As modern cities grow more densely populated and available living space shrinks correspondingly, ensuring that space is maximized to its full potential is essential. One proposal for making the most of the space we have comes via Thailand-based company Apostrophe's Living in the City housing unit.
The Living in the City prototype is still very much that – a prototype – and therefore shouldn't be considered a viable ready-for-market solution yet. However, by shoehorning two main floors, two mezzanines, and a vertical garden into a physical footprint of just 97 sq m (1,044 sq ft), it certainly provides food for thought.
In all, the unit features a kitchen and dining area, living room, a multi-purpose area, wardrobe, master bedroom, a vertical garden, and a loft which could be used as an office, or perhaps an additional bedroom.
Much of the furniture within Living in the City serves dual purposes, with the stairs doubling as shelves, for example, while a wall section also folds down into a working desk. The layout features few interior walls, with mesh floors and open-plan areas helping to impart a feeling of more space than is actually available.
The architects also pay a degree of attention to accessibility needs, as the ground floor sports safety handrails, ramps, and room to maneuver a wheelchair. However, these features are consigned to the ground floor only, so we'd be hard-pressed to cite the unit as a boon for people with mobility issues.
Source: Apostrophy's via TreeHugger