Architecture

The Space offers luxury off-grid living at a high price

The Space offers luxury off-grid living at a high price
IO House says it's currently in the process of building a prototype Space
IO House says it's currently in the process of building a prototype Space 
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The Space will measure 12 x 5 m (39 x 16 ft)
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The Space will measure 12 x 5 m (39 x 16 ft) 
The Space will have a total floorspace of 60 sq m (645 sq ft), all arranged on one floor
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The Space will have a total floorspace of 60 sq m (645 sq ft), all arranged on one floor
The Space packs lots of high-end amenities inside
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The Space packs lots of high-end amenities inside
The Space's bedroom
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The Space's bedroom
The Space gets all power from a roof-based solar panel array
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The Space gets all power from a roof-based solar panel array
IO House says it's currently in the process of building a prototype Space
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IO House says it's currently in the process of building a prototype Space 
The Space's bathroom
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The Space's bathroom
The Space includes two terrace areas and a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom
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The Space includes two terrace areas and a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom
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Though still in the concept stage at present, the Space is an off-grid home that packs some neat technology, including smartphone integration. The firm is currently working on a prototype, however its price means it'll only be a viable option for those with deep pockets.

The Space, by Sweden's IO House, will measure 60 sq m (645 sq ft), arranged on one floor. It'll be prefabricated from wood, glass and metal, and have wool insulation. The home requires a foundation and delivery will be by truck and crane.

There are multiple interior layouts available, so we'll stick with the one depicted in the renders. This comprises two decks and an open-plan living area with a living room, kitchen, and dining area. The kitchen includes a dishwasher, propane-powered cooker, fridge, and washing machine. Elsewhere lies the bathroom, bedroom, and a couple of additional rooms, one for storage and the other for housing the off-grid gear.

The Space will measure 12 x 5 m (39 x 16 ft)
The Space will measure 12 x 5 m (39 x 16 ft) 

The tech slated for the Space includes solar panels and batteries, as well as an emergency generator, to ensure uninterrupted off-the-grid electricity. The heating, security, and water systems will all be controllable via smartphone or tablet remotely. Other gadgets include a stereo system, TV, a weather station, a GPS unit, and climate control.

IO House told us that it's currently busy building a prototype model, which will serve as a show house, and that it has four confirmed pre-orders so far. Production is due to start at the end of the year, all being well.

However, the starting price for an unfurnished model is – and we hope you're sitting down – €499,000 (around US$581,600), while the furnished model will set you back €549,000 ($640,000). Clearly this one is going to be marketed toward the well-heeled.

Source: IO House

View gallery - 8 images
1 comment
1 comment
Michael son of Lester
Wow! This is a great little home, I just love it, or at least I did until I came to the price tag. To put this in perspective, I live in a custom-made 2,200 sq/ft 2 story log home on a 1.11 acre lot in the country. My cost to build this home was $150 (Cdn$) per sq/ft including the land in 2001. Even taking inflation into account, the cost would be no more than $250 (Cdn$) per sq/ft today. This little gem is, by my math, $901 USD per sq/ft which doesn't even include the property to put the home on or drilling a well ($35 to $50 Cdn$ per foot in my area).
Ouch...
Lovely as this is I can't see this as a viable enterprise when a person with reasonable skills can go out and build a duplicate for a tenth of the cost. But, it sure is pretty though.