Designer Robin Falck has created his very own micro home that is small enough to be built without a permit in Finland. According to Finnish regulations, you can bypass the permit process if the structure is smaller than 96 or 128 square feet (depending on where you build). With the help of a couple of local architects, Falck was able to make his original designs a reality and the result is this simple and stylish rural retreat.
In homage to its surrounding landscpae, Falck has called the home "Nido", which means "bird's nest" in Italian.
The structure has a compact footprint of 96 square feet (8.9 sq m), with a 50 sq ft (4.6 sq m) loft space. Divided over two levels, the cabin is big enough to accommodate a bedroom, lounge area and storage space. The house sits on the lakeside in the Finnish wilderness, with views of the surrounding landscape visible from both the bottom floor and the loft.
The ground floor is occupied with a cosy living room, featuring a dramatic glass window which gives the impression that the outside world is creeping in. The large windows also daylight to penetrate the whole building during the day, while their inward angle makes them ideal for star gazing. The outside deck is perfect for a spot of al fresco dining, equipped as it is with lounge chairs and a barbecue. As for the bathroom facilities - well, I guess it’s back to nature...
Falck used mostly recycled materials to build the cabin and the project set him back approximately US$10,500 (plus time). Unfortunately he couldn’t enjoy his retreat in the wilderness right away as he was called for military service, but after one year in the field he’s finally earned his time to relax and enjoy some quiet time in nature!
Source: Tiny House Listings via Design Milk
Update: Thanks to everyone who has pointed out the discrepancies in the measurements quoted in the story. We've now updated the text and apologize for the confusion.
5'x10" is 50' square. It's obviously wider then 5' so more like 7'x7'. Are they micro couches? Something is off in the translation from meters to feet I think.
I once thought of a building of that size as in Californian you are allowed a shed of 100'square. The maximum size vs cost I came up with, was a stretched (tall) geodesic dome as the sides can bulge out for extra elbow room and shelf space. But with that there was no room for a bathroom/shower area, that would have to be separate or a outside shower.
@telocity: "50 sq ft" and "50 ft square" do not mean the same thing. "50 ft square" means a square, 50 feet on each side.
So, on that side it is about 3m wide, and 5m long on the longer side. That gives you 15m2 (50 sq. feet).