autoevolution
 

This Cube Called the Birdbox Is the iPhone of Prefab Cabins

Like most things in life, downsizing means something different for everyone. Those who understand downsizing as a necessary reconnection with nature will probably find the Birdbox one of the most appealing downsizing / alternative housing solutions out there.
This tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the Birdbox 36 photos
Photo: Livit (Composite)
This tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the BirdboxThis tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the Birdbox
The Birdbox has nothing in common with the 2018 insanely successful Netflix horror, except the name. This is no post-apocalyptic scenario, but a prefabricated cabin that can be easily moved around from location to location, without leaving a single trace on the surrounding environment.

A product of Norwegian company Livit, the Birdbox is meant to encourage a re-immersion in nature, while providing a high degree of comfort and protection from the elements regardless of how remote the location. It’s a tiny cube with three large windows on three sides, hiding a very compact but cozy space where you can rest and take in the spectacular views.

There is no denying that the 2020 international health crisis brought a major shift in perspective and habits for most people. The current economic crisis only piles on that, serving as an extra motivator for those already considering a transition to a downsized, perhaps mobile lifestyle. Put differently, when you can live with less stuff and work from home, why not make home wherever you want?

This tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the Birdbox
Photo: Livit
The Birdbox was well ahead of all this, including the more recent surge in popularity of prefab homes and pop-up shelters. It’s a mobile unit, but not in the sense that you can simply plop it on a trailer to move it to the next location. Neither does it have its own wheels for you to tow it. Instead, the Birdbox is lightweight and self-contained that doesn’t require extra assembly on-site, so you can move it around by helicopter.

The downside to that is, obviously, that you have to be able to afford renting a helicopter, but the upside is that you can put it pretty much anywhere, on the condition that you’re allowed to. As of the time of press, Livit has eight such cabins plopped in some of the most picturesque and isolated regions of Norway, overlooking spectacular mountain ridges, fjords, and the kind of scenery that’s bound to get you feeling like you’re one again with Mother Nature. They provide a bird’s eye view, hence their name.

Livit calls the Birdbox “the iPhone among cabins,” and it means that in a very obvious way. This cabin is very sleek and decidedly futuristic on the outside, but it’s also tough and zero-maintenance. Made of water-resistant composite panels, each unit comes with an insulated interior and black-tinted insulated glass windows. It sits on adjustable pegs, which favor location even on uneven ground and, more importantly, allow relocation without leaving a trace behind. According to Livit, they’ve been tested extensively and have performed excellently in below-zero temperatures and high winds.

This tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the Birdbox
Photo: Livit
“We wanted to create a product that could enable unique experiences with a minimal footprint,” Torstein Aa, the designer of Birdbox and co-founder of Livit, said a while back, highlighting the “reversible impact on nature.”

The interior is too compact to make this cabin suitable for long-term living, and only fits an oversize bed, a couple of lounge chairs, and a small table or two. Most fabrics used are wool, which is in keeping with the company’s pledge for a sustainable shelter and also very practical considering the location.

The eight cabins now available as rental units in Norway come with separate bathrooms, either a shack-like structure with the basics (composting toilet and small sink) or a Birdbox bathroom, which is also insulated and matches the cabin in style. They’re part of a trend the company calls #Birdboxing, and are very popular with influencers and vloggers, tourists, and adventurers of all kinds.

At some point in 2020, Livit also planned on selling Birdbox units, either with a matching bathroom or as standalone units with functionality as vacation retreats or rentals. To that end, it offered two models of the cabin: the Mini and the Medi, both delivered as turnkey units with minimalist, sustainable and elegant interiors. The Mini was 76 square feet (7 square meters), while the Medi was larger, at 131 square feet (12.2 square meters), and both could be fitted with optional solar panels, including on the accompanying Birdbox bathroom structure.

This tiny cube is actually a prefab cabin called the Birdbox
Photo: Livit
You know what they say about humans making plans and God having a laugh at their expense, because it doesn’t look like this Livit plan ever got off the ground. The Birdboxing experience is still available and the company is still making these units for its own network of rentals, but it’s no longer in the business of selling them to others.

In other words, if you wish to experience the bird’s eye view from a Birdbox yourself, your best chance is by booking a flight to Norway.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories