Super-Compact Taipei Apartment. Too Small?

How small an apartment is too small? With the housing crisis an ongoing topic here in the United Kingdom - and actually in many places across the world - are we seeing a global shift towards smaller homes (for larger families?). Featuring here the tiniest of Taiwanese apartments, such a delightful little number has been designed by A Little Design and is a quality example of how even the smallest of spaces can be packed with all the functionality, space optimisation and comfort we all need. That said, a little more room would probably be nice.

Complete with all sorts of space-saving ideas, furniture pieces and ways of living, this apartment is a former piano studio and measuring just 17.6 square metres (yes, that is absolutely tiny), you might be tempted to say that the ceiling height of 3.4 metres is as impressive as the room's functionality as an actual living space.

Located in Taipei (Taiwan), this apartment serves as the primary home for the owner, being her preferential place of residence when she isn't away with work. As described by Szumin Wang of A Little Design, "...Although the owner does not need a big flat, before it was redesigned, the unit was too small to fit both a queen-size bed, living space and sufficient storage. [Equally too], the bathroom was relatively big compared to the small square footage of the whole space, and the kitchen lacked practicability - it was even too small to fit a fridge."

With such a transition ahead of the design team to make the small room - quite literally, one room - into a liveable space, the entire space was redesigned into the multi-functioning, airy space that it is. Interchanging the bathroom for the kitchen, and elevating the sleeping area above the living space, the summation of all design optimisations led to one continuous space being designed. Boasting bountiful amounts of sunlight and ventilation into every corner of the unit, storage space was optimised by way of having clear functionality separation. By example, Wang explains, "...the stairs not only provide access to the sleeping mezzanine but also increase the accessibility to the high built-in cabinets in the wall."

Carefully locating the fridge, freezer, other compliances and kitchenware into carefully considered locations, and of course, using the sofa as a temporary bed as and when needed, could you ever live in such a small space? Though you might argue that the apartment has been optimised to full glory and opportunity, is there a case here of too-much-spatial-infertility?

Wang continues, "...The prevalence of micro flats is not [the] answer for the high-housing-price issue in Taipei City but is the result of living issue's long-term evolution. We hope the attempt of design could provide some schemes and possibility for this living type." Whilst SATORI & SCOUT fully implore both the architect and homeowner for such a beautiful apartment transition and result, our studio might have to agree that this space is a little too small for our liking. Discover more about the architects online at: Facebook.com/Design.A.Little

Photography credit : Hey! Cheese

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