- Designer Yves Béhar has created a new line of prefabricated tiny homes that range from 250 to 1,200 square feet.
- The designs are being touted as a possible solution to the affordable housing crisis in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
- The "backyard units" cost around $280,000, but Béhar plan to develop a similar, more affordable model.
Designer Yves Béhar has shepherded along countless products, from laptops and bluetooth headsets to juicers and soda machines. His San Francisco-based design firm, fuseproject, is known for items like SNOO, a robotic bassinet, and Jambox, a speaker that was once seen as America's favorite.
Throughout his extensive career, Béhar has worked with companies like Prada and befriended celebrities like Kanye West. He's co-founded a smart-lock company, August, and a co-working space called Canopy in San Francisco. He even has his own permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art.
When Béhar attaches himself to a project, it's safe to assume that it represents the future of design in one form or another.
It comes as no surprise, then, that his latest venture is a line of prefabricated tiny homes that range from 250 to 1,200 square feet.
The idea was inspired by new laws in California that promote the development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), or small, secondary units located on a residential property. The most recent legislation, which went into effect in January, reduces parking requirements and allows ADUs to be built in single-family zoning districts.
Read more: These 3D-printed homes can be built for less than $4,000 in just 24 hours
Béhar touts his new homes as a way to increase housing stock in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, which are undergoing a housing affordability crisis.
"The best approach to adding density in California is to build on existing land," he said.
Take a look at his vision for the future of housing.