Comments on: The most efficient apartment ever

By: Fabian

Fabian — Thu, 20 May 2010 14:25:38 +0000

We need to appreciate the cleverliness of using the space this way in the context of Hong Kong living, where 500 sq ft 2 BR apartment is the norm for middle class (if you can afford one); where 2 x 2m is the size of a normal kitchen (including a fire door swinging in); where bay window (900 above floor) is used to accomodate 1/3 of a bed; where shower head is often found above wc; where lounge room means an alcove for a 3 seater sofa (from where you can watch your neighbour’s TV as well as your own); where triple bunker and 4 level bunker (separated with chicken wire mesh) can be “homes” for some people.
Most of the older style government housing unit is only half the size of the space shown. Many typical families of 4 person live in those units. Or should we say “survive” rather than “live”?
There was a debate in the HK Legislative Council in the 80s about whether a law should be passed to control the minimum size of habitable rooms in residential development. “How big a room should be really depends on how big a bed needs to be (and that depends on how a person sleep!)” That is the true spirit of free market !!
In this case, the room is very BIG (relative to the fold up bed).

By: Daphne

Daphne — Sat, 01 May 2010 20:14:41 +0000

@camila-there is obviously no space in Hong Kong to accomodate a large kitchen and sense of space unless you are extremely wealthy…which is why he came up with this type of transforming apartment. You didn’t intercept that from the video?

By: Tweets that mention The most efficient apartment ever | Sarah Wilson -- Topsy.com

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 07:37:13 +0000

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By: David

David — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 07:19:32 +0000

Could this be adapted to other areas, especially abstractly?

By: Camila

Camila — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 07:52:43 +0000

This is pretty amazing but it would only work for certain types of people. Sure you’ve got everything you need but I really like a sense of space, the ability to move around, a large kitchen to bake in etc. You’re arms would get a workout though from moving the heavy walls around so much!

By: reality chick

reality chick — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 04:36:02 +0000

Wow. Even I would consider going back to my Darlo shoebox if I could get this guy to do a home makeover on it…
I think the minimising mindset is a habit, much like anything else. I find I go shopping now and will pick up things I fall in love with, then ask myself, ‘Do I really, really need that?’ In homeware shops, I can be found carrying around armfuls of beautiful but useless things, putting them down just as I go to leave (which must drive the salespeople nuts). It’s almost like a process, I have to touch it, hold it, carry it, grieve for the fact that I can’t own it, then let it go without buying it. If I think about something really hard for over two days, I know it’s meant to be mine and I go back for it!
Of course, this doesn’t work with handbags

By: Megan Aney

Megan Aney — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:52:06 +0000

For dense cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo even New York I think this idea is genius. People don’t have to give up on their quality of life just because of minimal space.
In Australia it’s a bit far fetched, but overall he seems to be on to something!

By: Fi

Fi — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 00:42:51 +0000

There wasn’t a real kitchen, if I remember the floor plan. No stove/microwave, just a fridge.