Russian firm Le Atelier was approached by a family of five with three small children to construct a home on their 484-square-foot property in Moscow. With just $7,000 to build, finish, and furnish the house, the undertaking required both strategy and imagination.

“Our challenge was finding a balance between different functions inside the house, and how much room was needed for each,” architect Sergey Kolchin says. His team designed a simple rectangular volume with a one-sided, sharply sloped roof. Windows placed throughout the three-floor structure offer exquisite views and natural light. Inside, a yellow entryway opens up into a kitchen, living room, and bathroom. Goose-step stairs—steps with a distinctive tread shape that’s ideal for compact spaces—lead to the master bedroom and bi-level kids’ room, the largest part of the home. Nearly all of the furnishings are built-in. By making them part of the construction process, the architects cut costs and customized ways of maximizing space.

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