Small houses are no longer synonymous with cheap houses and lack of privilege. Instead, they symbolize a range of culturally coded values: compactness, efficiency, discrimination, discreteness, minimalism. Opening with a detailed exploration of the social and historical background behind compact housing in the twentieth century, this book goes on to feature thirty-seven illustrated case studies that represent some of the best examples of small houses built worldwide within the past decade. Plan areas range from 75 to 1600 square feet and each project embodies a particular design approach. The case studies are organized into three chapters-Rural Retreats; Urban and Suburban Bases; and Small Clusters and Multiples-and include work by such architects as Toyo Ito, Herzog and de Meuron, Simon Ungers, Enric Miralles, LOT/EK, and Kazuyo Sejima. The book includes over 300 full-color photographs illustrating the houses' interiors and exteriors as well as detailed plans.