How can you minimize the amount of space you need in your home?
What are the key considerations in this project?
Initial Ideas
Micro Units
Minimize the square footage of the individual apartments.
Communal Space
Any activities that are less private can be taken out of the apartments and made available in communal spaces.
Privacy
How can these communal spaces be made so that residences feel comfortable and have a sense of privacy?
Storage
People are going to need additional storage space outside of their units.
Programming
Lobby with a Private Locked Mailroom
Circulation & Egress
Mechanical Space - Trash Chute
Communal Spaces - Indoor and Outdoor
Basement Storage Units
Program for Each Unit:
Bedrooms - Living Room
Kitchen - Bathroom
Transforming Apartment Units
In what ways can each unit be reconfigured?
Beds, tables, and sofas can be flipped into sliding panels, with storage for cushions
There needs to be space to store desk and dining chairs
For family units, 2 twin beds can be flipped out of one panel
Separation walls can be pulled out from panels or existing walls
TVs can be embedded into panels with shades to cover them when they are not in use
Tables can also be flipped down from walls
The kitchen and bathroom need to be accessible at all times
What needs to be available together and at what time of day?
Daytime: living space + dining area + kitchen + workspace
Nighttime: bedrooms + easy access to your kitchen and bathroom without having to move anything
Include floor and furnishing materials that can help to absorb and minimize noise in the space
Unit Layout Sketches
Hiding the Kitchen Area
Use simple handleless cabinet doors that match the tone of the wall to have them blend in. When it is not being used, the kitchen area will resemble a sideboard
Use integrated machines such as integrated refrigerators or dishwashers that are quiet and can be hidden behind cabinetry
Include a high-power extractor fan to get rid of the smells of the kitchen in the small space