There are lots of effective DIY approaches to living small (like decluttering and organizing) but nothing beats working with an architect to bring out every square inch of potential in a tiny home. Architizer — an online database of projects from over 6,000 firms — allows users to search residential spaces by square footage, so we mined their archives for some of the best inspiring homes for small space dwellers.
- Small House in Nakanohigashi by Small House Design Lab: A single-family home in Nakanohigashi, Hiroshima was created by a residential design/build firm that specializes in tiny houses.
- East Village Studio by Jordan Parnass: A 450 square foot studio in Manhattan includes a loft bed and built-in stair storage.
- Haines House by Christopher Polly: Located in a suburb of Sydney, a small home has a 'working wall spine' that contains the home's kitchen, storage, and bathroom.
- The Small House by Maryann Thompson Architects: A one-room cabin in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, fits a kitchen, living room, dining room, and two bedrooms into 750 square feet.
- Chatou by h2o Architects: In Chatou, France, architects converted a backyard shed into a living space for a lucky teenager.
- Rolling Huts by Olson Kundig Architects: A site in Mazama, Washington was an RV campground before Olson Kundig transformed it into a community of small huts, each one lifted up on wheels.
- Atelier K by Kensaku Tohmoto Architecture: Designed for an artistic couple in Kyoto, Japan, architects used skylights to open up a tiny home boxed in by its neighbors.
- Kokoris Residence by Jensen Architects: A glass entry vestibule and floating concrete steps establish an open, air feeling in a small San Fransisco home.
- Mini Loft by Brian Messana: The architects converted a 520 square foot apartment from a studio into a family home using storage walls and clear glass dividers.
- Living Small by Studio Santalla: Architects renovated a 600 square foot Washington, DC apartment, removing walls and leaving only the bathroom enclosed to open up the home to light.











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ha, 2nd picture had been circurling around since last year. and i remember i made a comment about falling off 8 steps of stair if I had to get up in the middle of the night.
The rolling huts are smart and like the modern design vs. nature.
I want a rolling hut!
Archetizer - what an awesome resource!
I must admit, #1 puzzles me, why would anyone want that ultra-long table where the sun blasts right into your eyes, etc.
I'm in love with #2 in so many ways. It does show, though, that when space is at a premium, a hallway uses an awful lot of it unlike in a shotgun house. But the stairs-as-drawers works so well here! And all the millwork is just gorgeous.
It's cool that the rolling huts guy bought what used to be an RV park with the intent to move it back towards its natural state. The conceptual (only!) similarity between RV's and these huts tickles me. He rents them out, too!
Sarah, I can't for the life of me find the search function you mentioned (square footage) on Archetizer. Can you help? Do you have to be logged on as a member? Thank you!
The Kokoris Residence is fantastic.