This article explores the varied ways in which a sense of community is instilled within the Tiny House movement, and other vernacular ways of living. Additionally, this article also further analyses the extent to which community inclusion impacts the sustainability output of living tiny.
Forming Communities:
Given that the essence of community refers to the social fabric of the built environment, one could assume that ‘geographic proximity’ (Willoughby et. al, 2020, p.3) is necessary to achieve an optimal community atmosphere. However, one could also propose the idea that ‘communities can transcend “time” and “place”’ (Willoughby et.al, 2020, p.3). Before the growing trend of the Tiny House movement, rich community spirits were prevalent in Third Places, a term coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg. Third Places refer to public spots frequently used by people, ‘over a shared interest or activity’ (McGowan, 2024). These places may include cafes, libraries, theatres or any public space where you feel a sense of community spirit.
With the rise of the Tiny House movement, the general shift from a bustling lifestyle towards a relaxed one has become more widespread, especially after COVID-19. Thus, the social qualities in Third Places started becoming more transferable and synonymous with Tiny House living. We can see this in the formation of tiny home villages, such as Tiny Timbers Agrihood, Wisconsin. This tiny house village includes shared facilities that promote ‘agriculture in a residential neighbourhood’ (Wind River, 2024) .
The Tiny House movement also borrows some core values from the idea of ‘Intentional Living’ (Willoughby et.al, 2020, p.5), where people who share common purposes form communities who intentionally decide to live together (Willoughby et.al, 2020, p.5). One such example of intentional living is cultivating a co-housing community, where higher-density homes are built to facilitate shared spaces, such as community kitchens and laundry rooms (Willoughby et.al, 2020, p.6). Even though the Tiny House movement has similar communal spatial qualities of co-housing, one could argue its main focus is improving the social landscape through collaboration.
Sustainable Collaboration in The Tiny House Movement:
Before the growing trends of capitalism and the nuclear family model, intergenerational and communal lifestyles ensured sustainability through collaboration. One such argument proposed states that eco-collaboration may lead to eco-socialism via methods of permaculture and degrowth, thus reaping both social and environmental benefits (Nelson, 2018). Permaculture refers to learning nature’s approach and mimicking it in ecosystems and spaces, examples of which include ‘tiny container gardens on apartment balconies’ (Hemenway, 2015, p.10). Thus, a collaborative and interpersonal relationship is formed between the space and the people, as the practice of permaculture not only focuses on the sustainability output of the approach but also the ‘regeneration of what has been lost’ (Biasotti, n.d).
Furthermore, the concept of degrowth is pertinent to the collaborative aspects of sustainable living in Tiny Houses, as it refers to ‘scaling down economic activities to align with the Earth’s ecological boundaries’ (Runyon, 2024). Promoting a lifestyle that focuses on fewer material items and consumption encourages more social activism to occur, through movements like the Tiny House movement, thus encouraging conversation and collaboration towards a more sustainable future. With the combination of both permaculture and degrowth being prevalent in the Tiny House movement, one could argue that aspects of vernacular living ensure an optimal community environment, alongside sustainability. This is because the foundation of vernacular living is built upon ‘collective labour’ (Brown, 2023), which, in turn, encourages the social landscape to grow, as more knowledge is shared amongst like-minded people.
The Future of The Tiny House Movement & Its Impact On Communities:
The Tiny House movement will definitely continue to challenge the norms of the traditional, nuclear family lifestyle. Although it promotes a cohesive community spirit, the movement may also respond to the aspect of privacy. This, perhaps, reflects many Tiny Homeowners need for individuality and instilling a sense of pride and ownership in respective areas, which can be shown through two types of boundaries: visual/physical (such as fences acting as a division of spaces) and nominative (‘exclusive personal domain’) (Willoughby et.al, p.19). This aspect, perhaps, may lead the movement into becoming gentrified, as one could question if the movement acts as a sustainable solution or simply a ‘passing trend’ (Kimble, 2018).
Other future predictions for the growth of the Tiny House movement involve the aspect of mobility and flexibility within the model. Concepts such as self-driving tiny homes that can ‘switch between being land-based and water-based’ (SLC-Brad, 2024) may propose opportunities and constraints for community living, such as communal accessibility. Additionally, the concept of technological integrations within the functionality of tiny homes, such as ‘voice-activated appliances’ (SLC-Brad, 2024) poses an interesting aspect to acknowledge when considering communal functions too.
In summary, the growing adaptability of the movement should also aim to be reflective of communal needs and purposes. Community inclusion within the tiny house movement, not only provides long-term social benefits through collaboration and shared knowledge over skills but also cultivates a sustainable understanding of the environment, through building an optimal quality of life with and alongside nature.
References:
- Biasotti, A. (n.d) What Is A Permaculture Community, and Should You Consider Living In One? [online] Available at: https://www.acbconsultingservices.com/sustainable-construction-project-management/what-is-a-permaculture-community-and-should-you-consider-living-in-one/ [Accessed 2nd November 2024]
- Brown, G. (2023) Vernacular Architecture: Local Traditions meet Regenerative Design [online] Available at: https://happyeconews.com/vernacular-architecture-regenerative-design/ [Accessed 2nd November 2024]
- Hemenway, T. (2015) The Permaculture City: Regenerative Design for Urban, Suburban, and Town Resilience. Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing.
- Kimble, M. (2018) Tiny home communities: housing solution or gentrified trailer parks? [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/jun/26/tiny-home-communities-housing-solution-or-gentrified-trailer-parks [Accessed 2nd November 2024]
- McGowan, E. (2024). What is A Third Place? (And Why Should You Have One) [online] Available at: https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/third-place-community-spaces/ [Accessed 28th October 2024]
- Nelson, A. (2018) Can Housing Struggles —> Ecosocialism? [online] Available at: https://www.ppesydney.net/can-housing-struggles-ecosocialism/ [Accessed 2nd November 2024]
- Runyon, N. (2024) Is pursuing degrowth the sole strategy for achieving an organisation’s sustainability goals? [online] Available at: https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en-us/posts/esg/pursuing-degrowth/ [Accessed 2nd November 2024]
- SLC-Brad, (2024) The Future of Tiny Homes: Predictions and Trends [online] Available at: https://www.smallliving.co/the-future-of-tiny-homes-predictions-and-trends/ [Accessed 2nd November 2024]
- Willoughby, C., Mangold, S. & Zschau, T. (2020), Small Houses, Big Community: Tiny Housers’ Desire for More Cohesive and Collaborative Communities, Social Sciences, 9(2), pp.16. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9020016 [Accessed 28th October 2024]
- Wind River, (2024) Tiny Home Communities: Embracing the Social Aspect of Community Living [online] Available at: https://www.windriverbuilt.com/blog/tiny-home-communities-embracing-the-social-aspect-of-community-living [Accessed 28th October 2024]
Image URLS:
Image 1: https://www.windriverbuilt.com/blog/tiny-timbers-agrihood-community-opens-in-st-croix-falls-wi
Image 2 : https://www.autoevolution.com/news/this-striking-custom-tiny-house-doubles-as-stress-free-sanctuary-201320.html
Image 3 : https://www.thetinyhomelist.com/diy-tiny-house-projects-from-simple-to-spectacular/
Image 4 : https://www.offplanprojects.ae/blog/life-style/amazing-homes/future-homes/learn-how-capsule-homes-are-reshaping-future-mobile-and-tiny
