- Around the world, many envy-inducing tiny homes were built in 2018.
- The list of this year's best includes a cabin on a mountainous ledge in New Hampshire, an island of tiny homes in Norway, and a 3D printed home in Austin, Texas.
- Each project is uniquely designed, though many feature similar elements such as hidden bedrooms and retractable decks.
As housing becomes more expensive in cities, the trend of tiny living continues to pick up steam.
In 2018, tiny homes caught the eye of major corporations, acclaimed designers, car manufacturers, and 3D-printing companies, which each put their unique stamp on the concept.
The results were some of the most envy-inducing miniature structures ever built.
Whereas the typical tiny home is cluttered and claustrophobic, a few clever designers and architects have managed to make their units feel luxurious and spacious.
Some tower over the ocean, some sit atop mountains, and others are designed to sit in your backyard.
Here are 8 structures that represent the best tiny homes constructed or critically recognized in 2018.
An island of tiny homes sits on the coast of Northern Norway.
The island of tiny structures is intended as a retreat for artists and musicians, though the homes have attracted members of the general public as well.
There are four bedroom cabins, while the rest of the buildings house a bathhouse, kitchen, living room, seaside sauna, and mini cathedral for meditation.
You can rent the entire island for just $3,500 a week.
The concept recently won one of Architizer's 2018 A+Awards, which celebrates the world's best design projects.
This house runs on Dunkin' — literally (well, almost).
Dunkin' Donuts isn't the first company to dabble in tiny home construction, but it's the first to build a tiny home that runs almost entirely on coffee.
With help from the manufacturing company Blue Marble Biomaterials, Dunkin' converted 65,000 pounds of spent coffee grounds into enough fuel to power the entire structure.
Though the home is only 275 square feet, it has enough room for a full kitchen, bathroom, and king-sized bed. It even has a "coffee nook" for sipping your morning cup.
Yves Béhar's prefabricated units could be a solution to the housing affordability crisis in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
As a designer at the forefront of innovation, it seemed natural for Yves Béhar to make the foray into tiny home construction. The new line of prefabricated units from the Swiss industrial designer and entrepreneur are customizable and range in size from 250 to 1,200 square feet.
Béhar has touted the concept as a possible solution to the housing affordability crisis in Los Angeles and San Francisco, where a lack of housing stock has contributed to rising homelessness.
Though Béhar's current units cost around $280,000, he plans to design a more affordable line.
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