Since the beginning of the housing boom of the 1950s, the size of the average North American house has steadily grown while the size of the average family has decreased. Today, a growing number of homebuyers seeking smaller, more efficient residential designs are rediscovering a centuries old housing prototype: the narrow house. Measuring twenty-five-feet wide or less, these "infill" or "skinny" houses, as they are often called, are on the rise in cities and suburbs around the world. The benefits of building small and narrow are numerous: greater land-use efficiency, less building material, fewer infrastructure costs, lower utility bills, and flexible layouts. This building type creates environmentally sensible houses that allow homeowners to live within their means. Narrow Houses presents a thorough overview of the practical considerations of designing a narrow-front home, including siting, floor arrangements, footprint, and interior and exterior finishing. The book documents twenty-eight innovative examples of narrow houses from around the world designed by today's foremost architects. Project data including floor plans and extensive interior and exterior photography demonstrate the inherent flexibility of this housing model and the many possibilities for adapting these homes to the constraints of site, climate, budget, family size, and other needs.
Dr. Avi Friedman received his Bachelor's degree in Architecture and Town Planning from the Israel Institute of Technology, his Master's Degree from McGill University, and his Doctorate from the University of Montréal. In 1988, he co-founded the Affordable Homes Program at the McGill School of Architecture where he teaches. He also holds an Honorary Professor position in Lancaster University in the U.K. Avi is known for his housing innovation and in particular for the Grow Home and Next Home designs. He is the author of 11 books and was a syndicated columnist for the CanWest Chain of daily newspapers. He is the principal of Avi Friedman Consultants Inc. and the recipient of numerous awards including the Manning Innovation Award and the World Habitat Award. In the year 2000 he was selected by Wallpaper magazine as 1 of 10 people from around the world "most likely to change the way we live."
