HIVEHAUS – Modular Housing Inspired by the Beehive

This unusual looking compact home is actually a modular housing system that’s been developed by Barry Jackson. The system, called HIVEHAUS, consists of a series of hexagonal units that can arranged in a variety of way to create a home, or a “Hive”.

The HIVEHAUS form is derived from the beehive – a simple repetitive structure that can be added to over and over again. Each module is just 9.3 square meters (approximately 100 square feet), and is specifically designed to serve a particular function within the home, be it an office, kitchen, lounge or bedroom.

The flexibility of the design even allows you to add or remove partitions, which a can also feature pocket doors. The space can be as open plan and airy as you like, or closed in to create cozy separate living areas.

The components of the HIVEHAUS are delivered to the site like a piece of flat pack furniture, allowing the home to be transported to remote and less accessible locations. The size of the components also means that two or three people can easily assemble the structure within a day, and without the need of machinery.

An interesting aspect of the structure: it features legs which can be adjusted to suit the slope of the site. An unusual, and innovative type of “foundation” that reinforces the systems adaptability.

We often talk about bringing the interior elements of the house to the exterior, but in the case of the HIVEHAUS the interior is literally brought outside. The living room module features a wall panel that can be swung round onto the exterior decking, wood-burning stove and all.

For more modular houses check out our very own MPOD design, or the Mihaus Studio, a modular living space lined with hemp. See all modular houses.

Via design milk
Photos: HIVEHAUS®