van bo le mentzel: one sqm house

berlin-based architect van bo le-mentzel of hartz IV möbel has conceived of the ‘one sqm house’- a do-it-yourself structure which offers one square meter of floor area to be used as a dwelling, mobile kiosk or an extra room inside an apartment. made with everyday materials, the wooden frame can be put together with a cordless screwdriver and saw. the waterproof exterior features a slide window and lockable door. weighing in at 40 kilograms, the gabled home can be easily moved to the location of the inhabitant’s desire, determining the views and surrounding context. standing at 2 meters tall, the unit may be turned on its side to double as a perfectly sized bed for impromptu sleeping, with the angled roof forming a comfortable lounge for the back.

image © daniela kleint

one day long workshops at the BMW guggenheim lab allow visitors to construct the house for its basic cost for supplies, 250 euro. if the price is too high, individuals may partake and then resident artists, students, travelers and the homeless may stay inside the assembled house for 1 euro per night to cover the cost. reservations may be made on air bnb to stay inside the moveable unit in berlin for 1 euro per night, with included access to a kitchen and bathroom within the nearby eastseven hostel.

image © daniela kleint

the unit can be used as an office photo: luke abiol image © 2012 solomon r. guggenheim foundation

the unit can be transported within a vehicle in an assembled state image © daniela kleint

step-by-step diagram

day to night