Eindhoven is the largest of Minitopia's sites. It has space for 100 homes. Samira Kafala for BI

Living large in tiny homes

Inside the Dutch tiny home villages of Minitopia, where residents are trading mortgages for autonomy.

Eindhoven is the largest of Minitopia's sites. It has space for 100 homes. Samira Kafala for BI

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2026-05-02T09:30:01.303Z

Before I first set foot inside a tiny home , I assumed people only lived in them out of necessity. I had imagined they were a last resort for people priced out of traditional housing.

I began to question my assumption, however, during the three days in February I spent visiting Dutch tiny-home villages.

The villages are three of five sites across the southern Netherlands run by the Minitopia Foundation, which works with local municipalities to transform derelict land into tiny-home communities.…