The space we live in, reduced to a minimum, has been fascinating us for generations – the writer Thoreau lived in a self-built hut in the forest from 1845 –1847. In 1952, Le Corbusier built a hut at the Côte d'Azur for himself and his wife. Inspired by this, Urs Peter Flückiger, together with his students, built an ecologically and economically sustainable cabin in the Texan prairie. All three projects share the idea of minimal space and its relationship with the surrounding nature. In text, drawings, and photographs, this book analyses the three projects and shows parallels and similarities. Inspired by Tolstoy’s story How Much Land Does A Man Need?, the author asks: "How much house does a man need?", thereby providing a pointed contribution to the current discussion on the requirement for housing.