6 ms·

In Japan, Living Large In Really Tiny Houses

45 points by jagjit 16y ago

reader5000 16y ago
Wow, those are some inspiring living spaces.
sliverstorm 16y ago
That's really cool! I want one :) In all seriousness though I think if my property was 6' wide my first move would be build a basement and sub-basement and sub-sub-basement. The ground floor would be for my motorcycles, kitchen on the 2nd floor, den in the basement, sleeping in the sub and storage in the sub-sub. You'd barely need any square footage, especially if you use ladders instead of stairs. I guess you could say I'm thinking like a submarine designer?
- loup-vaillant 16y ago
  Just mind the air flow. If you don't actively bring in clean air from the surface, sleeping in a sub-basement is unhealthy in the long run.
  - electromagnetic 16y ago
    Run a forced air line to the lowest level and run regular central air from the lowest level (rather than simply the basement, you'd be running it from the 2nd or 3rd sub-level). It would also be ideal to ensure the basement is fully sealed (IE the moisture wrap they bury after you've had a leak can actually be laid before the foundation) which will help dramatically with the moisture in the basement levels. I would imagine a house would become more vertical in narrower confines. I know my friend had a house that was only 12ft wide but long. The ground floor was kitchen and dining room, 2nd floor was a huge living room with a small bathroom, 3rd floor was 2 bedrooms, 4th floor (attic conversion) was the master bedroom with a huge en-suite bath. I don't understand why you'd build a single story home on a <500sqft lot. A spiral staircase doesn't have a significant impact on square footage and a second or third level would dramatically increase the usable area rather than keep at the limit of ground level.
- mikecane 16y ago
  >>>especially if you use ladders instead of stairs. Unless you break a leg or ankle or even an arm.
  - sliverstorm 16y ago
    Unless I break both arms, or both legs, or an arm and a leg, I'm not letting that stop me!
    - mikecane 16y ago
      I almost broke an ankle once and lived in a place with stairs. Doing stairs with crutches was bad enough. I don't think I could have handled a ladder! Good luck.
  - gwern 16y ago
    He could put in an elevator, lift, a paternoster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paternoster http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paternoster), or really anything in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Vertical_transportation_devices http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Vertical_transportatio... Given real estate prices, it may make more sense to build on a small lot vertically, and then install a device if necessary, than to buy a bigger lot.
whakojacko 16y ago
Really cool designs, but the sizes themselves arent all that impressive IMO. A 300sqft lot with 3 floors can probably be at least 800sq ft of space, which isnt that bad at all. I was much more impressed by the converting apartment in under 350 sq ft of space that was posted on HN a few months ago (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1294480 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1294480)
- GFischer 16y ago
  As I posted in that thread, I live in 150 square feet (by necessity). I agree that the Hong Kong solution is very cool (I love the hammock) (direct video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-iFJ3ncIDo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-iFJ3ncIDo ). My version is having to move the computer desk that's in front of the wardrobe, having a bunk bed that turns into a double bed, and moving the couch when I want to go to the bathroom (also very cramped with the toilet in the shower stall). Of the houses depicted in the article, I liked "Penguin House" the best - the others are just not sunny enough - what's with modern architects' disdain of large windows and balconies... I'm still amazed that the housing boom hasn't exploded in Uruguay (it's bizarre that housing is cheaper in most of the United States than in Montevideo - ok, NY and Silicon Valley excluded). The arcane government regulations and heavy taxing of for-profit development is really weighing us down (end rant).
astine 16y ago
Ick. I'm not sure I'd like to live in a giant cinderblock, especially not one with tiny windows spread all over the walls. It looks so disorienting, I don't think I'd ever feel comfortable in a room like that.
kiba 16y ago
I prefer to have lot of lands and lot of space to conduct scientific experiment, build rockets and train network and generally engage in hacking physical stuff. Still, I might make use of small space design principle for my imaginary hacker mansion, if only to make use of it more efficiently and make my house feel larger than it really is.
petercooper 16y ago
Tiny houses that still, mostly, look to be half empty due to a minimalist aesthetic. Except the 6' wide house, they all look roomier than mine and I've got a wife and baby kicking around :-)
fmora 16y ago
I know I'm suppose to like this feel good small houses thing. It makes a lot of sense to sleep in a small house if that is within your means. But you know, I still like my average sized american home. Although I used to live in a tiny studio and loved it because it was only me. I could not imagine myself raising a family in a small place like that. I like small living spaces if I'm by myself. I need a bigger space for my family.

45 points by jagjit 16y ago

Wow, those are some inspiring living spaces.

That's really cool! I want one :) In all seriousness though I think if my property was 6' wide my first move would be build a basement and sub-basement and sub-sub-basement. The ground floor would be for my motorcycles, kitchen on the 2nd floor, den in the basement, sleeping in the sub and storage in the sub-sub. You'd barely need any square footage, especially if you use ladders instead of stairs. I guess you could say I'm thinking like a submarine designer?

loup-vaillant 16y ago
Just mind the air flow. If you don't actively bring in clean air from the surface, sleeping in a sub-basement is unhealthy in the long run.
- electromagnetic 16y ago
  Run a forced air line to the lowest level and run regular central air from the lowest level (rather than simply the basement, you'd be running it from the 2nd or 3rd sub-level). It would also be ideal to ensure the basement is fully sealed (IE the moisture wrap they bury after you've had a leak can actually be laid before the foundation) which will help dramatically with the moisture in the basement levels. I would imagine a house would become more vertical in narrower confines. I know my friend had a house that was only 12ft wide but long. The ground floor was kitchen and dining room, 2nd floor was a huge living room with a small bathroom, 3rd floor was 2 bedrooms, 4th floor (attic conversion) was the master bedroom with a huge en-suite bath. I don't understand why you'd build a single story home on a <500sqft lot. A spiral staircase doesn't have a significant impact on square footage and a second or third level would dramatically increase the usable area rather than keep at the limit of ground level.
mikecane 16y ago
>>>especially if you use ladders instead of stairs. Unless you break a leg or ankle or even an arm.
- sliverstorm 16y ago
  Unless I break both arms, or both legs, or an arm and a leg, I'm not letting that stop me!
  - mikecane 16y ago
    I almost broke an ankle once and lived in a place with stairs. Doing stairs with crutches was bad enough. I don't think I could have handled a ladder! Good luck.
- gwern 16y ago
  He could put in an elevator, lift, a paternoster (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paternoster http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paternoster), or really anything in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Vertical_transportation_devices http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Vertical_transportatio... Given real estate prices, it may make more sense to build on a small lot vertically, and then install a device if necessary, than to buy a bigger lot.

whakojacko 16y ago

Really cool designs, but the sizes themselves arent all that impressive IMO. A 300sqft lot with 3 floors can probably be at least 800sq ft of space, which isnt that bad at all. I was much more impressed by the converting apartment in under 350 sq ft of space that was posted on HN a few months ago (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1294480 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1294480)

GFischer 16y ago
As I posted in that thread, I live in 150 square feet (by necessity). I agree that the Hong Kong solution is very cool (I love the hammock) (direct video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-iFJ3ncIDo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-iFJ3ncIDo ). My version is having to move the computer desk that's in front of the wardrobe, having a bunk bed that turns into a double bed, and moving the couch when I want to go to the bathroom (also very cramped with the toilet in the shower stall). Of the houses depicted in the article, I liked "Penguin House" the best - the others are just not sunny enough - what's with modern architects' disdain of large windows and balconies... I'm still amazed that the housing boom hasn't exploded in Uruguay (it's bizarre that housing is cheaper in most of the United States than in Montevideo - ok, NY and Silicon Valley excluded). The arcane government regulations and heavy taxing of for-profit development is really weighing us down (end rant).

astine 16y ago

Ick. I'm not sure I'd like to live in a giant cinderblock, especially not one with tiny windows spread all over the walls. It looks so disorienting, I don't think I'd ever feel comfortable in a room like that.

kiba 16y ago

I prefer to have lot of lands and lot of space to conduct scientific experiment, build rockets and train network and generally engage in hacking physical stuff. Still, I might make use of small space design principle for my imaginary hacker mansion, if only to make use of it more efficiently and make my house feel larger than it really is.

petercooper 16y ago

Tiny houses that still, mostly, look to be half empty due to a minimalist aesthetic. Except the 6' wide house, they all look roomier than mine and I've got a wife and baby kicking around :-)

fmora 16y ago

I know I'm suppose to like this feel good small houses thing. It makes a lot of sense to sleep in a small house if that is within your means. But you know, I still like my average sized american home. Although I used to live in a tiny studio and loved it because it was only me. I could not imagine myself raising a family in a small place like that. I like small living spaces if I'm by myself. I need a bigger space for my family.