Created by the Swedish architect Tommy Carlsson, this small prefab house is located not far from Stockholm. Carlsson has dubbed the house the “Happy Cheap Home”, and as the name suggests, it has been designed with the cost in mind, and how to reduce it.
Happy Cheap Home has been developed by Carlsson in an attempt to produce an affordable, and efficient alternative to the common Swedish suburb home. The house itself is certainly striking, it resembles a cube with its corners sheared off, and the corrugated iron cladding gives it a very modern aesthetic (perhaps a little industrial).
From the architect: “The concept is both a vision of a better world in the small format, how we live in the future, what we need around us in the housing world and how large a house we really need.” It seems to me Carlsson’s ideology is in a similar vein to that of the small house movement.
All told, the house has 110 square meters (1,184 square feet) of internal floor space spread over two levels. It sits on a 700 square meter site (7,534 square feet) and was built using modular components which were prefrabicated and assembled on site. The prefab modular construction techniques helped with the management of the projects budget, and the final cost came in at 170,000 Euros ($223,250).
Perhaps the cost seems a little bit on the high side when considering the house’s size, but you have to remember that this is in Sweden, a country known for it’s high cost of living. It’s not like they’ve skipped out on finishes either; the inside of the home is a mix of plywood and white-painted drywall, and the large windows throughout help to make the space feel bright and airy (and they provide plenty of views of the surrounding forest).
The ground floor features a living room, bathroom, kitchen and breakfast area, and a more formal dining room. The second floor contains two bedrooms and an area for lounging. The angular form of the exterior is reiterated on the inside, with its sharp wall layouts and walkways.
For more small houses check out the beautifully designed and finished Harpoon House. Or this small house that features a minimalist industrial interior. See all small houses.
Via Dezeen
Photos: Michael Perlmutter
Seems expensive for the materials used , and spartan fitout.
True, Sweden is expensive to live, but still, 170.000 EUR… Is this with the land?