Is Bigger Always Better? Tiny Houses Say No

Who doesn’t adore a tiny, charming, eco-friendly abode? While tiny house projects often surpass just a few hundred square feet, that doesn’t mean you can’t repurpose a few of these petite yet innovative ideas into larger designs. As we reported earlier, cozy green architectural design can be not only practical and aesthetically pleasing, but also award winning, when done right.

Check out some examples of tiny house designs from across the globe!

Diogene

This self-sustaining wonder created by Renzo Piano features an aluminum pitched roof outfitted with solar panels, photovoltaic cells and a rainwater tank. The wooden interior is a mere 42 square feet, but when configured correctly that’s just enough room for a bed, chair, pull-down table, micro-kitchen and bio-toilet. It has been described by Vitra, the furniture manufacturing firm that commissioned its design, as a “technically perfect and aesthetically attractive refuge.”

Price Street Projects Shipping Container

Built (or perhaps, recycled) from two 40-ft shipping containers, this tiny house from Julio Garcia at Price Street Projects is a touch more spacious than others, but still offers many of the economic and environmental smarts that other micro-dwellings feature. Leveraging wide-open spaces for optimal air flow, entire walls that open up to the outdoors, and impressive daylighting options, it’s a modernists mini dream.

The TUTU

One of the pioneers in the tiny house movement, the vertically-oriented TUTU arrived on the cramped streets of Tokyo back in 2004. The ultra-sleek 300 square foot abode from Apollo Architects is perfect for tiny city lots and can, almost miraculously, fit a family of three. The strategic use of large scale windows allows for optimal natural light.

Dwelle

This off-the-grid beauty from UK prefab manufacturer Dwelle can nestle in on just about any lot, anywhere. The timber frame is extremely easy to assemble - supposedly easy enough for just two people sans any large machinery - and it’s insulated with 100% recycled newspaper. Sounds like a keeper to me!

William’s Cabin

This home was designed by Atkinson Architects specifically for the incredible mountain view it facilitates, and embraced both history and the future by combining old-world architecture and upcycled features with a truly modern aesthetic. It leveraged locally-sourced materials including the counter stone and wooden walls, as well as non-VOC paint products. And, like the others, it makes excellent use of daylighting.

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