This small construction located in the town of Fermanville, on the west coast of France, more specifically in the Cotentin region, where waves of Vikings landed in the 9th century, was refurbished by the architectural firm FREAKS Architecture in 2017. The structure previously functioned as a concrete fishing shack built in the 50s on a rock on the beach, facing the sea. Its dimensions and ratio are exactly the same as Henry David Thoreau’s log cabin in Walden – 3 meters per 4 meters, coming a grand total of 12 squared meters, which makes it a tiny space to hold a home.
Regardless of this, and in spite of its limited dimensions, which could not be changed due to the existing regulations concerning buildings in this area of the French coast, the architectural firm took the utmost advantage of every inch of space available. The result is a completely minimalist space where the furnishings are simply what is needed, and where the height of the ceiling has been exploited to create an additional level – a mezzanine – to hold the bedroom. Large glass windows have been installed, which allow natural light to seep in and make the space brighter, as well as allow the views from the outside to be admired from within.