Tiny houses: In search of the simple life
Living in a confined space with only the bare essentials might not be everyone's dream — but the tiny house movement is growing in popularity, particularly among those looking to live more eco-friendly.
The cabin at Walden Pond
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately." Such were the words of American writer and philosopher Henry David Thoreau, who lived in isolation in a small cabin at Walden Pond in the US state of Massachusetts from 1845 to 1847. Over a century later, his way of living became one of the inspirations for a new back-to-basics lifestyle — to become known as the tiny house movement.
The simple life
The idea of living in small houses gained traction in the US in the 1970s, with people wanting to downsize and live in a more environmentally conscious way. Since 2018, a tiny house has been officially defined by the International Residential Code — which regulates building requirements for livable homes in most of the US — as a dwelling unit with a maximum of 37 square meters (400 square feet).
Tight living quarters
Typically, a tiny house has a small cooking and living space, an integrated sleeping area — sometimes in a loft — and carefully designed storage. Many tiny houses are on wheels, allowing owners to move about; but unlike an RV or camper van, they are designed to mimic and have comparable structural integrity to a full-sized house.
Beyond the United States
In countries including Germany, tiny houses have become more common in recent years. There are several thousand, especially in the forested south — but it wasn't until 2017 that Germany got its first "Tiny House Village" in the Bavarian district of Mehlmeisel. The community of around 30 people also operates a "Tiny House Hotel" where guests can come and experience simple living.
Environmental activism
In addition to being an eco-friendly way of living as a result of needing fewer resources, tiny houses have also become homes for environmental activists. In 2012, after the Hambach Forest in western Germany was earmarked for a coal mine expansion, protesters began to occupy the woodland, building and living in treehouses to prevent destruction of the ancient natural habitat.
Life on the water with minimal waste
In cities, tiny houses can also offer an alternative way of living for people hoping to escape high rents, as they usually cost less than half the price of a full-sized house to produce and purchase. In Berlin, some people live on tiny houseboats that offer compact, alternative living quarters — and they can further cut their carbon footprint by using eco-toilets and minimizing waste on board.
Social housing solution?
In addition to being eco-friendly and cheaper to produce than a full-sized house, tiny houses have also been used to fight the growing homelessness problem in many Western countries. The US has more than 100 tiny house villages that provide transitional homes for those in need. But critics say the plan is dehumanizing for homeless people, who should be entitled to permanent houses.
Pandemic escape
Some people in tiny houses have gone so far as to become self-sufficient, with clean energy from solar panels, offering owners the opportunity to get off the grid. During the coronavirus pandemic, the idea of escaping the hustle and bustle has become more popular. According to a late 2020 survey, more than half of Americans would consider living in a tiny house.