In her just-released book, Big Little House, award-winning architect Donna Kacmar introduces 20 real-life examples of small houses. Less than 1,000 square feet each, these projects reveal attitudes toward materiality, light, enclosure and accommodation that are unique to minimal dwellings.

Even though small dwellings are part of a trend to address concerns about minimizing consumption and lack of affordable housing, they are not always simply the result of budget constraints. Instead, they constitute a deliberate design strategy in their own right.

This lecture explores the challenges architects face when designing dwelling spaces of a limited size, and what these projects say about architecture — and architectural principles — in general.

A reception and book signing follow the talk.