Clever microhome perches over compact food forest outside Barcelona

At just 8 square meters (86 square feet), a clever micro-house perched on the coastal hills of Maresme outside Barcelona extends far beyond its footprint with a large deck, a wood-burning sauna, a Win Hof method ice bath, and a permaculture food forest providing enough produce for a family of four.

Noah, the home’s owner, wanted something minimal, but tailored to his particular lifestyle so the entire house is built for healthy living using all natural materials like plywood for furniture, natural stone panels for the bathroom and cotton, hemp and wood-fibre for insulation. The space is also customized for electrosensitive people, so all cables are grounded and there are built-in RJ-45 ethernet ports for the Internet. All lighting is indirect with clever use of plywood to recess lights.

The home has a water reserve tank and battery system so that once unplugged there is off-grid autonomy for four days in terms of water and energy. Builder Antoine Grillon of Serena Tiny House says it’s the tiniest home he’s ever built, but it’s also the most high end. The bathroom has a heated towel rack, a rainwater shower and a sleek stainless steel composting toilet that slides out when needed and that can convert to a squat toilet (Noah is originally from Iraq). The kitchen is equipped with high-end - albeit compact - appliances and the huge windows use hydraulic tech borrowed from the car industry for easy opening and closing.

Permaculture designer Aline Van Moerbeke of La Casa Integral helped Noah design a food forest adapted to the dry and rocky soil. Since the property is small and water is in short supply (the tiny house roof is too small for much water capture), everything is planted with food or medicinals. Much of the food is planted in raised beds in order to build the soil (composting is being done on site) and for easier access to the plants. The garden is designed using companion planting and stacking functions to take advantage of the tight space.

“Permaculture often gets mistaken for permanent agriculture as a limited concept, only agriculture,” explains Van Moerbeke, “But what we are aiming at is to design ecosystems as a whole and not just our food production so if we're saying we want to have at least 10% or 20% of our own living system a productive system then that means that we want to be moving away from a consumer system so we need to also change our economy, we need to change our behavior, so we want to be changing the use of resources that may or may not be available in our ecosystem so I'm talking about water or sun.”

[markhirstwood]

Those gardens, those trees, the permaculture and raised beds... love it.

[Ben-sgcq]

YES more food forest stories!!!! Please keep em coming!! 💚

[cmbaymar]

I had a front yard doing nothing. I have planted 10 trees, 5 different berries, herbs, bananas, annuals, (I let some food drop to reseed) 2 different sweet potatoes, 3 different king of beans. Ginger, cardamom, turmeric, all pleasingly growing in my front yard. All since February.
Its glorious and I have already enjoyed some of offerings.

[graefx]

This is what I want some day. The vast permaculture garden, off the grid and green, even the ice bath and sauna. All the wired connections and ports is fantastic. Looks like such a wonderful and serene way to live. Not running away from modernity but embracing it and making it work for living closer to nature

[serenakoleno]

While this is a very expensive build, if it could be mass produced without losing quality, it would be a great alternative to standard mobile homes, and for a tiny home on wheels. Kudos to all involved in creating this and filming it to share with the world. Much love and appreciation!🥰

[GetUnrealistic]

This is absolutely stunning! Kristen, thank you for these stories. They are inspirational to us all.

[constancewalsh]

The element unmentioned yet without which anything would 'work' is beauty, Beauty, beauty, beauty! Outside, inside, everywhere, the senses encounter beauty. Natural beauty, environmental, above and below, and added to it the meticulous attention to materials, to scale, to form and function - all beauty. Thank you!!

[trisnaekowiyatnikawaii]

This man is a genius and a humble human being. He has created every inch of his tiny house intentionally. His beautiful work reflects as much as his beautiful personality.

[loriturner]

I just LOVE how so many elements were brought together on this property! They have integrated the things important to them into such a functional, beautiful system of living. Very inspiring to see what it can look like!

[sugarbomb]

I'm blown away! Thank you for giving the garden some attention as I am a passionate gardener and this garden stole my heart! The mobile home looked like it perfectly belonged in the beautiful mountain environment surrounded by fruits and vegetables.

[theweatherisaokay]

The view is breath taking, and the garden is a bonus! Wow!

[rockreader]

My mind is officially impressed. Just when I think your videos couldn't get better, you go and post a better one. Thank You, Dirksen Family. ( :

[brigettekillion]

Everything about this makes me so happy! I love what she said about not chopping everything down and just moving towards what can be while respecting the environment for what it currently is - brilliant!

[lifeislove]

This is living for ME ' What NO mansion can beat . When it comes to Tranquillity and give sanity in such magical ways.

[julieisthatart]

Your show is always amazing, but this one takes the cake, so to speak. Thank you. That all inclusive pod, could hardly even call it a tiny house, because it is so much more than that, is the very best of everything you have ever shown. It is totally functional in every way with no cuteness, but is still esthetically pleasing. I am so impressed. And, that garden, remarkable.

[Reciprocity_Soils]

Love the super adaptability of this tiny tiny house. Extreme brilliant planning and use of space. Gorgeous permaculture garden with much potential. Wonderful to hear the principles supporting a healthy garden. Thanks a lot~

[londontoportugal]

Beautifully thought out homestead. 💚 Love the permaculture element, the lady was so knowledgable about the planting. A joy to watch.

[mizfrenchtwist]

beautiful, i bet the air smells good . great share, thank you, for

[simransandhu]

Absolutely ideal living! Thank you for this beautiful video, Kirsten! ❤️

[johnransom]

Really good features. Well presented. Cudos. I wish he’d sell the unit beside the bed with all the clever storage and tables separately.