Tag: micro-apartments | ArchDaily

Design Solutions for Small Living: Maximizing Space in Apartments Under 40 Square Meters

Paula Pintos — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Living in densely populated cities is a reality for many. While the benefits of urban living—such as proximity to amenities, infrastructure, job opportunities, and lifestyle—remain highly valued, homes have seen a significant reduction in square footage. The trend toward smaller apartments has become increasingly common, with interior design playing a fundamental role. Reducing square meters demands efficient use of space and smart floor plan layouts. However, far from generating dull spaces, creativity in design has led to interesting architectural solutions that condense high-quality living into what is often called a micro apartment or studio, studios of 40m2 or under.

The Kitchen in the New Spatial Economy: 5 Contemporary Design Approaches

Enrique Tovar — Tue, 27 May 2025 07:30:00 +0000

Space has become a luxury in many of the world's most densely populated cities—a growing reality that's hard to ignore. Megacities like Tokyo, Shanghai, Mumbai, Mexico City, and São Paulo already have populations exceeding 20 million, while other urban centers across Asia and Africa continue to expand rapidly. Among these, Delhi stands out: if current trends continue, it is projected to become the most populous city by 2028. As these cities expand, housing—especially new developments—follows a new logic: as square meters shrink, furniture adapts, and daily life learns to fit and thrive in high-density environments. This change isn't just about size; it reflects a new way of living. Where spaciousness once dominated, density now rules. Every corner gains spatial and commercial value, with the kitchen emerging as one of the biggest challenges in housing design today.

From Micro to Spacious: Maximazing Space in Taiwan’s Urban Apartments

Moises Carrasco — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Despite its small size, the island of Taiwan is densely populated, with more than 80% of its people living in urban areas. Available space is often limited, particularly in major cities like Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. Therefore, designers face the ongoing challenge of creating interiors that feel spacious, functional, and visually appealing despite their sometimes compact footprints. Rather than seeing these limitations as constraints, architects embrace them as opportunities to experiment with smart layouts and multi-functional furniture that enhances livability.

nArchitects Receives National Design Award in Architecture 2023

Nour Fakharany — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 05:30:00 +0000

nArchitects has just received the 2023 National Design Award in Architecture from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. The award brings national recognition to the different forms of design that improve and enhance everyday life. In fact, the Architecture award selects a studio or individual for their holistic understanding of spatial experiences, and this year the committee picked nArchitects famous for their New York Micro-Apartment experiment, the cultural center A/D/O in Brooklyn, and many more interactive works.

Uxolo Apartments / Two Five Five Architects

Hana Abdel — Fri, 12 May 2023 15:00:00 +0000

Uxolo Apartments is the first completed micro-unit residential development located in the Cape Town CBD. The project consists of 35 residential units ranging between 24m² micro-studio units and 40m² loft units, as well as a lobby and retail area on the Ground Floor on a stand of only 195.5m².

Interiors of Today: 17 Projects that Show How Current Cities and Living Trends are Influencing Modern Interior Architecture

Dima Stouhi — Fri, 08 Jul 2022 07:30:00 +0000

The past couple of decades introduced the world to new ways of living as a result of different social, economic, and ecological changes. Naturally, these changes found their way into the architecture and urban practice, provoking new concepts within traditional typologies. Designing a space, regardless of its function, has always prioritized users' needs and ensured practicality and functionality, but recently, keywords like flexibility, privacy, inclusivity, and eco-consciousness have become driving forces behind design processes. In this interior focus, we will look at how current cities and living trends across the world have reshaped interior design and introduced modifications to typical typologies.

Micro Living in China: Tiny Houses as an Innovative Design Solution

Scarlett Miao — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 04:00:00 +0000

According to the United Nation’s “The World’s Cities in 2018”, it is estimated that, “by 2030, urban areas are projected to house 60 percent of people globally and one in every three people will live in cities with at least half a million inhabitants.” Also, between 2018 and 2030, it is estimated that the number of cities with 500,000 inhabitants or more is expected to grow by 23 percent in Asia. China, as the largest economy in Asia, with a GDP (PPP) of $25.27 trillion, is expanding rapidly, both economically and demographically.

SLICE Creates Apartments from Plugin Modules for Future City Living

Niall Patrick Walsh — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 09:00:00 +0000

Iranian architect and concept designer Nasim Sehat has developed an alternative living module driven by adaptability for the gig economy. SLICE is described as a “sustainable, people centric, connected, self-contained, and flexible plug’n-play urban solution” targeted at future city dwellers.

The Economics Behind New York's Micro-Apartment Experiment

Zachary Edelson — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 09:30:00 +0000

This article was originally published by The Architect's Newspaper as "Are micro-apartments a revolutionary trend? Or are developers exploiting an out-of-control market?"

Micro-Apartments: Are Expanding Tables and Folding Furniture a Solution to Inequality?

Jesse Connuck — Tue, 10 May 2016 04:00:00 +0000

This opinion-piece is a response to Nick Axel’s essay Cloud Urbanism: Towards a Redistribution of Spatial Value, published on ArchDaily as part of our partnership with Volume.