GlamBOX: In This Rustic Tiny House, the Master Bed Is the Only One With Wheels

We’ve covered countless tiny homes here on autoevolution, as a means to offer an insight into the possibilities and, more importantly, limitations of life on the road and the trend of downsizing slash living intentionally. This is also a tiny home of sorts, with the very important exception that it’s neither available for purchase nor mobile.

It’s called GlamBOX, and it’s actually a cross between a tiny home, a mountain cabin, and a glamping establishment. It could be the perfect way to sample the downsized, minimalist life while also reconnecting with nature, working remotely in the most idyllic location, or simply taking some time off to experience the local cuisine and landscape.

Located in the Ligurian Alps, in Garessio, a small town close to Sanremo, in Italy (hat tip to New Atlas), the GlamBOX can sleep four people in comfort. It’s the very definition of minimalist, being built from locally-sourced chestnut timber, with large, wall-like, sliding wooden doors and oversize glazing. Designed by architecture firm Officina82, it aims to be environmentally-friendly and as minimally intrusive as possible. By offering the possibility to open it up to the environment completely, designers also aim to make the glamping experience an immersive one.

Offering just 15 square meters (161 square feet) of floorspace, GlamBOX has a master bedroom area on the ground level and a loft upstairs with two more single beds, for a total of four sleeping berths. The bathroom and a small living or office area are also available on the ground floor, and the loft can be repurposed depending on the needs of each guest. The interior is spartan almost: besides the beds and the metal staircase and the fixtures in the bathroom, all you get are smooth, warm wooden surfaces and excellent views of the great outdoors.

The highest selling point of this micro-cabin is that, while it has no wheels to move around (since it’s a glamping establishment, it doesn’t need to), it does have a master bed with wheels on it. Put it differently, guests can roll the bed onto the massive deck area and sleep under the stars if they so desire, and the weather allows for it.

Two other cabins are located nearby, and there’s also a wooden hot tub. They’re all part of the Selucente glamping experience, which also includes several curated experiences that can help guests get a better taste of life in the area. For instance, there are hiking tours and biking tours available, and guests can also order in-room meals or serve appetizers by the hot tub. All ingredients are from local producers, and there is no option to throw together a quick meal in the cabin’s kitchen – because there is no kitchen there to speak of.

Granted, tiny living is not for everyone – and it’s not just because of the prohibitive pricing on turnkey units. Different zoning regulations and the very idea of downsizing can work against one’s earnest desire to minimize their impact and reduce costs while also enjoying life on the road.

This micro-cabin is not a tiny house per se, but it does offer a taste of what tiny living could imply. It can also serve as an alternative to regular camping and offer a most relaxing vacation, enjoying nature without sacrifice to comfort. The caveat is that you travel to Italy to experience it: the same media outlet notes that nightly prices start at €190, which is roughly $215 at the current exchange rate.