Architecture

Svelte house shoehorned into narrow city plot

Svelte house shoehorned into narrow city plot
The SkinnyScar project was completed in early 2017
The SkinnyScar project was completed in early 2017
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View toward the SkinnyScar's living room
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View toward the SkinnyScar's living room
The SkinnyScar's third-floor bathroom unit shower
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The SkinnyScar's third-floor bathroom unit shower
The SkinnyScar's third-floor bathroom unit shower
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The SkinnyScar's third-floor bathroom unit shower
The SkinnyScar's third-floor bathroom unit, with view toward the bath
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The SkinnyScar's third-floor bathroom unit, with view toward the bath
The SkinnyScar's second floor features a library and lounge
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The SkinnyScar's second floor features a library and lounge
The SkinnyScar's second floor features a library and lounge
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The SkinnyScar's second floor features a library and lounge
The SkinnyScar's small street-facing library
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The SkinnyScar's small street-facing library
The SkinnyScar's interior decor is very simple
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The SkinnyScar's interior decor is very simple
The SkinnyScar's interior is obviously very snug, but from the photos, doesn't seem overly claustrophobic
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The SkinnyScar's interior is obviously very snug, but from the photos, doesn't seem overly claustrophobic
The SkinnyScar's interior seems light-filled from the photos
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The SkinnyScar's interior seems light-filled from the photos 
The SkinnyScar's kitchen is located on the first floor
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The SkinnyScar's kitchen is located on the first floor
The SkinnyScar's black brickwork
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The SkinnyScar's black brickwork
The SkinnyScar project was completed in early 2017
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The SkinnyScar project was completed in early 2017
The SkinnyScar house measures just 3.7 m (12 ft) wide
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The SkinnyScar house measures just 3.7 m (12 ft) wide
Architectural drawing of the SkinnyScar house
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Architectural drawing of the SkinnyScar house
Architectural drawing of the SkinnyScar house
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Architectural drawing of the SkinnyScar house
Architectural drawing of the SkinnyScar house
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Architectural drawing of the SkinnyScar house
Architectural drawing of the SkinnyScar house
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Architectural drawing of the SkinnyScar house
Architectural drawing of the SkinnyScar house
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Architectural drawing of the SkinnyScar house
The narrow plot before the SkinnyScar house was built within it
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The narrow plot before the SkinnyScar house was built within it
The SkinnyScar is located in Rotterdam, Netherlands
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The SkinnyScar is located in Rotterdam, Netherlands
The SkinnyScar's facade features patterned brickwork
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The SkinnyScar's facade features patterned brickwork
The SkinnyScar's garden-facing second floor hammock
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The SkinnyScar's garden-facing second floor hammock
The SkinnyScar's small bathtub
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The SkinnyScar's small bathtub 
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All modern cities feature small vacant plots considered unsuitable to build houses on, but the SkinnyScar house proves that in the right hands, even a free space of just 3.7 m (12 ft) wide can be put to good use. Designed by architects Gwendolyn Huisman and Marijn Boterman, the ultra-svelte home is a masterclass of interior design in a tight space.

The SkinnyScar house is located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on a plot that sat unused since the 1980s due to its perceived undesirability. It's not the skinniest house we've seen by any means, but this one actually seems like it would be comfortable as a full-time home.

The exterior is clad in patterned black brickwork and the street-facing side features two large windows which extend outward, plus another two windows partly hidden behind the masonry. Inside, there's a total floorspace of 140 sq m (1,506 sq ft) spread over three floors.

On entering the home, visitors are greeted with an entry space with bicycle storage, while the kitchen and dining area are located toward the rear and offer access to a shared garden. Climbing the stairs to the second floor reveals a small library facing the street and a lounge with a neat net hammock that overlooks the aforementioned garden.

The SkinnyScar's garden-facing second floor hammock
The SkinnyScar's garden-facing second floor hammock

The third floor includes two small bedrooms and a clever bathroom unit squeezed in between that has a shower, bath and toilet.

Access to the rooftop is also gained via the third floor and it features a small garden space and a solar array, presumably used to help reduce electricity bills.

The project was completed in early 2017 and also involved architecture firm JagerJanssen.

Sources: SkinnyScar, JagerJanssen (in Dutch)

View gallery - 24 images
2 comments
2 comments
Gregg Eshelman
12 feet is wider than some older 'single wide' manufactured homes in the USA.
ljaques
Ooh, look! We caught a pretty girl in our net. That "hammock" looks like fun. Send the kids over to wash the big picture window after they've been playing there, though. I can see Parkour afficionados loving the brick facade, so be sure to get good insurance. That type of house would not be out of place in San Francicso. All the stairs would keep you in shape pretty well, too. (I'm an active 63, but fergit it.) One of the first things I'd do would be to put doors on those book shelves to reduce the need for dusting. Second, I'd put a coat of paint on those butt fugly ceilings. Ye gads!