The Real Skinny on House Design
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 03. 9.07
We prattle on about "less is more" and have seen lots of narrow houses that work very well- our last was eleven feet wide. Narrow lot frontages are a good way to get higher densities and more efficient use of land while still satisfying the traditional north american desire for single family residences.
However this three storey house in Madre de Deus, Brazil at about five feet wide inside, is perhaps pushing the envelope a bit. It is all decked out inside with one foot square tiles so you can measure it out, which was kind of the designer. (the source website says that it is a meter wide but we are going by the tiles) The owner is planning a fourth floor addition “open, for leisure, with barbecue and everything”.
More at ::ah boon
We have seen houses like this in Tokyo, but commenter Jean Naimard points out that one does not have to go so far afield-"Such a house exists in Montréal; it has been there for more than 70 years and has been featured in the famous novel “Bonheur d’occasion” (”The tin flute”) by Gabrielle Roy."
It's a cute idea, but it can't be at all energy efficeint.