Micro-houses are popping up like mushrooms recently. People deciding that they do not need a lot of space to be comfortable are outdoing even IKEA as it comes to practically decorating the place, incorporating all the basic needs and still making it nice and cosy. A Portuguese company took it a step further, by designing a micro-house called Ecocubo made with locally available and environmentally friendly materials, namely wood and cork.

The Ecocubo (also written Eco3) is a tiny portable home, made from cork and wood, locally sourced in Portugal. Cork, a natural material, is an excellent thermal and acoustic insulation. The house is prefabricated off-site, so it can be constructed quickly, in about two weeks to build. The portable homes are installed on a raised foundation and are designed for minimal impact on the landscape.

The micro-house is available in three models ranging from 9 square metres (97 square feet) to 16 square metres (172 square feet). Despite the small surfaces, the houses contain all the basic essentials, such as a sleeping area, kitchen, and bathroom.

Multifunctional furniture can transform the living area into a bedroom in a manner of minutes. The house can be customised to the homeowner’s needs and the demands of the site with the potential for off-grid capability, making each of them unique.

The houses are intended to blend in with nature, making it suitable for ecotourism.

Photos: Ecocubo (via Inhabitat)