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In an era where space is regarded as the ultimate luxury, tiny living is a trend that keeps fighting back. Embracing the idiom “good things come in small packages,” a host of architects, designers and buyers are determined to highlight that although ample space might be a welcome luxury, it is certainly not a necessity.
Annually increasing in popularity, small homes have become a premium asset for several reasons. The tiny house movement has burgeoned in the last decade, as primarily young 20- and 30-somethings opt for the lifestyle of location over spacious suburbia — from city center studios to hillside shacks, prefab pods to sleek sanctuaries. The array of unique small homes popping up worldwide are astonishing, intelligent, and most importantly, perfectly proportioned. The pandemic, as with most things, accelerated this trend.
To celebrate the art of small living design, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite A+Awards Winners from the last decade, whose tiny homes have paved the way for the designs of today.
2012-13: House In Travessa Do Patrocínio
Manuel Tojal Architects | Lisbon, Portugal
Popular Choice, 2013 A+Awards, Single Family Home
A single staircase spans one side of the house, connecting all three floors and the roof terrace to a pool that boasts incredible views of the city landscape. The building is tall and narrow; however, an internal courtyard in the heart of the house brings light to the interior, enhancing the main entrance and creating an indoor/outdoor relationship.
2014: Portable Home ÁPH80
ÁBATON Architects | Madrid, Spain
Popular Choice, 2014 A+Awards, Single Family Home XS <1,000 sq ft
Portable Home ÁPH80 is a stunning combination of alluring materials, functionality, and sustainability. The exterior facade, designed to look like cast-in-place concrete, is made of grey cement wood board, while the wood covering the interior walls is sourced sustainably from Spanish Fir trees. The interior comprises three rooms: a living room and kitchen, a bedroom and a bathroom. At 290 square feet (27 square meters), the space is by no means extensive, yet the carefully crafted design makes it feel roomy. The gabled roof helps give an open feeling, while light interior walls contribute to the spaciousness.
2015: 1.8-M Width House
YUUA | Toshima, Japan
Jury Winner, 2015 A+Awards, Private House (XS <1000 sq ft)
2016: Colorado Outward Bound School Micro Cabins
Colorado Building Workshop / University of Colorado Denver | Leadville, CO, United States
Jury Winner, 2016 A+Awards, Private House (XS <1000 sq ft)
Perched on frames that counteract the uneven terrain, the cabins’ vertical columns blend with the lodgepole forest, while the roofs designed to be “snow-proof” help offset the sometimes extreme weather conditions. The interiors are warm, efficient and adaptable, making them perfect for use. The walls and fittings are constructed primarily in birch ply and are CNC’d offsite. They can easily be flat-packed and erected.
2017: Knapphullet
Lund Hagem | Sandefjord, Norway
Popular Choice and Jury Winner, 2017 A+Awards, Private House (XS <1000 sq ft)
The tiny house is constructed from reinforced concrete and sits comfortably tucked away in its rocky shelter. The interior walls are made of solid oak batons with a natural sawn texture, while the acoustic ceiling is covered with woven oak strips. A long bench made with the same white concrete as the roof extends from the interior to the exterior, tying them together while the external fireplace creates a focal point for the atrium.
2018: Iturbide Studio
TALLER Mauricio Rocha + Gabriela Carrillo | Mexico City, Mexico
Popular Choice, 2018 A+Awards, Private House (XS <1000 sq ft)
With a distinctive design and color palette, all of the walls are made of reddish-brown, handmade bricks. One double row of flat, long bricks in an asymmetrical stretcher bond alternates with a series of twice as thick, standing bricks. Thanks to the openwork masonry, the interior of the private studio is shielded from the outside world without being completely disconnected from it.
2019: Shell House / The language of forest
Tono Mirai architects | Japan
Jury Winner, 2019 A+Awards, Private House (S <1000 sq ft)
The cabin’s interior is minimalist, as is to be expected from craftspeople of the area. Inside we see a continuation to adopt a natural habitat. There are curved walls made of local earth and fittings made from gorgeous unstained timber that brings serenity and warmth to the space alongside its unmistakable style.
2020: CASA NAILA
BAAQ | Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Jury Winner, 2020 A+Awards, Private House (S <1000 sq ft) 
The building’s open nature and lack of perimeter fencing allow the inhabitants to contact the beach directly while passing visitors are welcomed to use the pool or terrace. The home is an homage to its local heritage, calling up traditional Oaxacan building techniques and materials while embracing Oaxacan culture. The kitchen plays an important role, and the stove is built in clay in line with rural Oaxacan traditional housing.
2021: House LO
Atelier Lina Bellovicova | Czechia
Jury Winner, 2021 A+Awards, Private House (XS <1,000)
The material petrifies for several years, drawing carbon dioxide from the air around it while also having great insulating features, being recyclable and resistant to pests, fire and molds. The two-bedroom home is beautifully minimalist, with an abundance of storage to keep it that way. Using a limited material pallet its is fresh and will undoubtedly withstand the tests of time.