To live in a 21st-century city is to be intimately familiar with spatial optimization. An occupant’s attempt to cram the detritus of modern life into a limited footprint often proves dissatisfying, as true efficiency is best achieved in the design stage. With programmatic efficiency at the forefront of the design process, a small space can become a dignified, livable home despite its dimensional limitations.

Beyond innovations in space planning, small homes also present opportunities for designs that interact gently with their environment. As these compact typologies contain all the programmatic requirements of a typical residence, albeit on a smaller scale, they serve as effective testing grounds for new technologies and passive mechanisms that might later be implemented on larger projects.

With all this in mind, the refinement of the tiny house typology is a prescient topic with infinite potential for innovation.