Cubic Mentality: 4-story Paris flat fits comfort in 25 sq m

From: https://www.youtube.com/

Rent to Own.ph: Space too small? Build it up. Watch this.




Architect Jérôme Vinçon believes that with architecture, like clothing, made-to-measure buys a lot more than ready-to-wear. When his friends Michel Craca and Gaelle Potel bought a tiny apartment (next door to the restaurant in Paris’ Montparnasse where he’s head chef and she’s maitre d’) and asked for his help, he delivered a piece of personal architecture where every centimeter was scrutinized.

In what was once a doorman’s room and cellar, Vinçon took advantage of the 17 feet of height and crafted four floors of personal architecture in just 25 square meters. Instead of creating the smallest staircase possible, Vinçon turned the entire apartment into an open staircase. 

On the top floor a mostly open bathroom dangles above the living room. Its semi-transparent shower (the “peep show”) is suspended directly above the kitchen. Down a tiny boat-style staircase, the bedroom is the final subterranean floor. Cut off from all light, it feels like a cozy captain’s cabin with lots of sliding storage.

To extend the natural daylight from the apartment’s sole window (in the living room), Vinçon left the bathroom open with its semi-opaque shower. By making the kitchen just a half-floor below the living room, it also benefits from the window. Given Craca’s profession as a chef, Vinçon worked to create the most professional kitchen possible in 32-square-feet of space.

Vinçon has spent years studying small spaces. His research has focused on boats, dorms, space station and a convent. He once lived in a tiny room (1.8 by 6 meters) in Le Corbusier’s modernist convent near Lyon (“Couvent Saint-Marie de la Tourette”) and was inspired by all of Le Corbusier’s “theory of the dimension of the body of man”.

“We often say that architecture is a matter of 10 centimeters. Ten centimeters less here (he says pointing out the bedroom stairs) and my shoulders don’t fit anymore. Ten centimeters are fundamental here. SO I’m not working within 10 centimeters here, but one centimeter. So here I had to work more with the human body. So it required a lot of thought to find the best solution each time.”

Old Laundry Room Ingeniously Converted Into Small Home by Azevedo Designww

From: http://freshome.com

Rent to Own.ph: Opening our minds can result in livable, creative spaces such as this.

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Designer Christi Azevedo of Azevedo Design converted an old laundry boiler room in California, USA into a charming guest apartment. The project was achieved by adding height to the original brick volume, which makes the exterior appearance stand out. Despite a floor area of approximately 93 square feet (about 9 square meters), this clever small home includes a full kitchen, living zone, bedroom and bathroom. The array of indoor natural materials like wood and brick makes the crib feel dynamic and welcoming.

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According to the designer, the place has everything you could wish for in a comfortable home: “Up the ships’ ladder is a mezzanine dressing area with built-in walnut wardrobe and drawers. a 42″ square bath has a wall mount toilet, custom stainless steel medicine cabinet, small sink supplied by a shower valve, and floor drain for showering. a sandblasted door and window keep it light and spacious. A tread and a glass landing lead to the bed loft with queen mattress, storage in hinged headboards, bookshelves, and reading lamps.” Be sure to have a look at the last photos of the post for a better idea on how this home is organized! Find it as creative as we do? 

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Making The Most Out Of Small Apartments Using Transformable Spaces

From: https://www.youtube.com/



Rent to Own.ph: Transforming apartments are always a hit! Check this out:

Space-saving Madrid Apartment bBoasts Adaptable Interior

From: http://www.gizmag.com/

Rent to Own.ph: This fun and quirky, space saving apartment has the young at heart in mind.

Sibling Spaces: Modular Rooms Made for Brother & Sister

From: http://weburbanist.com/

Rent to Own.ph: A child's play area inhouse.

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For getting things done: a static, serious and refined work space is shared by the siblings. For everything else: there is a playful flexibility to be found in movable modules, hanging hammocks, cozy nooks and hidden ladders.

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Designed by Ruetemple for a family in Moscow, Russia, this children-centric interior balances the need for serious engagement with studies and self-determination outside of school-related activity (plus perhaps lessons in sharing and diplomacy all around).

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On the main level, across from the work zone with its ergonomic chairs and built-in shelves, is a three-piece system of modular parts – set apart visually via the use of darker wood.

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The constituent elements can be spun and situated on demand, turned into a hangout space, living room or bedroom (or whatever else the kids can come up with, for that matter).

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Upstairs under a slanted roof are nooks for sleeping, reading and storage that can be made into more private bedrooms, again allowing freedom for self-determination in terms of sleeping arrangements.

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The hammock is naturally a permeable mesh, and allows light to pass from one level to the next while also making use of what would otherwise be lost potential floor space.

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A Micro Apartment Designed by Muji, the Masters of Simplicity

From: http://www.wired.com/

Rent to Own.ph: An effortlessly uncomplicated apartment.

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IT WAS ONLY a matter of time until Muji—the Japanese retailer that’s mastered the art of selling minimal, affordable, design-forward products for the home—would design a micro apartment of their own. Muji, after all, is one of the most popular chains in Japan, where kyosho jutaku, a trend toward smaller houses, has for years driven real estate developers to create tinier, more inventive homes. Some are even as small as a parking space.

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At first blush, the thought of buying your home from the same place you found a bathroom wastebasket is ludicrous. But Muji isn’t like other chains. When it opened in the 1980s it was a little like Uniqlo for the home—its products were understaetd, reasonably priced, and designed in-house. It championed transparent packaging and generating less product waste long before popular products like KIND bars or Nike FlyKnit ever existed. Muji also skipped heavy branding, and relied on word of mouth and reliable merchandise, instead of advertising, to drum up sales. Today, it’s kept to its minimalist looks, but has expanded to include apps, loungewear, food, and of course, apartments.

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Muji’s vertical Tokyo apartment is a three-story prefab unit. It eschews ceilings and walls for an airy space connected by a couple of staircases. The first floor houses utilities and storage, the second floor has a dining room and living room, and the third floor is reserved for bedrooms. The insulated apartment has only one air conditioning unit on the third floor, presumably because heat rises, making the home more energy efficient than houses with several extra appliances.

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House in a suitcase: tiny home + 2 trunks of furniture

From: https://www.youtube.com/

Rent to Own.ph: Neat, tidy and no-nonsense 27 sq feet apartment. Watch it here:

YO! HOME IS A CONVERTIBLE APARTMENT CONCEPT

From: http://design-milk.com/

Rent to Own.ph: We love how this apartment is multi-functional by "hiding" its dining and sleeping areas.

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Simon Woodroffe, the man behind the Yotel hotel and the YO! Sushi chain, has come up with another clever concept to add to his resume – the YO! Home. Space is always a factor in living situations, especially these days, and that was the main drive behind the YO! Home. Woodroffe believes that luxury should be available to all, not just the rich and famous. That being said, this affordable concept is high on style and design while being smart about space.

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Clearly the most inventive aspect of the design is the bed. Woodroffe applied his knowledge of stage production and designed this mind-blowing bed with the principles of counter-weighting. A tiny motor moves the bed seamlessly up and down, but also, it takes minimal effort to move manually should the power go out. Besides being insanely cool, the bed design is extremely safe.

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When sleep time is over, raise the bed and enjoy the U-shaped sofa.

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When it’s time to eat, pop the dining table up electronically with the touch of a button. You sit on the floor, much like Japanese culture which inspired the design, and let your feet hang below. Once your done, lower the table and flip the seats closed. The pocket kitchen is neatly tucked away behind doors.

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They embedded storage compartments within the floors. The apartment’s raised floor allows for the storage, as well as the sunken sofa and hidden dining area.

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GE MIcro Kitchen

From: https://www.youtube.com/

Rent to Own.ph: 24-inch deep, drawer-based modules, aligned at 36-inches high, that can fit an entire array of appliances (oven, dishwasher, sink, freezer, refrigerator and induction cook top)... perfect for Micro Homes!

Mixed Reality Living Spaces

From: https://www.youtube.com/

Rent to Own.ph: Virtual reality living? In a world where living space becomes tinier and tinier, this may be the future. What do you think?

Tilt and Turn Windows

Hoover: While on a recent trip, we were amazed at the windows in our hotel that open two ways. You can tilt it or turn it outwards using the same handle. It was even double glazed for noise reduction. Read on.

from: http://www.innotech-windows.com and http://www.swissshade.com

Tilt + Turn Windows achieve exceptional energy efficiency, air tightness, water resistance and sound control. Innovative European style Tilt + Turn Windows also provide excellent draft free ventilation and high levels of security. They are also easy to operate and are conveniently easy to clean.

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NYC’s First Micro Apartment Tower

From: http://www.dezeen.com/

Rent to Own.ph: This is the answer crowded urban cities are giving to the need for habitable spaces for their ballooning populations.

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New York architecture firm nArchitects has released new photos of itsmodular, micro-unit residential building that is intended to serve as a "systemic new paradigm" for cities facing an affordable housing crisis.

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Formerly known as My Micro NY, the nine-storey building has been renamed Carmel Place. It is located in Manhattan's Kips Bay neighbourhood.

Totalling 35,000 square feet (3,250 square metres), the tower contains 55 units that range in size from 250 to 370 square feet (23 to 34 square metres). The tall, narrow building is composed of four thin, stepped volumes that are clad in varying shades of grey bricks.

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The interior photographs show bright studios with sliding glass doors, Juliet balconies and ceiling heights measuring over nine feet (2.7 metres). The firm worked with the company Resource Furniture to create a built-in piece that combines a sofa, bed and storage, so the living room can be converted into a bedroom.

"NArchitects designed the interior of the units to create a sense of spaciousness, comfort and flexibility," said the Brooklyn-based firm, which was founded in 1999 by Eric Bunge and Mimi Hoang.

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"Within a compact footprint, the architect and developer team prioritised providing residents with as much volume, light, air and views out to the neighbourhoods as possible," it added.

The modular units are made of steel frames and concrete slabs. The firmprefabricated the units off-site in Brooklyn, in turn speeding up the construction process, which was documented in a video.

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Work on the modules began in 2014, and on-site construction started last March. Construction is slated to be completed this March, and the first tenants are scheduled to move in that month.

Leasing is currently underway. More than 60,000 applications have already been received from potential tenants, according to the firm.

The New York Times reports that a majority of the units will have a monthly rent of $950 (approximately £600), which is considered a bargain in Manhattan. The median rental price for a one-bedroom Manhattan apartment is currently $3,400 (approximately £2,200), according to aBloomberg report.

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"NArchitects  designed exterior and interior spaces with the goal of creating a systemic new paradigm for housing in New York City and other cities with similar demographic and affordability challenges," the firm said.

Though the rental units are intended for low- and middle-income tenants, the building offers amenities more commonly associated with luxury apartment buildings.

Shared amenities include a gym, lounge, community room, and roof terrace. The building also offers bicycle storage, a tenant storage room, and storage lockers that are dispersed throughout the interior.

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With more people living alone, the architects believe there is a large market for micro-apartments. In New York, however, city regulations require that residential units be a minimum of 400 square feet (37 square metres) — regulations that were waived for Carmel Place.

"The city's housing codes have not kept up with [the city's] changing population, and currently do not allow apartments smaller than 400 square feet, nor an entire building of micro-units," said the firm.

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The project was developed with the support of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development. It was backed by the real estate company Monadnock Development.

The nArchitects design was chosen through a 2012 competition organised by former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg. The competition invited designers to propose micro dwellings that could serve as a new model for affordable housing, particularly for one- and two-person households.

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New York is the midst of a housing boom, with rental and condominium towers cropping up throughout the city. Many have been designed by famous architects, including Zaha Hadid, Bjarke Ingels and Álvaro Siza.

Architect Steven Holl has bemoaned the growing presence of supertall residential towers for the ultra-wealthy in Dezeen, calling them "profane spires". Aaron Betsky echoed that thought, writing "Manhattan is theirs, we just get to admire it".