I’ve blogged about tiny houses before. Many Americans are rethinking how much space they want in a home. Do we really need 3,500 or larger square feet homes? In my case, the more house we have, the more junk we put in it. And you have to heat, cool, and light all the room that you probably don’t need to begin with, so it isn’t very green.
In Japan, it isn’t really an issue. Because the country’s cities are already overcrowded, its people have learned to live in smaller homes because they have no other choice. The neat thing is architects are making cool, small homes in just a limited amount of space.
Some of these homes, called kyosho jutaku, are on land as small as 300 square feet. But, while small, they are attractive. Many are made of materials such as fiber reinforced plastic, glass, and steel.
One of the leading designers of these cute little homes is Yasuhiro Yamashita. He said he has to “think up new structures” to make a small home seem roomy. One thing the architects of the smaller homes do is dump areas such as the entryways, hallways, and closets. They may separate the bathroom by just a curtain and the furniture may fold into the wall to make more room when not in use. The architects often use visual tricks to make the space seem larger.
One home name that might not seem attractive to Americans is the “Cell Brick” micro home. These homes have built-in steel boxes for storage. However, the Cell Brick is three layers and the outside, with its cross-stitched steel and glass look, is quite appealing.
Using new materials and design has cut homes costs by as much as two-thirds, making the small homes an attractive option for singles and young couples. Minoru and Aki Ota are a perfect example. They reside in a 500 square foot home includes walls, floors, and a kitchen table made of precast concrete. Minoru says the house is convenient and comfy and plenty big for the two of them.
(The copyright holder of this work allows anyone to use it for any purpose including unrestricted redistribution, commercial use, and modification.)