Redefining minimalism , in construction as in day-to-day life
This trend is gaining ground , promising fast , efficient , and increasingly ethical real estate solutions . This is due , in part , to the Tiny Houses movement , which advocates deconsumerism and slow living . Clément Chabot and Pierre-Alain Lévêque , two French engineers , have taken this concept to its extreme , living in a tiny house made self-sufficient with simple , sustainable technologies that are widely accessible , such as a wood stove for heating , which emits half as much greenhouse gas as the electric alternative .
Container houses made from recycled materials are another affordable , quick and – above all – highly resource-efficient solution . A study by Markets and Research projects that the global market for this type of product will grow to $ 64.48 billion by 2025 .
Rediscovering the desert
The desert has been home to many nomadic populations for thousands of years ; from the Bedouin to the Touareg , nomadic peoples have tamed the dunes and their arid climate – an environment as fascinating as it is fearsome . This duality is probably what inspires today ' s greatest visionaries to challenge the limits of modern comfort in desert settings . In 2019 , architect Tomas Osinski and Hollywood producer Chris Hanley oversaw the completion of a so-called Invisible House in the Joshua Tree National Park in California ’ s desert zone . Featuring an indoor pool and panoramic views , the Invisible House is totally covered in large mirrors that let in natural light from all sides , and uses renewable energy sources for a near-zero carbon footprint .
Neom embodies another approach . Announced with great fanfare by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia , this futuristic , 170 km long megalopolis in the heart of the desert will accommodate 9 million inhabitants , and is expected to be 100 % powered by renewable energy . Utopian ? We ' ll let you be the judge .
Maximising waterways and their potential
Inspired by houses on Asian rivers such as the Mekong , floating homes are emerging as a serious sustainable solution . The Netherlands stands at the forefront of this trend , with architects around the world inspired to address the problem of overcrowded cities by looking to the water . Floating houses have been built in Amsterdam ’ s city centre and eastern areas , housing some 45,000 inhabitants in 2019 . This solution promotes electric self-sufficiency courtesy of built-in solar panels , while reducing the risk of floods due to rising water levels .
Resilient , practical , and increasingly autonomous , the homes of the future are designed to respect our planet ' s resources and help us meet tomorrow ’ s challenges head on . Here on our island , we need to take inspiration from what we see happening abroad to find viable solutions for the long term !
The homes of the future are designed to respect our planet ' s resources
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