Skinny houses become more popular day by day and it’s obvious that they have a warm appeal. Because of the dense urban areas, architects struggle with difficult design parameters in these spaces. Although the difficulties, they often create individual, sensitive spaces that can lead to innovative, playful, and even inspiring results.
The Keret House – Jakub Szczesny
Polish architect Jakub Szczesny claims to have built the world’s narrowest house, just 122 centimeters across at its widest point. Keret House is the installation art in the form of an insert in between two existing buildings
The Keret House will serve indefinitely as a temporary home for traveling writers, starting with Israeli writer Etgar Keret. The house itself is 72 centimeters at the narrowest and 122 centimeters at the widest point.
With just 46 square feet of floor space and a world record for narrowness under its name, the Keret House manages to fit a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a two-beverage refrigerator in the span of three floors. In 2019, it was named one of the most iconic houses in the world and included on a list of international projects honored by the architecture portal Iconic Houses
La Estrecha House. Valencia, Spain
La Estrecha House in Valencia, Spain, is known for having an incredibly narrow front, measuring only 107 centimeters (42 inches) wide. It’s one of the skinniest buildings in Europe and maybe even the world. Originally built as a family home with five floors in Plaza Lope de Vega, it had a jewelry shop on the ground floor and living spaces above.
Despite changes in the 1980s that connected it to a nearby restaurant, the building still looks separate, keeping its own front door and remaining a fascinating example of unique architecture.