Tiny Houses : A Big Idea
Over the past few decades, the size of the average home increased steadily in much of North and South America. Jay Shafer is founder of a company that builds tiny homes. Shafer commented that the cozy, small houses have the look and feel of true home. The practical and financial advantages of living in a tiny house are numerous. Small homes are quicker to construct and cost less to purchase and maintain. Also, while owners of large houses are often crippled by rising utility costs, the cost of heating and cooling a tiny house is minimal. In Japan, the tight budget of the younger generation is creating a demand for ultra-compact homes, called kyosho-jutaku. Demand for these tiny homes is steadily growing, especially in Tokyo. Because Tokyo’s land prices are among the most expensive in the world. But people want to live close to the amenities of city life and to the excellent school systems available in Tokyo. They also do not want to deal with long train commutes into Tokyo from far-off suburbs. Shigeru Kimura, a Tokyo real estate agent who specializes in tiny homes, says, “Recently, more people, especially in their 30s and early 40s, want to live in central Tokyo. And more people are thinking of how to live on a small plot of land”. Architect Satoshi Kurosaki builds sleek, tiny, modern homes that answer this need. In Europe, researchers and designers have developed the m-ch (micro-compact home) a tiny, two-story, aluminum cube that, though efficient use of space, can serve as home for one or two people. The 8.5-foot (2.6-meter) m-ch was inspired by the compact spaces in first-class airplane cabins. In the future it is likely that the house will be smaller.