A Tiny Denmark?
Translated title
A Tiny Denmark?: A framework for tiny housing as a sustainable niche to reach transition
Author
Jensen, Malene Munk
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2020
Submitted on
2020-02-18
Abstract
This thesis examines why tiny housing, despite its potential as a sustainable housing solution, remains marginal in Denmark and how the niche could achieve broader uptake. Grounded in transition theory (Multi-Level Perspective) and Strategic Niche Management, the study applies a qualitative design combining a literature review, semi-structured interviews, and analyses of local projects across rural, suburban, and urban contexts. The analysis identifies significant legal and bureaucratic barriers—tiny homes are often not recognized as lawful permanent dwellings—alongside a lack of an organizational framework and limited space for housing experimentation. The movement is largely driven by grassroots actors, while regime-embedded actors are beginning to integrate smaller units to improve affordability. Crucially, tiny housing is more than reduced floor area; it embodies values, norms, and practices. Findings point to a pathway through alignment with established eco-village and co-housing networks (e.g., as sub-categories), adaptation to ecological building methods, and development within larger community projects, supported by a governance strategy in which actors co-define policy frameworks that government can more readily adopt. The most impactful transition pathways are diffusion through proactive replication and up-scaling.
Specialet undersøger, hvorfor tiny housing, trods sit potentiale som bæredygtig boligløsning, kun i begrænset omfang er til stede i Danmark, og hvordan denne niche kan nå bredere udbredelse. Med afsæt i overgangsteori (Multi-Level Perspective) og strategisk nicheforvaltning anvender studiet en kvalitativ tilgang med litteraturstudie og semistrukturerede interviews samt analyser af lokale projekter på land, i forstæder og i byområder. Analysen peger på, at tiny housing møder væsentlige juridiske og bureaukratiske barrierer, herunder at det ofte ikke anerkendes som lovlig helårsbolig, samtidig med at bevægelsen primært bæres af græsrødder uden en samlet organisatorisk ramme og i et dansk boligmarked med begrænset plads til eksperimenter. Samtidig begynder aktører i det etablerede system at arbejde med mindre boliger for at styrke betalelighed, men tiny housing repræsenterer mere end kvadratmetre: det er en værdibåret praksis og livsform. Fundene peger på en vej frem gennem kobling til eksisterende øko- og bofællesskabsnetværk (fx som underkategorier), tilpasning til økologiske byggemetoder og større fællesskabsprojekter, samt en governance-tilgang, hvor aktører formulerer politikrammer, myndigheder lettere kan understøtte. De mest virkningsfulde veje til transition vurderes at være diffusion via aktiv replikering og opskalering.
[This apstract has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project full text]
Keywords