The many faces of a home

Everyone needs a roof over their head. In Germany, single-family homes are quite common. However, in major cities like Hamburg, Munich or Dusseldorf, they can be prohibitively expensive.

These days, those who don't want to take out a large loan to finance a house have to get creative. What about living in a miniature mobile home? If you don't like the neighborhood, you can simply pick up and move on.

One trend from the United States is so-called earthship homes. These are small houses made from waste and natural materials like wood. The energy-efficient structures blend into their surroundings.

No, this photo isn't from the set of "The Lord of the Rings." This real-life earthship house can be found in Wales. It's conceptualized to intermingle with the nature around it.

Those who prefer urban life over a Welsh hobbit cave have one problem: Land is scarce in the city. That’s why more and more people are drawn to the water in big cities like Amsterdam and Hamburg - with the help of houseboats. With a large enough budget, floating homes can be constructed with every imaginable amenity.

In harbors, freight containers are a common site. But what you may not know is that the ugly metal boxes can be turned into comfortable homes. Architecture professor Han Slawik from Hanover was the first to combine containers with sophisticated design.

This container construction by Han Slawik is known as "Homebox." The three-storey building is located in Hanover and provides space for a family of four. In Germany, container homes are still very rare, while neighboring Holland already has a popular student residence complex made from containers.

Housing complexes like this one in Bonn, called "Amaryllis," are particularly beloved in Germany. Here, several generations live together. Everyone has their own apartment, but they share the garden and several cars. Multi-generational housing projects are an interesting alternative for individuals who enjoy community. Where do you live? Send a picture to social.media-english@dw.de