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Houzz Tour: A Rare Tiny-Home Specimen in Sweden
With a reptilian skin and unusual architecture, this small home focuses on nature and simple living
Architect Torsten Ottesjö is making a statement with this house: If you design a space well, it doesn't need to be large — or angular, for that matter. Used as a weekend and summer home by a couple who live in an apartment in Gothenburg, Sweden, the house has a working kitchen, an outdoor shower and an outhouse nearby, in addition to an indoor, heated bathroom; Ottesjö also insulated the home for winter living.
"This house was not designed to be a small house for two people; it was designed to be a house for two people," says Ottesjö. In addition to asserting that homes don't need to be big, Ottesjö shifts the way we think about homes as boxes to fill with furniture to make them livable. "I wanted to create an ideal interior, a house that is integrated into its landscape and one that isn't full of right angles and unused space — space that most people just use for storing boxes," he says.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: West coast of Sweden
Size: 269 square feet
"This house was not designed to be a small house for two people; it was designed to be a house for two people," says Ottesjö. In addition to asserting that homes don't need to be big, Ottesjö shifts the way we think about homes as boxes to fill with furniture to make them livable. "I wanted to create an ideal interior, a house that is integrated into its landscape and one that isn't full of right angles and unused space — space that most people just use for storing boxes," he says.
Houzz at a Glance
Location: West coast of Sweden
Size: 269 square feet
by Torsten Ottesjo
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The house is anything but conventional. Its exterior walls and roof are biodegradable but designed to withstand Scandinavian winters. Its shape doesn't allow for snow to stay on the roof for long. Wooden shingles mimic tree bark in their slight expansion upon contact with moisture, creating a tighter surface.
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by Torsten Ottesjo
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| The home's skin appears reptilian, enabling it to blend with its natural surroundings. It "looks like it was something that sprouted from the ground it rests on," Ottesjö says. |
by Torsten Ottesjo
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The house was built onsite but can be lifted and transported by road in one piece. Its insulation is a mix of recycled newspaper and salt called Eko-Fiber.
by Torsten Ottesjo
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The main entrance features overhead shelving units; storage crates and boxes double as seating.
by Torsten Ottesjo
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An L-shaped dining bar has just enough room for two or three people. Guests often claim one of the bar chairs or plant themselves on the floor, where the concave wall doubles as a backrest.
by Torsten Ottesjo
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A hallway connects the kitchen and the sleeping quarters.There is some storage space under a few floor panels in the hall and in the entry, as well as under the kitchen table, but the design does place certain limitations on collecting too much stuff.
The bedroom is concealed in a cocoon marked by sliding doors.
The bedroom is concealed in a cocoon marked by sliding doors.
by Torsten Ottesjo
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"The feeling of being within the house is never cramped," Ottesjö says. "The space allows us to think beyond the square block-shaped architecture and provides a home that doesn't allow the accumulation of endless goods."
Ideabook published on Aug. 21, 2012.
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Also LOVE that it has an outdoor shower and an outhouse nearby, AND an indoor, heated bathroom which means in summer one can shower outside and in winter inside. Smart thinking.
Would love to see more photos of the kitchen.
where's the bathroom?
This would work only as a place to get away from the comforts of home for a weekend of reflection. It would definitely make me appreciate the comforts of my current massive and oversized tiny abode. (In comparison.)
Plus I like my inside shower.
As an example the small home shown is perfect if in winter you spend daylight hours cross country skiing, and then come home and need a clean nice place to make a meal, shower and sleep. Same in summer where one would use the outdoor solar shower after hiking, fishing etc and then need a clean safe place to make a meal, shower and sleep.
There is the Small House Society which we belong to, which has tens of thousands of members who live in small homes 400 sq ft in size and smaller.
I particularly liked the glass wall at the kitchen end with some panels frosted for privacy and others left clear for windows, nice trick that could be used in lots of applications.
It is like being inside the belly of a whale!
Its been 100*+ all summer and we use a solar oven outside to cook all our meals. Even in summer if there is clear weather and sun even with snow on the ground we solar cool outside. As well as BBQ. Know few people who cook inside come summer.
I think some folks convince themselves that they could never live in a small place, yet they have never tried. Or they think they need lots of clothes/shoes. and other 'stuff'.
At least if things really get rough, I know we will be doing well and lacking non of the needs we have,because we lives so small.
Where we also have lots of back to landers, green living, multi miliion and multi billionaires who use solar showers outside in summer. And love small unique homes.
This Swedish home will not appeal to everyone and that is fine. Just as look alike tract homes,and stainless steel appliances don't appeal to some of us.
I am the one who mentioned skiing and no one ever walks into our small home with ski/snow gear. Skis/pole are left outside. And warm winter clothes like coats get hung up, boots taken off and set under the coats. Come summer we don't haul the kayak and oars inside either (laughing)