Introducing the 5-Minute House

Following last week’s announcement by Chinese developers for plans to build the world’s tallest structure in three months time is this modest (yet no less significant) record-breaking design. Last month, the latest iteration of the Micro-Compact Home was installed on a hillside plot overlooking Lake Maggiore in Switzerland, with construction times clocking in at just under 5 minutes. The 2.6 meter (8.5 feet) wide prefabricated house, dubbed m-ch 016, was flown in by helicopter and delivered to the elevated site, which had been prepared beforehand with foundation pads, plumbing, and electric wires, and even landscaping and terrace already in place. Once the 1.8 ton structure was lowered into position, a small construction team speedily

The sixteenth in the series of micro-structures developed by London-based designer Richard Horden of Horden Cherry Lee Architects, the house is unique in that it sports a light-weight aluminum frame rather that the wood version employed by its predecessors. The new model is also slight larger, extending an extra meter in all directions to accommodate dwelling space for 2 people. That may not sound like much of an expansion, but that one meter makes all the difference in what some would call claustrophobic space. There’s room for an adjustable double bed, a living/dining space capable of seating eight guests, a bathroom with shower, and a respectable kitchen, complete with cupboard, sink, fridge, and microwave. The house even has air conditioning, LED lighting, beige leather wall treatments a custom sound system, and, most importantly, that inimitable panorama.