Buzz
In the developed world, the common belief is that bigger homes are better. But why? Is it so we can spend countless years working to pay off a mortgage for a house that might not even increase in value? And then, we pile up more debt furnishing and maintaining it, all while burdening the planet with an environmental impact far beyond our true needs?
And that’s if we can even afford or find the space at all. In much of the developing world, living space is so scarce that people pay exorbitant amounts to reside in quarters smaller than some prison cells. And they, too, work tirelessly to afford even that. Here are 10 examples of living in tiny spaces—some inventive and inspiring, others less so.
10. Tiny Home in Toronto
While smaller homes may be gaining popularity, this concept is far from new. Nestled between two larger houses, the Little House holds the title of Toronto’s tiniest home. The plot of land it sits on was initially intended as an alley for one of the neighboring properties. City officials never approved the curb cut, so in 1912, contractor Arthur Weeden took advantage of the space and built the house, which he and his wife called home for two decades.
With just 312 square feet, the Little House has become a beloved landmark, occasionally halting traffic as visitors take in its charm. American TV personality Ellen Degeneres was so impressed by its appeal that she once expressed interest in owning it. A thorough and captivating history of the home can be found on The Little House Website.
9. Videré
Located in the center of Seattle, Washington, Videré is a rooming house that thrives by embracing the small life. The rooms in this unique complex range from 90 to 168 square feet, with the tiniest units being barely larger than a parking space.
Each apartment is made up of a single room and a compact bathroom. These units come furnished and are cable-ready, but lack a private kitchen. Instead, all six units share a communal kitchen on the first floor. Rent ranges from $500 to $700 per month, with utilities and internet included. Jim Potter, a partner at Videre, mentions that the ideal tenants are "young people who mainly use their apartments for sleeping. (They) have a living room elsewhere."
8. Best Tiny Apartment
In 2009, the building at 535 W. 110th Street in New York was converted into a co-op. The top floor was gutted, creating three fairly sized one- and two-bedroom apartments. However, 175 square feet of space remained unused. Unsure of what to do with it, the developers decided to transform it into the “best smallest apartment ever.”
The resulting “micro-studio” measures just 10 x 14 feet, complete with modern amenities and a private bathroom. A queen-sized bed would occupy 20 percent of the entire living area. There are some quirks too—the tenant must exit the elevator one floor below and climb a separate set of stairs to reach the front door. The current owner paid $150,000 and uses the apartment as an upscale pied-à-terre when in New York, saving a fortune on hotel costs.
7. World’s Narrowest House
Without formal architectural training, Brazilian Heneita Minho designed, and still resides in, what is often considered the world’s narrowest house. Her three-story home is an astonishing 1 meter wide and stands 10 meters tall. It’s so narrow that she can’t fully extend her arms as she walks through the front door.
Despite its unconventional design, the house functions as a fully operational living space, featuring two living rooms, a kitchen, three bedrooms with bathrooms, and a verandah. Initially, city officials tried to prevent its construction but eventually allowed it after the original design was adjusted to a more traditional layout. The house has become a small tourist attraction ever since.
6. Smallest Apartment in the US
Felice Cohen, a professional organizer, certainly needs to be one. She lives in what many consider to be the smallest apartment in America. Her entire life is crammed into a 90 sq. ft. studio, with no kitchen and a loft bed where the ceiling is just inches from her face. The bathroom is so cramped that she has to sit sideways on the toilet, and she experienced a panic attack the first night she slept there.
So what motivates her to endure these challenges? The answer lies in a combination of cost savings and prime location. Cohen, originally from the Bronx, pays only $700 per month to live on New York's prestigious Upper West Side, with Central Park and Lincoln Center just a few blocks away. Meanwhile, her neighbors are paying $3,000 for the same neighborhood. Cohen credits her extreme frugality to her father, who inspired her, as she recalled in ‘What Papa Told Me’.
5. Tumbling Tumbleweed
Jay Shafer is the designer and inhabitant of what he proudly refers to as the world's smallest house, affectionately called ‘Tumbleweed’. His choice to live in just 96 sq. ft. stemmed from his concern about the environmental footprint of one person living in a larger dwelling.
Shafer’s entire home is smaller than a typical bathroom, yet it is equipped with electricity, either through a standard AC outlet or a solar-powered system with an inverter. It includes a two-burner stove, a small refrigerator under the counter, a bar sink, an on-demand hot water heater, and a propane room heater.
Tumbleweed is superbly insulated, making it easy to regulate the temperature inside. In fact, Shafer only spent less than $170 to heat his compact house during the harsh Iowa winter. He now offers plans for, and builds, tiny homes ranging from 50 to 500 sq. ft., all available for purchase on his website, Tumbleweed Houses.
4. Domestic Transformer
Life in Hong Kong can be incredibly cramped, a reality architect Gary Chang knows all too well. To combat this, he transformed his tiny one-room apartment—which once accommodated his entire family and a tenant—into a versatile, eco-friendly space that can morph into 24 different configurations. This spatial flexibility is made possible by cleverly designed partitions that allow for multiple setups.
Chang hopes that the innovative features of his home will inspire better living conditions in Hong Kong, where the population increased by 500,000 in the past decade. Recently, there has been a rise in reports of child, spousal, and elder abuse, with social workers partly attributing this increase to the stress caused by the city's ongoing housing shortage.
3. Roman Holiday
The smallest recognized apartment in the Western world is a former porter’s closet in the center of Rome, offering a mere 55 sq. ft. of living space. This tiny flat contains a ground-floor bathroom with a shower and sink. A ladder leads to a sleeping platform that barely fits a single twin-size bed. To peer out of the small window, the tenant must climb over the bed.
This apartment is generously referred to as a ‘compact bedsit’, and it has already attracted several serious inquiries according to the leasing agent. The flat’s charm lies in its location: just a stone’s throw from the Piazza di Sant’ Ignazio, a beautiful city square with a Renaissance cathedral. A block away stands the Palazzo Grazioli, the private residence of Silvio Berlusconi, the current Italian prime minister.
And all of this could be yours for a mere 50,000 Euros. Of course, it might help if you avoid thinking about how many capsule apartments you could purchase for that amount.
2. Capsule Apartments v3.0
Originally designed for the urban poor, ‘capsule apartments’ have become a new housing alternative for Chinese singles struggling to find affordable city living spaces. The first versions (top: that’s TWO units, not one) were barely bigger than a closet, with a chain-link ceiling, offering just 2 square meters of space, and costing 230 Yuan a month. For that price, tenants received a twin-size bed and a wall shelf. After photos of these apartments went viral, embarrassed officials destroyed the flats for violating a new regulation that mandated a minimum of 10 square meters for personal living space.
The original architect, Huang Rixin (now retired), has returned with Capsule Apartment 3.0 (shown below), which complies with new regulations and costs just 200 Yuan per month, making it affordable for those with monthly incomes between 1,500 and 2,000 Yuan. The new apartments are constructed for only 3,000 Yuan, with production costs significantly reduced when built on a larger scale. Mr. Huang has consistently stated that he has no commercial interest in these capsule apartments, aiming only to offer affordable housing for the upcoming generation.
1. The Egg
In Beijing, finding affordable housing is a difficult task—unless you were born into it. This was the experience of 24-year-old Dai Haifei, who after securing a job at an architectural firm, realized he couldn’t afford rent. So, he built a small, egg-shaped mobile home and parked it outside his office building.
Standing 2 meters tall, the egg-shaped home cost 6,400 Yuan ($960 USD) to construct and was made using bamboo strips, waterproof materials, and sacks filled with processed wood shavings. The exterior walls and roof were covered with grass seeds. It included a window for natural light and solar panels for electricity generation. Inside, there was a single bed, a bookcase, and a pressurized water tank for sanitation and hygiene.
Living in the egg was convenient for Dai, as it was designed to perfectly fit his lifestyle. He worked long hours, often until midnight, and used the egg solely for rest and relaxation. He took showers at a nearby gym and dined at local restaurants. His neighbors admired his creativity, work ethic, and sustainable construction methods.
Unfortunately, on December 1, 2010, the Haidian District Urban Management Division issued an order stating that any roadside structure without a permit would be deemed an “unauthorized construction” and must be dismantled. Two days later, employees from a nearby restaurant noticed workers moving the egg at 8 p.m. while Dai was still at work. Dai refused to comment, simply stating that he would be staying at a friend's house that night.
