Live Life On The Edge In One Of These Amazing Cliff-Side 'Nests'

With a new trend for ‘vertical housing’ taking shape as buildable land becomes increasingly scarce, these incredible Nestinbox designs from Swedish firm Manofactory could be an inventive way to create more affordable housing. But would you be brave enough for sky-high living?

Cliff edges might not be an obvious choice of prime real estate, but these tiny homes inspired by nesting boxes for birds demonstrate that this kind of dwelling could be a viable option as the property market skyrockets and affordable housing becomes increasingly unattainable.

The Nestinbox is sophisticated and stylish despite its compact 50 square-metre size. The homes are designed for one or two people to share, with living accommodation spread over three floors. The main living space comes with a kitchen and dining zone, plus there’s a spacious bedroom with a small office room that can be used as a home study, studio or kid’s bedroom.

The spiral staircase – a nice design feature while also space saving – leads to the light-filled upper floors. Cleverly, two of the four sides of the structure don’t have windows so that additional modules can be added either side at a later stage as a family grows.

Architects Michel Silverstorm, Elisabetta Gabrielli, and Pontus Öhman have designed the Nestinbox to be mounted into the cliff’s wall to ensure it’s totally secure, with a sloping roof to clear off any rainwater or snow, plus a footbridge that runs between the rear of the dwellings and the cliff face, to allow people to enter the properties safely.

A palette of neutral materials has been used, following the bird-box concept, with a mix of dark and light wood being used for the exterior cladding. Timber has also been used on the interior, adding warmth to the space, plus the interiors have a minimalist and spacious feel, due to clever space-saving design.

To find out more about the Nestinbox concept, click here.

About the author

Charlotte Luxford

Architecture & Design Editor

As Culture Trip's architecture and design expert, Charlotte has more than 12 years' industry experience, working for an array of national publications. Prior to joining Culture Trip, Charlotte was the editor of Grand Designs Magazine, steering the magazine in a new direction and overseeing a new look for the title. She has also worked for mass media organisation TI Media, providing content for Livingetc, Ideal Home, Country Homes & Interiors and Homes & Gardens. Charlotte has always had a passion for design and is also a qualified interior designer, having completed a diploma in her spare time. At Culture Trip, Charlotte has worked closely with institutions including the Design Museum and London Design Festival, as well as interviewing design heroes such as Thomas Heatherwick and Sir Terence Conran.