By Leanna Garfield

Students at Rural Studio, Auburn University's architectural design program, built two cottages with raw materials that cost just $14,000 each in early 2016. Located at Serenbe, a 500-person community in northwestern Georgia, the 500-square-foot homes are used to house resident artists. The Rural Studio team calls them the "20K Homes," and hopes they can become a model for building houses that are both beautiful and affordable.

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