Tiny houses, big future?

As a nation, with an ever-growing population and the competition for space becoming increasingly fierce, we are being forced to reassess our traditional conception of property design. This is because many of the millennial generation are simply not in the financial position to buy a ‘big house with a garden in the suburbs’ and will struggle to get their foot on the property ladder unless something dramatically changes.

Interestingly, the ‘tiny house movement’ is beginning to gain momentum in the UK as the country looks for solutions to its housing shortfall. Recently, the UK housing minister Gavin Barwell has shown an interest in this “private sector innovation”, looking into getting spacing standards to be relaxed, claiming that it will help first-time buyers get on the housing ladder.

Arguably, it can be viewed that we’re already doing this. In Europe, we’re known as a nation of tiny houses as this graphic from the Telegraph shows:

However, while making property smaller is a controversial move, there may be some unrealised benefits to this approach. Firstly, tiny houses, with the right design, can look fantastic and the reduction in space for the property often results in an innovative and forward-thinking design. Plus, these spaces require less upkeep than larger properties which often incur expensive running costs. Thus, if you’re a career-driven person with few commitments and a hectic lifestyle, then a tiny house might be a good choice for you.

Around the world, there has been a movement towards prefabricated factory built housing. This approach can reduce build time, increase quality and lower costs compared to traditional house construction. Here are a few examples of tiny house done just right:

Estonia

KODA is a movable prefabricated tiny house prototype from Estonia and has been shortlisted for a prize at the World Architecture Festival 2016. It is a free-standing house, which allows it to be re-assembled endlessly. This type of housing may be a forward-thinking approach as your home can adjust to your needs.

Image source: http://www.kodasema.com/

Japan

As a country known for its tight spaces and tech/design innovations, it’s no surprise we’ve featured this incredible Japanese tiny house from Fujiwarramuro Architects in Nada Hyogo. Measuring in at under 40 square metres in size, its use of natural light and clean building materials really enhances the perception of space. This minimalist approach is not only incredibly stylish but functional too.

Image source: http://www.archdaily.com/345709/house-in-nada-fujiwarramuro-architects

USA

With skyrocketing rent prices, many major cities have their own housing crisis and New York is no exception. An award-winning architecture firm nArchitects has now built its vision for the future; Carmel Place in Kips Bay. Costing $600 dollars a month rent, it’s an absolute bargain for a Manhattan property. These units also feature several amenities that are usually more associated with luxury builds such as a gym, lounge, community room, storage facilities and roof terrace. You can enjoy a communal lifestyle while your own private space is cosy and personal. The best of both worlds?

Image source: http://narchitects.com/work/carmel-place/

Finally

We have been impressed by the new designs cropping up in the luxury mobile home industry. This ‘Alpha Tiny Home’ has been made by New Frontier Tiny Homes and features beautifully charred wood skin, transformable furniture and has 240 square foot of living space. The flexibility of the design is reinforced by the fact the property is fully transportable too.

Image source: http://www.newfrontiertinyhomes.com/tiny-house/#alpha-page

Overall, a tiny abode may also help you understand what is really valuable to you. The theory goes, the more possessions you have, the more you have to worry about and we’re sure that we can all think of things that we haven’t used in years. Perhaps small houses will help us declutter our lives? We’ll just wait for the car boot sale boom…

If you are seriously considering moving to a cosier home, why not check out our downsizing guide or find out how you can sell your house fast to Vivo Property Buyers.