a house was found in the Zubovo-Polyansky district of Mordovia.
The smallest house in Russia, Mordovia The author - Viktor Razuvaev - built a dwelling from the frame of a telephone booth, slightly expanding it. The result was a house with two windows with an area of 2.7 sq.m. The master supplied it with autonomous heating, so it is warm in the former booth even in winter. Inside, of course, cramped.
However, you can cook food or tea, watch TV while sitting in a folding chair. There is no place to spend the night there, but the owner claims that he will soon create a mechanism that will translate the house into a horizontal position at night.
The smallest house in the world. And who took first place in the ranking? Meet the German architect Van Bo Le Menzel. He came up with the smallest house in the world with an area of 1 sq.m.
The smallest house in the worldInside the house you can sit down to eat and watch movies on the screen of your mobile phone or tablet. The Creator considers his creation to be rather a philosophical idea, which is called upon to reconsider the very concept of a house and human housing needs.
Berlin: the smallest house
For the BMW Guggenheim Lab in Berlin, German architect Van Bo Le-Mentzel created the smallest house in the world, and at the same time the cheapest rental housing.
This house can safely be called the smallest house in the world, since its area is only 1 sq. m. Hence the name - One SQM House (One Square Meter House, and in our opinion - the House of 1 sq. m). The project was carried out as part of the BMW Guggenheim Lab festival with the assistance of the Eastseven hostel and the unique rental community Airbnb.
The smallest house was designed by the architect Van Bo Le-Mentzel, a refugee from Laos. All his life he was engaged in the study of the question: how many square meters does a person need for happiness? And this new project of his is a kind of answer to the question posed (one meter is enough!)
House 1kv. m - this is a social project "do it yourself" (local residents personally took part in the "construction"). Its goal is to enable curious low-income people to discover Berlin and attend free workshops at the BMW Guggenheim Lab, an open-air design festival.
1 The SQM House is a watertight wooden structure with an up/down window and door (lockable) and a real roof.
The design of the smallest house is extremely concise: a minimum of furniture.
Only the Berliner Hocker chair and table and mattress 180 cm x 70 cm are included with the house. If you put the house on its side, it is quite possible to lie down in it, and the roof will form a comfortable angle for the back.
And the smallest house is equipped with wheels and fits perfectly through doors, elevators and even subway cars (house height 1.99 m, width 70 cm, weight 40 kg). Therefore, you can drive with him to any point in Berlin, however, the local police may not approve.
You can rent the smallest house in the world for only 1 euro per day. To do this, you need to write to one of the organizers of the project and tell why you need 1 SQM House.
For example, you want to wake up on the roof...
...or in front of the Berlin parliament, or make pancakes for the homeless (in which case you will be provided with a plate).
