10 Square Meter Micro-Cottage for Students at Virserum Art Museum in Sweden

The Virserum Art Museum in Småland, Sweden is the place where you can see the newest creation from Tengbom Architects – a living unit most suitable for students offering everything a young person could need, but only covering the area of 10 square meters.

The micro-cottage is inexpensive, eco-friendly and not just practical, but also beautifully designed. The eco-friendly quality includes the fact that the cottage is made of local cross laminated wood that reduces the carbon emission. In addition, the assembling technique allows the designers to build the cottage on site, decreasing the amount of time needed for the construction and the impact on the environment.

So, what did they manage to squeeze into these 10 square meters? There is a kitchen, a completely functional bathroom, a surprisingly comfortable sleeping loft, an area that is suitable for living, working and studying and even a garden with a patio.

The interior is beautifully designed, providing enough room for normal living and making use of tastefully curved lines that made such a small dwelling surprisingly cozy and cheerful. However, the exterior shape is consisted of sharp geometrical lines whose appearance is only broken by the softer shape of the door and windows. This strict outside shape, along with the fact that there are two sides without windows and doors gives the impression that these cottages can be placed even in extremely dense spaces without reducing functionality and enjoyment.

Looking at this dwelling we have to wonder if the requirements for space per person can actually be reduced even in dense urban areas without sacrificing basic luxury and design. [via]