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HANNAH utilizes salvaged materials, 3D printing, and robotic technology to create an otherworldly cabin in upstate New York.

Top 9 Dwellings of 2020: The homes nominated for this year’s Dwell Design Awards represent the best in creative, context-driven design.

Lofted amid eucalyptus and oak trees, Graham Paarman’s house in South Africa is a glassed-in, steel-frame structure with a veil of vertical slats. Excluding outdoor areas, it measures about 720 square feet. Half-round bays project to form a balcony, a pergola, a dining alcove, and a bathroom.

"I wanted a simpler, more contemplative life," says Stephen Proctor, who left Nashville to continue work as a visual artist from the remote Pacific Northwest. But after being targeted by a hard-nosed permitting official, he faced too many unknowns, ultimately deciding to sell the home. "I didn't want to fight them or have to blaze a new trail—that’s not why I got into the tiny home thing," he says.

Outside, a pair of moveable six-foot-square cedar decks also come with the sale and can be packed inside of the home for traveling. LED lights, various hookups, and an outdoor shower round out the exterior features.

The materiality of the cabin blends into its wooded surround.

Designed for two guests, the Kamp Haus cabins have private porches and Adirondack lounge chairs. Cooking grills are available upon request.

The Kamp Haus cabin interiors are minimalist with large windows that take advantage of the views.

A pitched, tongue-and-groove ceiling adds a rustic feel.

"Our primary focus is to offer quality tiny homes at an affordable price," says David Reiss-Andersen, who cofounded the Oslo, Norway–based tiny home company Norske Mikrohus with his wife Jeanette, who’s also the firm’s lead designer. "There’s growing awareness of compact living, minimalism, and sustainability," David says. "We want to help provide people with the freedom that comes with living with fewer things, lower costs, lower energy use, and less waste."

Watch the Northern Lights from the comfort of your warm bed at Panorama Glass Lodge Iceland. Designed by the Estonian company ÖÖD Homes, the two 200-square-foot prefab cabins are thoughtfully made for small-space living. Each has a bedroom, living room, bathroom, and kitchen.

The bed is custom-made by a local designer according to a brief by the client. It offers ample storage below to make the most of the small space.

Black-framed windows and doors tie in with the black metal roof and dark chimney.

A young Finnish designer bypasses building permits by creating an affordable tiny home under 100 square feet.

The micro home in Warsaw that architect Adam Pszczolkowski designed for his family and friends features expansive windows framed by plywood and white-painted HPL panels. "I chose white because of its modern and timeless character," the architect says.

The home’s walls are clad in Oregon white oak reclaimed from a dismantled barn on the property. Jessica Helgerson chose to paint them white to create a bright, airy look, but she left the kitchen wall au naturel for a visual pop. With storage at a premium, the kitchen needed ample cabinetry as well as some ingenious solutions—including a pull-out cabinet hidden in one half of the range hood. A vintage cabinet on the left wall provides open storage for everyday dishes.

Dubbed Small But Fine, a student-built 280-square-foot cabin in Finland connects with the outdoors and features a minimal footprint. Not pictured is a detached outhouse with a composting toilet.