We are always complaining for our small spaces, congested rooms, not breathable, BUT one question that we need to ask ourselves, How SMALL can a Residence be?

A controversial topic on the minimal need for the well being of a human being. Considering the basic requirement and acknowledging the Nomadism that is occurring due to Urban development, developing the area with prices of real estate booming day by day. This allows Architect’s, Engineer’s, Designer’s to think and create a typology which can solve this problem of Nomadism to a great extent.

Construction industry advancing daily brings new types of construction which is quicker, innovative, saves cost, saves environment and allow the user to fulfill their dreams. As meaning to minimum lifestyle and area are different in mathematical and psychological ways, allow one to adjust or to suffocate. Dark rooms, no ventilation, no nature surround gives a bad psychological effect on user’s thinking. Pod or capsule dwellings become popular every so often with architects and are based around aircraft like designs of interiors with everything needed built or molded into floors, walls and ceilings. These can be as small as 32sq.ft. or 3.2sq.m. All this gives an approach to UTILITARIAN OBJECTS; where only necessary and functional way to designing as well as living is practised.

Here are few examples of Small Residences that seem to meet their residents’ expectations, representing the smallest houses on the planet, ranging from 15 up to 1 square meter.

PARASITE HOUSE : El Sindicato Arquitectura

Design and construction of a 12 sq.m dwelling, located on the rooftop of an existent building at the popular neighborhood San Juan in Quito-Ecuador is a minimal design object, focused on solving the basic habitation necessities for a person or young couple: It includes: bathroom, kitchen, bed, storage space and To-be space ( eating, working and socializing), which secure all the facilities of a dwelling in a reduced area. Some key concepts are: A-Frame construction, Full size windows to allow natural light penetration through North façade, Frosted glass on the South façade for good illumination and privacy from neighbors, OSB Panels used for finishes, Steel panel used for roofing with coconut fiber as insulation material.

STUDENTBOENDE : STUDENT UNIT; Tengbom Architects

A student unit of only 10 square meters is currently exhibited at the Virserum Art Museum in the county Småland, Sweden. Tengbom Architects has designed a student unit for students which is affordable, environmental-friendly and smart both in terms of design and choice of materials. The project is a collaboration with wood manufacturer Martinsons and real estate company AF Bostäder. This truly compact-living flat still offers a comfortable sleeping-loft, kitchen, bathroom and a small garden with a patio. Through an efficient layout and the use of cross laminated wood as a construction material the rent is reduced by 50 % and the ecological impact and carbon footprints is also significantly reduced.

DIOGENE : RENZO PIANO 7.5 Sq.M

Furniture company Vitra collaboration with Renzo Piano bridges the gap between their sought after furniture and their bespoke campus. Diogene, a self contained minimal living space with a floor area of just 2.5 x 3.0 meters, is billed as “Vitra’s smallest building – but largest product”.

With its own water collection and energy systems, the design is entirely self-contained and contains everything needed to live a simple lifestyle, all in a space small enough to be delivered on a truck. Constructed in timber, the pitched roof indicates the function of the tiny space, however the aluminum cladding and rounded edges hint at the technology which underpins the design’s self-sufficient nature.

 Diogene consists of a partitioned space featuring a pull-out sofa and folding table in one end, and a shower, toilet and kitchen in the other. As a Vitra product, Diogenes is intended to be a versatile unit that could serve as a weekend retreat, office or even placed in groups to form an informal hotel.

  • Vitra Campus Renzo Piano Pavillion

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Published by arhimanisharma

Architecture & Interior Designing has been a life changing industry for me, The depth this industry holds cannot be defined in just few words. Hi, I am a practicing Architect, in my course of +5 years of journey, I have worked upon Residential, Commercial, Institutional & Hospitality projects. Done under national & international standards. Writing Blogs gives power to my thoughts, when we see works of any Architect, what does it defines, what was his thoughts behind it, How was the constrcution happen & many more questions which I believe every Architect must search for.

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