Five Texas tiny houses that "challenge and reproduce" the American Dream mythology

A recent book focused on the tiny home trend in Texas, theorises what the explosion of micro-domiciles means for contemporary American class politics and economics. Here the author select five projects from the book.

Spurred on by a 2015 conference in London called New Ideas for Housing, researchers Ella Harris, Mel Nowicki and Tim White were interested in shrinking domestic space in the industrialised countries. This led them to the "epicentre of the tiny house movement" of the 2010s, the United States.

The team chose Austin as their object of study, given the large typical footprint of Texas houses and the rapid growth of the city, driven by a tech-sector migration that has forced residents to find new places to live in the periphery. The phenomenon has gone from trend to necessity.

Unaffordable cities

"In the midst of an escalating affordability crisis, a number of tiny house developments have been built on the city's periphery and surrounding counties," White told Dezeen.

"Whilst initially tiny homes were occupied by people who really bought into the lifestyle, we found that many now end up in these homes due to a lack of affordable options in big cities."

Along with photographer Cian Oba-Smith, the team travelled to Austin, documenting the lives of people living in these communities. This research and documentation led to the publishing of Reconstructing the American Dream: Life Inside the Tiny House Nation.

The tiny homes have allowed for autonomy and creative solutions, according to the researchers, but also illustrate deep inequities in the housing system and an increasing strain on cities.

"We found that tiny housing simultaneously challenges and reproduces the mythology of the American Dream," said White, who added that the homes allow people to explore forms of living and lighten the workloads required for making rent under traditional housing models.

"It has enabled people to contest the 'bigger is better' drive for material accumulation so central to the American Dream – the myth that the bigger the home, the fancier the car, the more possessions you have, the happier you will be."

"Diminutive version of the American Dream"

But there are caveats.

"Tiny housing represents a diminished and diminutive version of the American Dream in an era of crisis," continued White.

The researchers also examined the difference between so-called tiny homes and a similar, older form of housing – the trailer park.

"We were surprised by how much of a distinction is drawn between trailer parks and tiny homes, when the differences are largely aesthetic," said White.

"Tiny housing risks directly infringing on mobile home and trailer parks as a final bastion of affordable housing for low-income Americans, as landowners increasingly cash in on the opportunity to replace existing residents with the higher-paying clientele buying into the tiny house movement," he continued.

"An initial flick through it might look similar to the photography books that valorize tiny living, but as you read you'll see our approach is somewhat different. Our attempt has been to explore the 'real' Tiny House Nation. Not to attack it, not to deny its beneficial impacts for a huge number of people, but to inject some nuance into the debate so that we can take forward the positives of tiny living without normalizing the negatives," he added.

"Tiny housing can be highly liberating for some people. But for others, it's very much a reflection of what is being taken away from us."

Read on for five case studies from the book.

Pure Salvage, Luling

"Pure Salvage is a 43-acre site on interstate land. Entering the large metal gates is like stepping into a different universe, created single-handedly by its owner, Brad."

"There are around 10 tiny homes on-site. Brad has built all of them by hand, almost entirely by himself, largely using salvaged materials from homes and barns across Texas. They are inarguably impressive, crafted from beautiful old woods, reclaimed stained glasses and antique features and fittings, from engraved door knobs to stunning ceramic tiles."

"The slightly jaunty angles of their walls, floors and porches are a testament to Brad's Do-It-Yourself approach to even the most complex of jobs. Despite their ad-hoc appearance, they function perfectly, most of them complete with flushing toilets and hot water. Also on the site is a 6,000-square-foot warehouse full of salvaged materials – enough to build a whole village of homes."

Granite Lake, Kingsland

"Granite Lake is an 11.7-acre site in Kingsland, Texas Hill Country – a 1.5-hour drive from downtown Austin. It is centred around a four-acre, man-made lake teeming with large-mouth bass and mussels. For its proprietors and live-in landlords, Mike and Lisa, tiny housing is being harnessed as not only a housing solution but also an entrepreneurial opportunity."

"Lisa uses the site to exhibit Platinum Cottages as she steps into the business of tiny home sales. Mike owns the site and runs the vacation rentals. There are also two long-term residents, both older single women, who live in tiny houses on-site."

"When we assembled by the lake in the late evening Texan sun, it was clear that they were an incredibly close unit that had found genuine pleasure and fulfilment from this unconventional way of living together."

Boxwood, Kingsland

"Boxwood sits on a small tract of land in Kingsland not far from Granite Lake, and has two rows of relatively upmarket tiny homes separated by a few metres – some stacked high with large terraces, others low to the ground with extended porches."

"Residents of Boxwood must bring their own tiny home to the plots here. One is a primary school teacher in her 30s who moved to Boxwood and started a job in Kingsland after being priced out of Austin. She enjoys her new home, but isn't so convinced about the politics of her new neighbourhood – a typically Texan conservative stronghold. Being gay, she feels somewhat out of place here."

"A woman in her 50s shares her home with a three-legged cat named Garfield. For her, the tiny home was an opportunity to downsize and free up liquidity as she semi-retires, giving her time and money for travelling. Having spent many years working long hours in a hospital, tiny living has enabled her to cut down to two 12-hour shifts per week."

Village Farm, Austin

"Eight miles east of downtown Austin, Village Farm forms part of a vast, sprawling 30-acre site divided between sections for RVs, trailers and, most recently, tiny homes. The land was originally a large working farm, but in the 2010s the landowner sold it to a holiday resort conglomerate."

"When the land was sold, they fought to keep at least some of the farm running. Village Farm harnesses this feature to promote itself as an ‘agrihood', boasting a sustainable, community-centred lifestyle. Its website encourages prospective residents to 'cultivate a life where every day is an opportunity to live sustainably, joyfully, and in harmony with the earth.'"

"Residents must buy their tiny home via Village Farm, and when we first visited in 2022 the cheapest homes were upwards of $150,000. With ground rent included, most tiny home dwellers at Village Farm were paying around $1,700 per month. A 'community fee' includes the upkeep of on-site services and events. Not all of the tiny homes are occupied by permanent residents, with several rented out on Airbnb."

Community First!, Austin

"Literally across the road from Village Farm is Community First!, a 'homeless village' established by Christian missionaries. With 500 colourful tiny homes and RVs across 51 acres – and counting – it's a huge endeavour."

"It took many years to secure approval on a site due to furious backlash from local residents, pushing the project further and further out of city limits. Although peripheral and lacking in public transport, the site benefited from the lack of zoning laws that had enabled local residents to stop the village from going ahead in other places."

"Rent at Village Farm averages $385 a month, and two-thirds of the tiny homes have no indoor plumbing, relying on communal toilets and kitchens. Residents are given the opportunity to take up jobs in the village such as working as gardeners or in the cafe."

"Although it is highly optimistic in its approach, and marketing, Community First! is far from without its challenges. The mortality rate at Community First! is a reminder of the brutal hardship faced by many of its occupants. Nonetheless, the aims of the village, to provide holistic, long-term support for its residents, remain central to the Community First! project."

The photography is by Cian Oba-Smith

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