iOhouse The Space

Sustainable sophistication takes prefab to new heights

Over the last few years and in many countries around the world, so-called ‘tiny houses’ have become increasingly popular. At first sight, this evolution might feel counterintuitive: for decades, larger had been better. Spacious homes and apartments were widely seen as highly desirable, as the prerequisite of well-being, and as an indisputable sign of personal success.

Then, several lifestyle and social trends started to converge, transforming a former certitude into a debatable choice. Could it be that when fully considered - the constraints of a conventional lifestyle outweighed its benefits? Was a 30-year mortgage really the asking price for happiness? Didn’t possessions, all too often, end up in clutter? How sustainable were large homes when private housing accounts for about 25 % of global energy consump­tion? Wasn’t the combination of flexibility and freedom the real ultimate luxury?