Until now, planning and housing regulations have stood in the way of using tiny houses as permanent homes. That’s starting to change as councils look for solutions to the housing crisis.
Despite a common belief that councils won’t approve tiny houses and modular and container homes, early findings from a national survey suggest planners are increasingly open to these housing options.
The proportion of people actually living in tiny houses hasn’t been increasing but the movement has prompted debate about living smaller and more sustainably.
The modular homes in Cambridge, UK.
Jimmy's Cambridge
Nonprofits and concerned residents are teaming up with the local government to solve a daunting problem in a city with the nation’s highest per-capita rate of homelessnesss.
Tiny house living seems idyllic, but there are many things to be considered before making the transition.
Emmet Blackwell
Tiny houses aren’t for everyone, but most people who live in them are positive about the experience. Yet planning laws still make this way of life harder and less secure than it could be.
People living with the change and uncertainty of this century need flexible and adaptable housing. Here we look at a couple of examples of what’s possible.
A tiny house in the backyard appeals to some as a solution that offers both affordability and sustainability.
Think Out Loud/flick
New research has found a marked increase in people, particularly among women over 50, who are building or want to build a tiny house. However, inflexible planning rules often stand in their way.
The city of Dortmund is seeking citizens’ input on plans for this 44-hectare brownfield site of Hoesch Spundwand und Profil in Dortmund.
Robing Chang
Pop-up parks and tiny houses are just a few of the innovative solutions that can help post-industrial cities across Europe and North America adapt to the future.
Have you thought about usable space, re-engineering, structural integrity, contamination, insulation and comfort? If not, you need to before jumping into building a home from shipping containers.
The tiny house movement originated in the US in the late 1990s.
Bill Dickinson/Flickr