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Microapartments: Would you live in one of them?

How many square feet do we need to live is the question inspired by Netflix's Tiny House Nation series

By Lucy

Updated at Feb 17, 2020, 4:36 PM - Submitted at May 21, 2019, 6:32 PM

03 min de leitura

(Marwan Harmouch/)

2 Andre Mortatti_24m2-compact apartment sp

01/14 - The Casa 100 office made the most of the 24 m² of this apartment. The design is based on the white color and the concrete texture, showing that just a few elements are enough to bring style. An interesting idea was to use sliding doors with almost transparent screens. They delimit the kitchen and the closet, without completely closing off the space to maintain lightness. (Andre Mortatti)

1 Hey! Cheese_Taiwan 02

02/14 - The bed is on the mezzanine, the kitchen occupies the interior of the structure and a narrow cabinet houses a retractable table, among other solutions. Few colors, straight lines and the presence of wood neutralize the space and ensure a clean look. (Hey! Cheese)

5 opid 1

03/14 - This one is simply sensational. The James Law Cybertecture studio has developed a prototype for a low-cost apartment building that would cost approximately R$50,000 to produce. The OPod Tube Housing has micro-units made of concrete pipes, transformed into 9.29 m² residences. (Divulgação)

6 opid 2

04/14 - It was designed for Hong Kong, where housing space has already become a critical issue, but the idea can be used in any large city, using small plots of land and gaps between buildings. (Divulgação)

11 Ruetemple

05/14 - The idea from the architects at Ruetemple was to concentrate all the functions in a block of woodwork and use the structure to create extra space for books and objects. The free circulation gives the impression of extra space in this small apartment in Moscow. (Ruetemple)

3 Marwan Harmouch_shoebox

06/14 - Named Shoebox by Lebanese studio Eliemetni, this apartment is a well-designed 15 m² apartment. Located in an old building in Beirut, it was designed to accommodate temporary guests. The color white was chosen to visually expand the space, including the epoxy floor, which reflects the light from the large windows. (Marwan Harmouch)

7 13sqm-Hanczar-Studio

07/14 - Polish designer Szymon Hanczar needed a space just for sleeping, but he wanted it to feel more like a home. And he succeeded. In 13 m², he created space for a kitchen, bedroom and bathroom with the help of clever joinery and the use of high ceilings. Once again, light colors set the tone and show that they are the best option for compact spaces. (Divulgação)

10 concrete-arch-assoc

08/14 - Concrete Architectural Associates designed this space in Amsterdam, measuring just under 25 m². The bed is hidden in the closet, ensuring privacy. Note that open shelves and niches leave objects visible, so it's important to be organized. (Concrete Architectural Associates)

9 miniapartments-poland

09/14 - Lucky for those with high ceilings to create a mezzanine. This way, it is possible to distribute the functions on two levels and make better use of the walls with storage space. This is what architect Ewa Cherny did in this Polish studio. A good idea was to take advantage of the space under the stairs and the combination of natural textures, with stones, bricks and wood. (3Xa)

Room 8M2

10/14 - This micro-apartment in Paris is already well-known on social media, surprising us by providing so many functions in 8 m². (Studio Kitoko)

Room 8M2

11/14 - Created by Kitoko Studio, this apartment is located on one of those high floors of Parisian buildings known for their extremely compact size. Historically, they were designed to be servants’ quarters, with a shared bathroom in the hallway. Today, these properties are home to students and people trying to save money on rent - some of the most expensive in the world. (Studio Kitoko)

Room 8M2

12/14 - The closet frees up circulation and even houses the bathroom and bed. (Studio Kitoko)

4 13m2_Studiorama

13/14 - From Studiorama, this apartment is 13m² but feels larger. It was part of an installation for a recent edition of London Design Week. Inspired by the interior design of boats and motorhomes, the joinery centralizes all functions. It includes a bed and a desk - all of which can be folded out. (Divulgação)

1 Hey! Cheese_Taiwan 01

14/14 - This 17.6 m² apartment in Taiwan was designed by studio A Little Design. With a 3.4-meter ceiling height, it was possible to create two levels with custom-made joinery. (Hey! Cheese)

New developments in cities like São Paulo and Curitiba have started to offer properties of previously unimaginable sizes, following a global trend. Some are less than 10 m². To give you an idea, this is the size of many people's bedrooms, including bathroom, kitchen and all the functions of a complete house.

What is the smallest size your house could be?


It seems impossible to live well in such a small space, but this reality invites us to exercise our imagination: how much space do we really need?
It's interesting to see in Tiny House Nation how some residents try to fit their entire lifestyle into a few square meters and are confronted with reality. They want to live in modern tiny houses, but at the same time they didn't think they would have to give up books, household utensils, musical instruments, giant sofas and several spaces.

In tune with minimalism


Micro-houses speak directly to the minimalist movement, which has already inspired many designers and architects. Together, they shed light on the desire and need for a lean, practical, more nomadic lifestyle that is allied with technology. Why have a huge kitchen if many people spend their days away from home? Why have a library if books are electronic? Do you need all the objects you have today? It's worth thinking about whether what you have really brings you joy, to quote the famous organization guru Marie Kondo. Of course, living in a small space isn't for everyone. But the topic makes us reflect on the new times and the priorities of each of us. To inspire this conversation, we selected these micro-apartments with several solutions that make the most of every square centimeter. Plenty of practicality, without ever losing beauty.