Still a trend or already a permanent solution? How firmly established are tiny houses?

Anyone visiting NEW HOUSING at the Karlsruhe Trade Fair Centre will quickly realise that there is a large community of tiny houses, modular houses and the like. Since 2018, thousands of interested people have been coming to the event to exchange ideas, gather information and find inspiration for their own miniature home.

NEW HOUSING has also continuously developed its offering for visitors over the past few years. It now includes a moderated specialist forum, workshops, a live podcast on stage and a talk on how tiny house communities can be created.

But what about outside the tiny house industry?

Tiny House Association and industry standard

The Tiny House Association, founded in Karlsruhe, has existed since 2019. NEW HOUSING is one of the founding members. The association is led by chairwoman Regina Schleyer: ‘The number of members continues to grow. However, there are always members who leave the association.’

In addition to its traditional lobbying work for those living in small spaces, the Tiny House Association was also instrumental in the creation of the first ‘industrial standard for small buildings’ last year. The standard is the first generally valid basis for finding land and building tiny houses. It is intended to help in dealing with authorities and contractors. There are currently around 40 pure tiny house settlements nationwide – and the trend is rising.

Building type E

The fact that building in Germany needs to be made easier has also been recognised by the Federal Ministry of Construction under Klara Geywitz, which is why the ‘Building Type E’ has been launched. ‘E’ stands for ‘simple, experimental and efficient’. The minister is quoted as follows: ‘With Building Type E, we are enabling simple and experimental construction. Building is too expensive in Germany. We often tend to build to a gold standard. This makes planning and construction complex, labour-intensive and expensive. We want to change that. (...) With ‘Building Type E’, project planners can deviate from building standards in a legally secure manner in order to complete a building faster and more cost-effectively. (...)’

It is difficult to say what specific impact building type E will have on tiny houses. But one thing is clear: the path to more individual living concepts is now easier to follow.

Tiny houses and architects

Andreas Grube, district chairman of the Karlsruhe/Nordbaden Chamber of Architects, likes building type E: ‘This was also the result of an initiative by the Chamber of Architects. We welcome the new building type because the energy balance can now also be improved through the materials used. This also helps our profession when it comes to arguing in favour of sustainable construction.’

And what role do tiny houses play for architects in general? ‘They are an issue for us, but not nearly as often as conventional buildings. They are particularly popular with older people,’ Grube continues.

But: ‘Ten years ago, tiny houses didn't even play a role. That has changed a lot in the meantime. People are consciously scaling back and reacting to increasingly scarce space. For example, a colleague of mine recently completed a project at Schuttersee in the Ortenau region,’ Grube continues. Architects also enjoy planning tiny houses. Grube: ‘It's about creating something wonderful in a small space.’

Amendment to the Federal Building Code

At the beginning of September 2024, the then still existing federal cabinet had approved the draft amendment to the Federal Building Code (Baugesetzbuch, BauGB). The BauGB is the central legal basis for urban development in Germany. The legislative process is to be completed in the Bundestag by the end of the year. The Bundesrat does not have to give its consent here.

The amendment is intended to ease the tense situation on the housing market. The special regulation of Section 246e BauGB means that a separate development plan will no longer have to be submitted in future. In addition, building extensions should now be allowed everywhere – even in housing markets that are not strained – without the need to amend the development plan. Until now, this option was only available in individual cases.

Previously, redensification was only possible if it corresponded to the so-called character of the neighbourhood. This should also be easier in the future.

The amendment of the Federal Building Code opens up the possibility for the construction of alternative mini-houses at least a little more.

Tiny house study

The fact that tiny houses are continuing to fight their way into the mainstream of society can also be seen from the fact that studies are being conducted on the subject – such as that by the Ministry of the Interior of Schleswig-Holstein in collaboration with the Technical University of Lübeck. The ministry wanted to shed light on the opportunities, limitations and risks of tiny houses.

The study presents mini houses as a ‘cost-effective, sustainable and pragmatic solution’. ‘The study shows the opportunities offered by tiny houses and where their limits and risks lie, and it refutes prejudices. It shows that there is no universal assessment, but that it always depends on the individual consideration,’ said Interior Minister Sabine Sütterlin-Waack, as quoted by the ministry itself. And further: ’Furthermore, it is questionable whether a tiny house can always meet all the different requirements.’

The study concludes that people do not live in tiny houses for economic reasons alone. Rather, the study finds that this way of life is a conscious decision to reduce living space, possessions, costs, effort and responsibility. According to the study, local authorities and investors see tiny houses as an opportunity to build on and densify sealed or small residual areas. The full study can be found HERE.

Conclusion

One thing is clear: tiny houses have long since ceased to be just a trend. Both politics and science and associations are dealing with this form of living. And with NEW HOUSING, a trade fair has been established throughout Europe that deals with mini-houses and life in and around them.

Short interview

‘The seriousness has increased’

Chris and Caro from ‘tinyon’ have been making a podcast specifically about ‘living in a tiny house’ since April 2022 and are very well connected in the scene.

How do you rate the development around mini houses?

Chris and Caro: "The general interest in the topic has clearly reached the broader sections of society, but the reasons for this are fundamentally different. Since our podcast deliberately deals with the tiny living lifestyle, we are also noticing here that people are dealing with their personal dream of it more concretely than ever.’

In addition to the podcast, the two of them also offer seminars and training. How has your customer base changed?

Chris and Caro: "The target group is the same, but the seriousness with which people approach their own journey to a tiny house has increased significantly in recent years. Interested parties still do their own research at the beginning, but then realise that they want professional support from people who live in a tiny house themselves. We know the challenges and also the shortcuts from dreaming to living in your own mini house.’

What conclusion do you draw now? Are tiny houses still a trend or already a permanent solution?

Chris and Caro: "The trend is literally taking small steps towards a permanent solution. In our view, general world events are ensuring that more and more people are dealing with the topics of deceleration, conscious consumption and independence. In addition, every project that is implemented, from a small single-family house to a tiny house settlement, creates trust on the part of the local community. Life in a tiny house is becoming more ‘adult’ and is slowly taking its place as an established form of living.’