Old windmills and grain silos – that's how quaint tiny houses can be
Tiny houses are probably the most individual types of accommodation there are. Some resemble conventional houses, others are very special. Here are some extremely quaint tiny houses.
According to the German Wind Energy Association (BWE), there are currently around 30,000 wind turbines in Germany – most of them in Lower Saxony, Brandenburg and North Rhine-Westphalia. According to the German Environment Agency, wind turbines must be dismantled after 20 to 30 years.
But what happens to the discarded parts?
One possibility is tiny houses. The Swedish energy company Vatenfall, for example, is converting wind turbine nacelles into tiny houses. The houses are ten metres long, four metres wide and three metres high – including the kitchen and bathroom. The furniture is sustainably produced or used, and the table is made from the material of a recycled rotor blade. The tiny house is heated by a heat pump, a photovoltaic system and a solar boiler. The mini house was developed by the Dutch design firm Superuse Studios.
From feed silo to apartment
The feed silo towers of the Thomann family from Bad Säckingen have also been repurposed. Grandpa Erich and granddaughter Nina converted the former feed silos into living space. The result is 20 square metres of living space – plus a nine-square-metre terrace.
Although modular homes are becoming increasingly popular, many tiny houses still have wheels. The architecture firm Olson Kundig presents a completely new form: the tiny house on rails. The two-storey house can be disconnected from the main house and driven to the edge of the forest.
Aiming high
The DQ Tower in Rottweil is a tiny house that reaches unimagined heights. The mini-skyscraper has three floors and is nine metres high. It has two bathrooms – one shower, two toilets – two bedrooms, a living room and a kitchen. The levels are connected by a staircase. The floor area of the tower is 4 x 4.20 metres, and the construction consists of triple-glazed windows made of safety glass, steel and aluminium. The manufacturers promise a delivery time of eight months for the house, which is ready for immediate occupancy.
NEW HOUSING End of June 2025
The creators behind the DQ Tower have already exhibited at NEW HOUSING. The next one will take place from 27 to 29 June 2025 at the Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre in Rheinstetten. Around 30 tiny houses will be on display at Europe's largest Tiny House Festival. In addition, more than 70 exhibitors will be offering everything from financing and interior design to land and houses, everything that (future) tiny house builders need.
