Recently New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg announced a contest to come up with a building with so-called “micro units” — apartments of around 250 to 300 square feet. Presently the city’s codes do not permit apartments under 400 square feet. The rivalry is in response to changing demographics in the city, largely the increase in a single- and – two-person families; 1.8 million individuals fit this demographic, but just 1 million apartments serve their requirements. By supplying smaller components, the town hopes to make it even more affordable for couples and singles. San Francisco is also considering shrinking the minimum dimensions of rental apartments to 220 square feet.
Update: See the winner of the New York contest
But how can one or two people adequately live in 300 square feet or less? My first flat in Chicago was roughly 200 square feet (known as an efficiency apartment — basically one room serving as living and kitchen area, using a walk-in-closet and a bath), but I lived there just one year, and then I could afford a bigger area. In new york, rents are so high that individuals may live from the micro components, once realized and allowed by law, to get a little longer. Making the flat perform a lot in a small space is so important. This ideabook looks at a few smallish apartments to see what lessons can be learned for micro living.
General Assembly
This home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, was remodeled with General Assembly for a household not ready to enlarge. The small living area works for cooking, eating and lounging. These functions are clearly demarcated from the L-shaped space, however the bounds between are available. This is not unique to small homes, but it’s carried out rather efficiently here.
On the left is the relaxing area with a couch, a coffee table, a seat and storage, while the small kitchen is on the right, helping the dining area (shown in the next photograph). The kitchen is crucial, since it’s accessible on either side and contains storage that’s also accessible from different sides. (Note the shallow shelves onto the staircase in the ideal foreground.)
General Assembly
This view appears from the seating area supporting the dining area, which includes built-in seats before a bay window. Note how the stepped ceiling additionally will help demarcate various zones, including some height into the living room.
General Assembly
This open-plan living area is so small that the refrigerator and shelves buttocks up against the dining area. Yet what is well worth carrying here is the way the built in seating next to the refrigerator becomes a visual extension of the kitchen cabinets. The extra seating removes what would have been an embarrassing bump-out for the refrigerator, turning the dining and kitchen areas to a unified space.
General Assembly
On the other side of this kitchen is accessibility to the remainder of the home. The open shelves suspended from the ceiling include storage while allowing light and views throughout the space.
Another job by General Assembly focuses on an integrated wall of storage which hides plenty. The custom cabinetry is tailored to the owner’s many possessions, meaning that the sewing machine has its place having a rolling base. The hardware on the left side means something must be hidden behind the surface.
A drop-down desk enables the room to be utilized as a small home office. But that is not all.
Fold the desk up and the space becomes a bedroom. Murphy beds are great for smaller apartments and will probably be a requirement for people moving into New York City’s miniature units.
vgzarquitectura y diseño sc
This flat in Mexico City by vgz(a) does a lot with its square footage. The living area is not small, but it feels larger than it’s since the wall between the living room and the bedroom is visually open. Horizontal slats give a feeling of enclosure while letting light filter from one space to another.
vgzarquitectura y diseño sc
The bedroom is just steps away from the kitchen, but that closeness is readily overcome …
vgzarquitectura y diseño sc
… by sliding the patterned glass wall closed. Like the slatted wall, this sliding wall lets a few light reach the kitchen throughout the bedroom. It also presents an interesting image of character when the viewer is in the kitchen, much removed from the real thing.
vgzarquitectura y diseño sc
Looking out of the bedroom door/wall into the window, one thing stands out: the tall timber cabinetry behind and towards the side of the mattress.
vgzarquitectura y diseño sc
Not a closet, it’s also a Murphy bed. I could see this flat doubling as a home office. The character of this space is fitting for an office in addition to a bedroom.
vgzarquitectura y diseño sc
One final bit in this Mexico City flat would be your swivel stand for your flat-panel tv. I think this is great, meaning just one TV is necessary to serve the living room and the bedroom. In a small flat, one won’t have to see in both chambers at the identical time, therefore this sort of flexibility makes a great deal of sense.
Gut Gut
Last is this flat in Bratislava, Slovakia, by Gut Gut. The character of the existing space is very raw, with painted brick and a scalloped concrete ceiling. The interior design doesn’t try to compete with this specific circumstance, rather fitting as much as possible within the space. Note the shelving to the ideal cut to the brick wall (click picture to see full view).
Gut Gut
The kitchen has a lovely blue countertop under a window. The tall shelves on the left offer plenty of storage yet allow light throughout the space (recall the very first instance doing something like a smaller scale).
See more of this home
More innovative homes of 500 square feet or less:
Efficient Manhattan Studio
500-Square-Foot Charmer in Santa Cruz
Industrial Minihouse in Seattle
Mobile Microliving in Oregon
Tiny Fold-Out Apartment in Barcelona
Ingenious Garage Makeover in Bordeaux
