Think Inside The Box with the Microhome
Microhomes could be the next big thing.
For some, living in a tiny house is a “measure of freedom and independence” says Lloyd Kahn, author of Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter, “by taking shelter into their own hands.” Because living in a tiny house dramatically lowers living cost, there is financial freedom to partake in more meaningful work.
So if you’re striving to be more eco-friendly, and like tiny spaces? Then you’ll love the Cube, a low-energy microhome – and we mean micro, at 3 meters by 3 meters by 4 meters – designed by Dr. Mike Page, a professor of cognitive psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. You might wonder how Dr. Page got from cognitive psychology to designing an eco friendly home (we wondered the same thing).
‘It turns out that people don’t want space; they want function.’
Page was interested in understanding how people treat the ecosystem and specifically wanted to “demonstrate that environmental friendliness is not a compromise,” though many see it as so. The best way to prove his idea? Design a space that would show people how simple and positive it was to live a low carbon life.
Constructed entirely from sustainable materials, the Cube is designed for two people to live in comfortably. “The Cube is naturally energy saving,” Page says, “because you are always in the space that you are both heating and lighting.” Not only does the Cube save energy, but with solar panels installed on the rooftop and along one side, it generates more energy than it uses ”“ owners could profit from $1,000 to $1,400 pounds per year.
The Cube is as easy to build as “an Ikea Billy bookcase,” Page says; the entire shell can be constructed in four hours. The Cube includes a lounge, table and chairs, double bed, closet and storage space, full-sized shower, functional kitchen, washing machine, composting toilet ”“ and it’s all carbon neutral. “It turns out that people don’t want space; they want function,” says Dr. Page.
Page envisions the future of The Cube as being the perfect space for a group of people who want to live communally – say, around a plot of land to grow food – but still want a space to retreat privately. “It’s good for people,” Page explains, when you “psychologically de-clutter, your quality of life goes up”. Now available by commission from Bolton Buildings. Estimated price: $87,000 (or £52,000) per cube.
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