Small Innovative Houses

The most effective and appealing breakthroughs in houses built within the past five years—to make the most of every foot of space. Forget the McMansions; budgets aren’t what they used to be, houses are smaller, and lifestyles are changing rapidly. Clients today want to create a home that is easy to maintain, environmentally responsible, and inexpensive to operate. Own less, live more. Ranging from glass cabins to copper-clad tree houses, Small Innovative Houses features an international collection of more than fifty residences in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Discover how to use flexible space and make the most of a narrow lot, how to use every square foot of living space, while also responding to rising ecological concerns and skyrocketing energy bills. Examples include a mountain barn converted into a modern vacation home in Switzerland; a mobile home built on a flatbed trailer chassis that can be transported on U.S. highways; a Japanese sunken house with movable partitions that creates as many as nine rooms; a summer cabin in Norway that appears to float above the ground; and a spectacular glass cabin in the wilds of Alberta, Canada. From world-famous architects (Steven Holl, Todd Saunders, Snøhetta, and Tadao Ando) to the freshest new talent, this book reveals architectural invention on a whole new small scale.

75 unique designs for attractive, efficient, environmentally friendly homes. Now available in paperback, this collection of 75 plans for small homes offers more than 500 usable blueprints and other illustrations for a variety of living spaces suitable for every environment and style, from a New England farmhouse to a sophisticated townhouse in the city to a Santa Fe ranch. The designs include site drawings, floor plans, elevation drawings, section drawings, perspective drawings, and exploded views. A brief introduction to each home describes its setting, the philosophy behind the design and its intended use, materials used, recommended landscaping, and more. Many of the homes come with money-saving and environmentally sound features such as solar panels and water heaters, wood stoves, ceiling fans, airlock entries, wind power alternatives, and natural gas heaters.

Presents 43 examples of designs for small-scale (less than 75m2) houses set in a variety of contexts. Using digital tools, sustainable materials and prefabrication technologies, these projects offer realistic solutions for houses where space is at a premium, nature must be preserved or accommodation created for those who need it most

If you dream of living in a tiny house, or creating a getaway in the backwoods or your backyard, you’ll love this gorgeous collection of creative and inspiring ideas for tiny houses, cabins, forts, studios, and other microshelters. Created by a wide array of builders and designers around the United States and beyond, these 59 unique and innovative structures show you the limits of what is possible. Each is displayed in full-color photographs accompanied by commentary by the author. In addition, Diedricksen includes six sets of building plans by leading designers to help you get started on a microshelter of your own. You’ll also find guidelines on building with recycled and salvaged materials, plus techniques for making your small space comfortable and easy to inhabit.

Joel Beath and Elizabeth Price explore this question drawing inspiration from a diverse collection of apartment designs, all smaller than 50m2/540ft2. Through the lens of five small-footprint design principles and drawing on architectural images and detailed floor plans, the authors examine how architects and designers are reimagining small space living. Full of inspiration we can each apply to our own spaces, this is a book that offers hope and inspiration for a future of our cities and their citizens in which sustainability and style, comfort and affordability can co-exist. Never Too Small proves living better doesn’t have to mean living larger.

Discover the huge possibilities of a small house! Whether you’re building from scratch or retrofitting an existing structure, these 50 innovative floor plans will show you how to make the most of houses measuring 1,400 square feet or less. Gerald Rowan presents creative and efficient layouts that use every inch of space, with tips on fully maximizing closets, porches, bathrooms, attics, and basements. From reorganizing a small storage area to building a brand-new home, you’ll find a detailed design to fit your family’s needs.

For everyone who’s ever dreamed of simplifying their life and downsizing their home, Micro Living offers an insider’s look at what tiny house living is really like. Best-selling author and tiny house enthusiast Derek “Deek” Diedricksen profiles 40 tiny — but practical — houses that are equipped for full-time living, all in 400 square feet or less. Detailed photography and a floor plan for each structure highlight inventive space-saving design features along with the nuts-and-bolts details of heating, cooling, electric, and plumbing systems. The real-life stories of residents impart the pleasures, as well as the challenges, of day-to-day living. With tips on what to consider before you build, along with framing plans for a prototype small cabin, Micro Living is the perfect starter handbook for both dreamers and doers.

Small doesn't have to mean cramped or uncomfortable living, and this bestselling guide proves it. These beautiful homes are as luxurious as they are affordable, and come in a variety of exciting exterior styles. Design amenities include luxurious master suites, spacious efficient kitchens and expansive great rooms. 548 illustrations.