Estonian company creates a tiny floating house that moves with its owners

Kodasema, an Estonian design firm, develops tiny homes that move with their owners and can be assembled and taken apart in one day, allowing them to easily be transported.

Made primarily of concrete, the portable KODA prototype is constructed with factory-made components selected for their strength and energy efficient properties. Its sturdy structure allows the tiny home to be assembled on different surfaces without the need for foundations. Quadruple glazing and vacuum-insulated concrete walls minimize energy demands and help maintain a comfortable internal temperature. All finishing materials are non-toxic. The homes are modular and can be connected to create a larger living space.

The firm's latest model, a 278-square-foot structure that sits on a floating pontoon, can be built on both water and land.

The concept of a floating tiny home is a bit ahead of its time, said Birgit Linnamäe, the firm's CEO.

"The whole construction and housing industry have become too rigid," she told Business Insider. "The legislative settings for floating homes in different European countries are not quite in place."

The company wants to take matters into its own hands by producing homes designed for the masses.

The firm's designer, Ülar Mark, said he envisioned the homes being manufactured in bulk, like cars. The design, he said, is a blank canvas on which people can project their taste.

The company has built an entire village of tiny homes in Estonia and is putting the finishing touches on Koda Park, a mixed-use community with its own solar technology and wastewater-treatment system.

Linnamäe said the development, which can be built on vacant lots, doesn't require heavy permitting.

Kodasema's floating model starts at $55,000, but the price varies depending on the materials, hardware, and location.

The company has garnered interest from around the world in places like the Gulf, New Zealand, Africa, and North and South America and has delivered models in Norway, Germany, and the UK.

For more information, check Kodasema's website here.

design, sustainability