NEW HOUSING successfully evolves into a platform for industry professionals and homebuilders alike (short version)

NEW HOUSING, organised by Messe Karlsruhe, has further expanded its role as Europe’s leading event for small-scale housing. At its seventh edition, held from 26 to 28 June, the new Business Day marked a strategic step towards becoming a business platform for investors, local authorities and leisure operators, without neglecting the tried-and-tested and popular character of the Tiny House Festival.

“Tiny houses, modular homes and the like have long been lucrative for investors and the leisure sector too. Tiny-house communities are springing up in many local authorities across Germany and Europe, presenting interesting economic opportunities. At the campsite in Karlsruhe-Durlach, for example, the first tiny house was recently put up for rent following a trial period. We heard this clearly during our panel discussion on campsites and tiny houses. NEW HOUSING is Europe’s leading platform for small-scale housing and compact living, and is responding to this trend accordingly. The Business Day and the further development of the event were a step in the right strategic direction. Both demonstrate that, now more than ever, Karlsruhe remains the centre of Europe’s tiny house movement,” says Britta Wirtz, Managing Director of Messe Karlsruhe

Business Day: Concept Proves Successful

The Business Day provided an exclusive platform for investment models, planning permission procedures and operational concepts. More than 120 participants from 13 countries – including the USA, Switzerland, Estonia and the Netherlands – representing local authorities, project development, tourism and the capital markets, used the format for in-depth discussions and to initiate projects. Exclusive investment projects and a self-guided tour were also on offer.

Running in parallel, the Tiny House Festival showcased the full spectrum of small-scale living over three days, featuring – for the first time – nearly 100 exhibitors from 13 countries and almost 40 different houses. The fact that the topic is generating great interest among both investors and private individuals was also evident from the fact that, despite record-breaking heat, around 6,000 visitors made their way to Messe Karlsruhe.

Accessible house

A particular crowd-puller was the BOSCH Health Campus’s tiny house, built by Schwarzwald Tiny and making its world debut at NEW HOUSING. The house is accessible and designed so that people requiring care can live in it and be looked after.

The workshops were almost fully booked. The Tiny Talks were consistently very well attended. Topics such as short-term lettings, planning permission procedures, eco-friendly construction methods, financing and self-sufficient energy concepts met the community’s high demand for information. It became clear that, alongside inspiration, those interested are primarily seeking reliable information and economic prospects for their own projects.

By combining a specialist platform with a public festival, NEW HOUSING has further cemented its role as a key industry event. The next NEW HOUSING will take place from 25 to 27 June 2027.