As cities grow and grow, there are only two solutions to supporting new population. One is familiar to many: suburb-surrounded cities with ever longer commutes from a hinterland stretching further and further away from the city center.
The other is increasing density of living space: homes higher and higher in the sky and homes smaller and smaller and smaller.
How small is too small? We need to look to some of the world’s most dense cities for the size of shrunken housing that may become an inevitable future in many growing urban centres, particularly for those who are young professionals. How does nine square meters sound? That’s about 81 square feet. A car parking slot in most jurisdictions is larger.
Impossible? You might be surprised. You might even be pleased, once you hear of conveniences such as . . . everything you need for daily living could be within reach without shifting your feet!
Here’s a peek at a future that has arrived for some young city dwellers: tiny flats occupied by grateful renters in Tokyo, the most populous city in the world.
Watch the video at the BBC: The Cupboard-Sized Flats Of Tokyo
