Small Houses

[MonkeyRonin]

A Cabin so Small it Doesn’t Even Require a Permit

Dec 20, 2013


In 2010, Finnish designer Robin Falck wanted to build a place he could call his own. While hiking in the woods he found a beautiful location for a cabin. With mandatory military service coming up in less than a year, he knew he didn’t have time to build anything substantial that would require a permit. In Finland, you are allowed to build a small dwelling without a permit if it’s less than 96 – 128 square feet (depending on the location).

After designing the building during the winter months, Robin set out in June to build his cabin using as much locally sourced and recycled material as he could find. All building materials were carried in by hand and it took him two weeks to build. Falck estimates the cost somewhere around $10,500 (not including his own labour).

http://twistedsifter.com/2013/12/cab...y-robin-falck/

[MonkeyRonin]

Architect Builds Tiny 196 Square-Foot Dream House From Scratch

by Lucy Wang, 12/03/13


Cash-strapped Idaho architect Macy Miller wanted a place of her own without the burdensome mortgage, so she decided to build a tiny house from the ground up. Miller says the idea of building a micro home came to her in a dream in 2011, and she's doggedly pursued the vision ever since. She put the finishing touches on her tiny 196 square-foot home early last month - read on for a look inside!

Dissatisfied by the lack of construction training at school, Miller seized upon the DIY design/build dream as both an educational and cash-saving opportunity. It wasn’t until she began researching, however, that she discovered the expansive online tiny dweller community. “Once I started talking to people who were curious about the same things as me, I got more confident that it is possible and that it is the right path for me,” she writes on her website MiniMotives.

http://inhabitat.com/architect-build...-from-scratch/

[kool maudit]

i love this trend/way-of-doing-things. the constraint of small size forces elegant design solutions.

[MonkeyRonin]

That, and I like the simplicity that it enforces. But I'm mostly just attracted to the prospect of housing that is reasonably affordable.
















http://imgur.com/gallery/yrkkA

[MonkeyRonin]

Architecture Student in China Builds 75 Sq. Ft. Tiny House

by Alex Pino on April 24, 2013

When an architecture student in China became frustrated with his dorm room he decided to design and build his own 75 sq. ft. tiny house.

It’s a micro home that somehow packs a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, and patio. Hard to imagine at just 75-square-feet.

http://tinyhousetalk.com/china-stude...ft-tiny-house/

[huggkruka]

This Japanese house for a man and his rabbit(look closely at section) has always fascinated me. Quite extreme, to say the least.


http://www.cumbu.com/wp-content/uplo...01-588x745.jpg


http://www.cumbu.com/wp-content/uplo...06-588x749.jpg


http://www.architecturenewsplus.com/.../g/nmgwm9x.jpg


http://www.architecturenewsplus.com/.../g/nagbasg.jpg


More pictures and description on architect's webpage:
http://www.hosakatakeshi.com/english...ehouse_en.html

[MonkeyRonin]

Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. They design and sell portable homes ranging from 117-172 sqft, which are sold at prices between $57,000-$66,000. Here are a few of their models:



Elm - 117 sqft.

















Cypress - 144 sqft.

[SignalHillHiker]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

i love this trend/way-of-doing-things. the constraint of small size forces elegant design solutions.

Not always.

Sometimes it's just a shitty, little house.

[MonkeyRonin]

I'm reminded of the 300 sqft. "Little House" in Toronto, which was on the market a few years ago for $180,000.




http://www.thelittlehouse.ca/



And then there was this 189 sqft. POS that sold for $165,000 a little while ago:


http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/09...n_3908797.html



A few more little homes about town:


http://www.tobuilt.ca/php/tobuilding...earch_fd3=3043




http://spacing.ca/toronto/2013/02/13...f-craven-road/


http://tinyhouseblog.com/tiny-house/...and-the-green/

[MonkeyRonin]

In Madrid, A Tiny Apartment Transformed Into A Surprisingly Livable Home

By Jillian Wong, 11 Dec 2013

This apartment in Madrid is so narrow that it measures less than seven-feet-wide, which is smaller than a parking space. Most people would balk at the thought of living in such a tiny space but a team of architects from MYCC has managed to make it surprisingly livable by taking inspiration from vertical layouts of old video games.

Its extremely tall walls measuring over 16 feet meant the interior had to be designed around the unusual dimensions, resulting in a vertical view.

Upon entering, visitors walk into the kitchen and down some stairs into the living room. A ladder leads to the study area, and a separate set of stairs leads to the bedroom. The bathroom is accessed through a third and final set of stairs.

http://designtaxi.com/news/362621/In...-Livable-Home/

[MonkeyRonin]

An Incredibly Fun Madrid Apartment Full Of Hidden Compartments And Trap Doors

By Jillian Wong, 28 Jan 2014


It seems Madrid is a hot spot for innovative microapartments. On the heels of a surprisingly livable tiny apartment smaller than a parking garage comes a similar apartment that has secret compartments and trap doors everywhere.

Located in an attic, it features a table, a bookcase, a hammock, a swing, and a disco ball that magically lower from the ceiling with the twist of a wall handle. Transparent panels that slide along rails allow different rooms to be created, enabling the kitchen to be separated from the living room or the creation of an additional guest room.

The second level contains trap doors that utilize the spaces between the wooden beams–the bathroom floor contains storage space while the bedroom is host to a secret tea room. Most ingeniously, a trap door in the floor opens up to reveal a dressing table containing a mirror on the back, with the empty table space creating a ‘seat’.

All the furniture is cleverly concealed and the walls were designed such that they are easy to push aside to make more space, making it a perfect fit for the owner’s lifestyle, a DJ who loves throwing parties.

http://designtaxi.com/news/363360/An...nd-Trap-Doors/

[Rizzo]

When you price out labor for their bigger homes though with better quality materials like real wood floors, granite counters, better windows... the costs are pretty comparable to a regular home.

You only get good value from their larger homes if they are built in cheaper areas and you select cheaper finishes and stuff. Of course, I feel that longevity is important. But if you plan to buy one of the bigger models and plunk it in a big city, you're better off settling for a spacious condo.

Regardless, I love their designs. I prefer smaller spaces and a streamlined lifestyle.

[MonkeyRonin]

865 sqft. pre-fab cottage by Altius Architects:
















http://altius.net/projects/lake-vernon-prefab-cottage/

[pdxf]

I really like the trend towards well-designed, small living. Not everything I see is great, but it's nice to see people experimenting and coming up with interesting design solutions. A lot of these tiny homes are really only usable for a single person or couple. Having recently had a child, it would be nice to see more work on small homes for small families.

[MonkeyRonin]

Three smart designs that make the most out of small spaces

Alex Bozikovic
The Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Feb. 21 2014, 5:00 PM EST
Last updated Friday, Feb. 21 2014, 11:50 AM EST

From empty nesters to first-time homeowners, more and more Canadians are inhabiting tighter quarters. How to live stylishly in a compact space? Here are three seductively scaled-down residences making the most of every square foot.

Radically open in Ottawa


Disciplined digs in Gastown


Tricking the eye in Toronto

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/...939061/?page=1

[wrab]

Alchemy Architects / modular prefab Wee Houses http://www.weehouse.com

Here is their first Wee House (Arado Wee House, Pepin WI), assembled in 2003:


http://www.weehouse.com/?portfolio=arado-weehousee

http://www.weehouse.com/?portfolio=arado-weehousee

http://www.weehouse.com/?portfolio=arado-weehousee

http://www.weehouse.com/?portfolio=arado-weehousee

http://www.weehouse.com/?portfolio=arado-weehousee

[MonkeyRonin]

Skinny makeover lights up 7-foot wide house

Kimberley Mok (@kimberleymok)
Design / Green Architecture
March 22, 2013

We've covered more than a few skinny houses before, noting that they're one way to achieve higher urban densities while still allowing families to have a house to call their own, and if renovated right, could present significant savings in energy consumption.

British architects Alma-nac redid this cramped and dingy terraced house in St John's Hill, Clapham, London, that measures only 2.3 metres (7.5 feet) wide -- built over what was once a lane between two houses.

Read more: http://www.treehugger.com/green-arch...-alma-nac.html

[MonkeyRonin]

Romantic tiny forest home built in 6 weeks for $4,000

Kimberley Mok (@kimberleymok)
Design / Tiny Houses
September 4, 2014

Moments of eye-opening insight can come into our lives unexpectedly like a clap of thunder, and when they do, we are usually not the same person, enabling us to go forth on new paths. Carpenter Dave Herrle of Westbrook, Connecticut is one of these people; suddenly emboldened by a walk down an unfamiliar path in the woods:

Read more: http://www.treehugger.com/tiny-house...carpentry.html

[MonkeyRonin]

Parisian bathroom converted into comfortable 130 sq. ft. micro-apartment

Kimberley Mok (@kimberleymok)
Design / Green Architecture
October 16, 2013

Though compact apartments are now catching on in North America, they've been common in Europe for some time now. In Paris, France, architects Marc Baillargeon and Julie Nabucet collaborated to convert a space that was formerly the master bathroom of a much larger living space into a standalone micro-apartment of only 130 square feet that's packed full of modern space-saving ideas.

Using an elevated platform as a means to increase the functionality of the space, the designers hid a sliding component underneath which can be transformed from sofa, to bed, to being retracted completely to free up more room. The seating and sleeping area is also intended also as a working space, plus there's a red modern coffee table can be pulled out from the wall whenever it's needed.

Read more: http://www.treehugger.com/green-arch...e-nabucet.html

[MonkeyRonin]

160 sqft. cabin in the New England forest, being rented out as vacation getaway:












http://www.gardenista.com/posts/tiny...um=pubexchange