This Tiny Apartment in Hong Kong by LAAB is like a Swiss Army Knife

Housing in Hong Kong has one of the highest costs per square foot in the world. This has lead to some of the smallest, and at times poorly designed apartment blocks in existence. However, if you have the means to revamp the interior, you could turn it into a comfortable, multifunctional residence like this one.

This renovation was taken on by architecture firm, LAAB. The couple who own the 309 square foot property, Michelle and Andy, contacted LAAB to transform their home into the Swiss army knife of apartments. The design process was meticulous and involved over 30 different iterations to get it right.

Despite its size the unit contains a full kitchen, a large bathtub, a home cinema, a gym, cat friendly spaces, and lots of storage. To achieve this degree of flexibility the designers reconsidered traditional concepts of residential living: “We began considering time as a factor, eventually designing the space around a ‘form follows time’ philosophy, which means that spaces open and close depending on the purposes needed at that particular time.”

The result is a space that makes use of hide-away items. Living spaces are formed through pull-out furniture pieces, like the home cinema, which is pulled out of the kitchen wall. Two tiered seating provides plenty of space for friends to gather round, or it can be converted into a sleeping area for guests.

Other features include smart technology, like Phillips Hue light bulbs that can be automated to gently wake you up in the morning, and an August smart lock. Their three cats have also been taken into consideration with the inclusion of a “cat walk” in the ceiling, and a kitty litter with its own ventilation system.

For more small apartments check out Filippo, a 45 square meter property remodel by Alexandre Fehre. Or, this project, dubbed Living Under the Roof by Prisca Pellerin. See all apartments.

Via DesignBoom
Photos: Laab