Tiny Houses

Clever features turn cozy loft into comfortable workspace

Clever features turn cozy loft into comfortable workspace
The Zoku Loft is aimed at combining hybrid-living with compact-living
The Zoku Loft is aimed at combining hybrid-living with compact-living
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The Zoku Loft is aimed at combining hybrid-living with compact-living
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The Zoku Loft is aimed at combining hybrid-living with compact-living
The Zoku Loft can be adapted for leisure or work purposes
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The Zoku Loft can be adapted for leisure or work purposes
The Zoku Loft has a four-person table that can be used for leisure or work
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The Zoku Loft has a four-person table that can be used for leisure or work
The Zoku Loft has a hidden sleeping space with retractable staircase
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The Zoku Loft has a hidden sleeping space with retractable staircase
The Zoku Loft has space for relaxing
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The Zoku Loft has space for relaxing
The Zoku Loft has a compact bathroom
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The Zoku Loft has a compact bathroom
The Zoku Loft has a small built-in kitchen
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The Zoku Loft has a small built-in kitchen
The Zoku Loft has a compact alcove desk in its entrance passageway
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The Zoku Loft has a compact alcove desk in its entrance passageway
The Zoku Loft said to be designed for a multifaceted lifestyle
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The Zoku Loft said to be designed for a multifaceted lifestyle
The Zoku communal area has a co-working space with a work table that turns into a Ping-Pong table
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The Zoku communal area has a co-working space with a work table that turns into a Ping-Pong table
Zoku also offers a comfortable communal living room
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Zoku also offers a comfortable communal living room
In addition to the facilities within the loft, Zoku offers communal social areas
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In addition to the facilities within the loft, Zoku offers communal social areas
The Zoku communal area has a "living kitchen" design in which guests can meet and get to know each other
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The Zoku communal area has a "living kitchen" design in which guests can meet and get to know each other
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When we're looking for somewhere to stay, sometimes it needs to cater for both leisure and work. The Zoku Loft does just this. The rentable 25 sq m (269 sq ft) micro-apartment is a home-office hybrid that uses clever design to squeeze a host of features into its limited space, including a small kitchen, a recessed working area and slide in/out stairs to a screened loft.

"The advance of technology has changed personal and professional lifestyles," says Zoku co-founder and managing director Hans Meyer. "Boundaries between work and leisure are fading, and blurring borders have made people more mobile than ever."

Although a shade larger than the innovative 21 sq m (226 sq ft) Berlin apartment that we featured earlier in the month, the Zoku Loft is trying to do more by combining hybrid-living with compact-living for short-stay guests. It does, however, take a similar approach, using a built-in unit to shape the room, hidden spaces to provide storage and multi-functional features for versatility.

The loft effectively splits functional space and living space, with its built-in unit at one end that rises up both sides of the entrance passageway and across the top. Contained in one side of the unit is a bathroom and on the other side of the passageway is an alcove desk and various spaces for storage. Around the corner, there is a small kitchen area.

The Zoku Loft has a hidden sleeping space with retractable staircase
The Zoku Loft has a hidden sleeping space with retractable staircase

Across from the kitchen, there is more slide-out storage space (including a wardrobe), shelving and a space for a TV. Ingeniously, a retractable staircase also slides in and out of the unit, saving space when it is not in use. The steps lead up to a sleeping space, with wooden screens that allow it to be hidden from view when there are visitors or when a more formal, work-type setting is required in the room.

The mood of the loft can be further altered using its dimmable lights, which can create a more cozy or work-focused atmosphere depending on what is required. Another simple, central feature of the space is a four-person table at which it is possible to work, dine or just relax.

In addition to the facilities within the loft, Zoku offers communal social areas, co-working spaces and a residential living kitchen so people can share meals.

The first Zoku "hotel" is due to open in Amsterdam towards the end of this year, with more planned to follow around the globe subsequently.

The video below shows some of the space-saving features in the Zoku apartment.

Source: Zoku

How to create more space in less m2 - Zoku's spacious micro-apartments

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1 comment
1 comment
Germano Pecoraro Designer
Some commonplace, what's new?