Inspired by the increasingly popular micro house trend, these 10 project designs came about for various reasons. In addition to being a cheaper option when compared to larger homes – both for construction and in maintenance – they are an ideal solution for people who want to reduce their material possessions and the space they occupy. Tiny houses have evolved far beyond cramped quarters into a custom being adopted both as a viable alternative to the unaffordability of housing and a source of freedom.
These selected houses, each under 40 square meters, serve as perfect examples of innovative designs that provide a simpler life, while fostering social interaction between people and dialogue with their environment.
Check out the 10 examples below.
Forest Retreat / Uhlik architekti
Area: 16.0 m²
"We designed a compact enclosed volume – an object resting freely on boulders with a stern raised on a huge boulder. The enclosed black object made of charred wood contains one interconnected space with the dimensions of 3.1m x 5.8 m."
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/57e2/ac79/e58e/cebe/f800/0921/newsletter/1.jpg?1474473071)
Quebrada House / UNarquitectura
Area: 40.0 m²
"The house "breaks" adapting to the slope and differentiating the private and public space within a single enclosure."
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/57e2/ac85/e58e/cef8/b400/03fa/newsletter/2.jpg?1474473084)
Colorado Outward Bound Micro Cabins / University of Colorado Denver
"To satisfy clients’ lodging and storage requirements, and to facilitate completion in three weeks of on-site construction, the cabins were conceived as two separate elements, a “box” and a “frame."
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/57e2/ac95/e58e/cebe/f800/0922/newsletter/3.jpg?1474473098)
Minimod / MAPA
Area: 27.0 m²
"It’s practicality combined with comfort, it’s economy allied to nature, it’s a unique experience of housing and contemporary living."
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/57e2/aca3/e58e/cef8/b400/03fb/newsletter/4.jpg?1474473114)
Portable House ÁPH80 / Ábaton Arquitectura
Area: 27.0 m²
"ÁBATON has developed the ÁPH80 series as a dwelling ideal for 2 people, easily transported by road and ready to be placed almost anywhere."
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/57e2/acaf/e58e/cebe/f800/0923/newsletter/5.jpg?1474473126)
Diogene / Renzo Piano
Area: 7.5 m²
"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."
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/57e2/acbe/e58e/cef8/b400/03fc/newsletter/6.jpg?1474473139)
Micro-house / Studio Liu Lubin
"The form of the Micro-house is designed to act as a combination of furniture and architecture elements."
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/57e2/accb/e58e/cebe/f800/0924/newsletter/7.jpg?1474473156)
Love House / Takeshi Hosaka
Area: 33.0 m²
"A couple chose coexistence with all things to embody the Love House, deciding not to install a television to better appreciate this rich space."
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/57e2/acda/e58e/cef8/b400/03fd/medium_jpg/8.jpg?1474473166)
KODA / Kodasema
"KODA is a sustainable and movable mini house with built-in IT that enables the house to learn from and adjust to its surroundings."
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/57e2/acec/e58e/cef8/b400/03fe/newsletter/9.jpg?1474473184)
Cabanas no Rio / Aires Mateus
Area: 26.0 m²
"The project encompasses two spaces: one to unwind with the support of a kitchen integrated in the same material of the walls; the other as a sleeping area with a small bathroom and a shower."
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/57e2/acf4/e58e/cebe/f800/0925/newsletter/10.jpg?1474473199)