These prefab homes come with a view

The latest idea in compact living is a little box on top of a high-rise in the city or suburbs. Modular structures that might be placed atop flat existing buildings are already being produced in Europe.

Architect Werner Aisslinger designed an instant penthouse in a transportable 400-square-foot Loftcube (www.loftcube.net). The unit is light enough to be transported by helicopter and costs about $70,000. Including bathroom and kitchen, the price can be $173,000 to $230,000. With walls of glass, this could also be the perfect answer for a mountaintop retreat or an island hideaway.

The unit shown here is the sleek Hanse Colani Rotor House designed for young professionals who need minimal space. It began as part of an avant-garde project begun originally by design guru Luigi Colani and Hanse Haus (www.hanse-haus.de) to deal intensively with the topic of house shapes of the future. Read More