Favorites

Clad in salvaged wood and adorned with moss, the tiny hexagonal home has a footprint of 93 square feet.

Fed up with modern-day society’s obsessive pursuit of things rather than lived experiences, Michael Lamprell, the designer of this cabin in Adelaide, Australia, set out to create an antidote to what he quips is a “craziness we’ve brought upon ourselves.” In 160 square feet, CABN Jude includes space for a king-size bed, toilet, shower, heater, two-burner kitchen stove, full-size sink, and fridge. The interior is clad with light-colored wood, which helps to enhance the sense of space. Large windows bring plenty of natural light, while the clever design means everything the resident needs is within easy reach.

The Majamaja Cabin by Littow Architectes was constructed on-site from prefab wood panels and without the use of heavy machinery. The self-contained unit makes for a perfect eco-retreat, especially when positioned at water’s edge in Finland.

Top 9 Prefabs of 2020: These best-in-class prefabricated homes are vying for your vote in the Dwell Design Awards.

Helen & Hard built a pair of pine cone–shaped cabins that wrap around tree trunks in the forests of Odda, Norway.

Organic lines mimicking those in nature can be soothing. Architect Tono Mirai, known for his "earth architecture," was inspired by the lush context for the design of this holiday home in Nagano, Japan.

In this house in downtown Miami, lightweight, shuttered Western red cedar doors wrap the front porch to provide privacy and protection from the weather but support natural ventilation, which is important in biophilic design. The unstained wood will age naturally.

Set in a clearing surrounded by spruce and birch trees in Kontiolahti, Finland, a cabin known as the Meteorite cuts a striking profile. The structure is made entirely of cross-laminated timber (CLT). Air gaps of various sizes behind the facade keep the interior warm without conventional insulation, even during Finland’s freezing winters, and give the Meteorite its out-of-this-world shape.

The tiny houseboat, named Sneci, is crafted primarily from wood and aluminum.

“One of the most important problems we had to deal with was how we used the space available,” says Bene. “We installed a sliding door between the interior and the open rear deck, which saved a lot of space and means that the door never blocks the view or the way.”

“The inspiration for Kynttilä was fully derived from its unique setting,” the Helsinki-based firm states. “The place chosen for Kynttilä, in the middle of a pristine forest, on a narrow arm of the peninsula, provides views over the water in both sides of the cottage.”

As the sun goes down, the small structure’s interior casts a cozy glow.

Ala Köl, the most recent design imagined by Tiny House Baluchon for a couple who love to travel, is clad with black aluminum, cedar, and glass.

The power for the tiny home–on–wheels comes from a standard RV-style hookup.

The blackened timber–clad cabin that arba designed in Longueil, Normandy, France, is marked by large glass doors, layered with wood slats that slide open and connect the home to its lush landscape.

The simple architecture poses minimal disturbance to the natural growth of the forest.

The cabin is an ideal retreat where nature lovers can enjoy the sights and sounds of great outdoors all year round.