Everything had to begin somewhere. And most times, those beginnings are often of a much earlier origin than we would expect. For example, you may think using OMG to mean “Oh my God” is a relatively recent invention born from shorthand texting lingo. But the first documented use of OMG as we use it today actually dates all the way back to 1917, when Lord Fisher used it in a letter to Winston Churchill.
Pre-fabricated houses and buildings offer another example of unexpectedly early origins. Prefab structures, which have recently begun to grow in popularity, can be traced back to the Vikings, who brought over partially constructed structures to then put together and use as housing in recently invaded lands.
The recent tiny house craze is another example that dates back far earlier than the recent spate of reality shows on the topic suggest. Just how early? How about all the way back to the ancient Chinese Taoists who lived in mountain caves and the Desert Fathers of third century Christianity, Curbed reports. Hermits were the first people to downsize to remote, minimalist living spaces.
While today’s tiny house movement may more often be based on fads and hipsters being hipsters as opposed to the reasons hermits had for their minimalist living, the fact remains, tiny house living has been around for centuries.
Advertisement
Related Stories
Construction
Prefab ADUs: A Rising Trend in Affordable Housing and Off-Site Construction Solutions
Factory-built accessory dwelling units use off-site construction methods to provide housing at a time when affordability and a shortage of homes have made housing less attainable for Americans
Comfort + Health
Tiny Home Community Offers Safe, Affordable Homes With Mental Health Support
Garman Homes is creating a community of affordable housing in collaboration with nonprofit social work agency XDS and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Affordability
As Housing Costs Rise, Millennial Buyers Turn to ADUs
Accessory dwelling units offer a compact, affordable, and energy-efficient alternative to traditional single-family housing
