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From Lucy Krille
Moritzburg/OT Auer. When Steffen Görtzen looks at the housing estates in his area, he sees "a lot of monotony". But the Dresden native knows from his time in Baden-Württemberg that things can be different. There he saw people living on campsites or in tiny houses, for example. "I liked that," says Görtzen. When he came back to Dresden, he thought to himself that there must be a way of living here too that requires little space but still offers the advantages of village life.
The 52-year-old has been working with tiny houses for some time. "They originated in America," says Görtzen, explaining how the houses used to be attached to truck trailers. Even today, the basic idea is that you can leave with a tiny house at any time. In the Moritzburg district of Auer, however, a settlement is now to be built from which, in the best-case scenario, you won't want to leave at all.
The Dresden association "Freitraum" has its eye on an idyllic piece of green in Auer. The plot is located on Siedlerweg, far from the thoroughfare and surrounded by woodland. At present, there are still a few old bungalows on the neglected area. In the future, it is to become a respectable living space. The association already has initial plans.
Moritzburg holds out the prospect of space
The members of Freitraum envision around ten residential units. "We are currently open to all forms of development," says Görtzen. It is possible that the association could find an investor to support modular houses. Or everyone could create their own personal tiny house. "There are some amazing solutions," says Görtzen. Just like in a small vacation home, a tiny house has everything you need: a kitchenette, a bathroom and a bed, which is sometimes set up on a mezzanine floor or behind a partition wall.
He talks about circus wagons with a pull-out bay window and garden bungalows with 35 square meters of space. Some get by with even less living space and live in sea containers or in 13 square meter modular houses. What all the little houses have in common is that they do not permanently seal the ground, but are equipped with mobile foundations, if at all. This should meet with approval, especially in Auer, as the village has recurring problems with water.
Görtzen reports on the many discussions that the association has had with the local council and the municipality. Although the local council ruled out the favored leasehold agreement, it held out the prospect of selling the land last autumn if the association submitted a development plan.
Tiny house development is a "lighthouse project"
However, Freitraum is currently having the value of the land assessed, as the current land price is not realistic. The appraisal alone costs up to three thousand euros, and a further five-figure sum is likely to be due for the development plan. The association wants to draw this up in close consultation with the municipality. If everything goes well, the tiny house development in Auer would be a "flagship project", as Görtzen says. He is pleased that people are so open to Freitraum's ideas.
This is not a matter of course, as many people still have the idea of a commune full of hippies in their heads. At information events, the members make it clear that this is not the case. The association currently has around ten members, including teachers, business people and social workers. Görtzen is a microtechnologist and works in the north of Dresden, where the demand for housing is high. is likely to increase further due to the establishment of TSMC.
"But some have also dropped out again because their plans have changed in the meantime or they have found their dream apartment," says Görtzen. The members got to know each other via internet forums and founded the association during the coronavirus pandemic. The association is always on the lookout for new members, regardless of whether they want to live there or not. Steffen Görtzen is also not yet sure whether he will one day live in a house like this. "If it develops well and quickly, maybe," he says.
A neighborhood that shares
But time is playing against him. Because less space does not automatically mean less money. "At my age, I have to think about whether it's still worth it," says the 52-year-old. A large Tiny House with 50 square meters of space could cost around 125,000 euros turnkey, he estimates. The price per square meter is similar to that of a normal detached house. The requirements in terms of energy efficiency, fire protection and statics are also similarly high.
Nevertheless, you can save money with a tiny house, Görtzen is certain. After all, you can fit a lot of frills into a small space. Freitraum dreams of a neighborhood that has its own four walls, but still helps and shares with each other. For example, the party room, washing machines or tools. A solar system could supply energy and the association also wants to get involved in the local community, for example at festivals. "The focus is on the neighborhood," says Görtzen.
