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The Greenest, most compact flat in the world?


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The Greenest, most compact flat in the world?

A Tiny Apartment Transforms into 24 Rooms

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lg9qnWg9kak

 

JellyWoo1014 — April 22, 2010 — In Hong Kong, because of the space, apartments are small and expensive. Gary Chang, an architect, decided to design a 344 sq. ft. apartment to be able to change into 24 different designs, all by just sliding panels and walls. He calls this the "Domestic Transformer."

 

This video is not owned by me and I do not take any right of it.

 

Visit us at http://jellywoo.com/ for more news related to tech and just life in general.

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From an engineering and design point of view, the apartment is fantastic. Functional, aesthetically pleasing and very well designed and looks to be well constructed. (only on closer inspection can this be substantiated) I imagine there are a lot of bearings to move these walls around, I’d be interested to know how much maintenance is required and over what time period.

 

 

However, it's quite clear the lack of privacy would prevent a couple or a group sharing this apartment. It would suit a single human being very well but also prevent them from growing. I know that some forms of growth need to looked at when we talk about sustainability but how can someone who occupies this flat have an offspring ? Can you imagine the shock of his partner as they pull back a wall and transform a part of the house just as he's got his trousers around his ankles - lol

 

I just don't understand why people just want to live literally on top of each other, everyone who I personally know who lives in a flat is there out of necessity/affordability not because they want to.

 

 

Here's a line that always make me smile.

 

Richard Mason: "New York City, Mr. Dundee. Home to seven million people."

Michael J. "Crocodile" Dundee: "That's incredible. Imagine seven million people all wanting to live together. Yeah, New York must be the friendliest place on earth."

 

 

DrB, I hold a lot of respect of you and your website, but I just don't understand why you seem to think that we should all be "stored away" in small little apartments/pods/cells. Most people now days have been robbed of their minds, would it be better for the world if people had their personal space taken away as well ?

 

I would look at it as a failure on my part if I had to live in those sorts of conditions. It all looks good when the cameras are there and the director of the video is shooting the property porn equivalent of the "money shot" but if I came home to an apartment like that after a heavy days work and just wanted to quickly use the toilet, grab a drink and a bite to eat and sit down and relax for a while, unless this apartment had a degree of automation and could be achieved at the push of a button to "transform", it would take so much effort, I'd soon tire of it. It just wouldn't be of a benefit to my lifestyle.

 

 

Ultimately, (and I know you a based in an apartment in Hong Kong, so I hope I don't offend) but this is how I view this apartment.

 

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Personally, for me, I prefer this.................. and the walk with the dog through the woods this morning amongst the bluebells installed nothing but peace within me.

 

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All the best,

 

 

SR

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DrB, I hold a lot of respect of you and your website, but I just don't understand why you seem to think that we should all be "stored away" in small little apartments/pods/cells. Most people now days have been robbed of their minds, would it be better for the world if people had their personal space taken away as well ?

 

I would look at it as a failure on my part if I had to live in those sorts of conditions...

 

Moving into a "smaller space", whether permanently or temporarily, permits more choices and greater flexibility.

 

And it can be part of an INTELLIGENT DOWNSIZING move that I celebrate here:

The Way to Wealth / A sensible approach

http://www.greenenergyinvestors.com/index.php?showtopic=9807

 

Also, in a time of economic stress, such as a post-peak oil age, it can be part of a more frugal society,

that turns away from the accumulation of more and more (consumersist) stuff.

 

Have you seen this video, of a George Carlin routine:

George Carlin Talks About "Stuff"

("That's all your home is - A place to keep your stuff, while you go out and get more stuff.")

 

Living in a small space, gets people away from the tendency to accumulate unneeded "stuff".

 

h-lantau.jpg..image8807_l_lantau_peak_ten.jpg

 

Hey, I like nature as much as anyone. Once nice thing about HK, is nature is never too far away.

Believe it or not, it is easy to get someplace where you can have a nice walk in nature.

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Have to admit, that’s the first time I’ve seen that George Carlin clip – and not only is it a classic, but it so rings true.

 

Stuff can be viewed two ways, it’s either a benefit (like a tool) or maybe sentimental (something that you hold close and take strength from) we do need stuff, and I bet that you are looking at some of your stuff right now. Like the tool you are using to read this message.

 

Of course we have worthless consumer crap which constantly fills our houses, and the game in my opinion is to avoid this kind of stuff at all costs. And it’s not easy, I’m sure you are fully aware of the power of advertising, and yes over the last few days I have personally experienced a relapse where I bought 2 DVDs from HMV, one of them was Avatar, and the other one (you’ll probably not believe this) was George Carlin’s “it’s bad for ya” - :lol:

 

What really needs to be defined is how much space is actually required by an Individual/family. And if one wants to save food miles by growing their own, well a single Broccoli plant will require around 16 to 24” of space to grow properly.

 

I have been reading your thread about downsizing with interest. But it’s hard to downsize when I'm already in what I would consider a smallish property. I think a two up two down is perfectly reasonable for 4 people. Our friend in the video is restricted on space purely because of population density and has done a superb job in maximising the amount of space that he has. Especially for I think it was 4 people in total (one was a tenant) But now lets roll out this idea to everyone in HK, you’ll end up with a commercial company who’ll cut costs when installing these moving walls by using cheaper materials as they want to maximise their profits (such as low grade unsealed bearings) and lets not forget about the “planned obsolescence” that many companies build into their designs for repeat business purposes.

Homes can get VERY dusty over a short period of time, and what good will a faulty bearing be when you have to move a wall to go to the toilet or to fix a meal in the kitchen ?

 

How would a frail old person (or disabled person) fit into this scenario ? I bet those walls are heavy.

 

There was also nothing mentioned in the video regarding how much this work cost, in both Time as well as money. But there are indeed some good ideas, and has given food for thought.

 

 

 

 

If that’s a recent picture of "your patch" I tell you what, you are a lot further in front of me this year ;)

 

 

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Of course we have worthless consumer crap which constantly fills our houses, and the game in my opinion is to avoid this kind of stuff at all costs. And it’s not easy, I’m sure you are fully aware of the power of advertising, and yes over the last few days I have personally experienced a relapse where I bought 2 DVDs from HMV, one of them was Avatar, and the other one (you’ll probably not believe this) was George Carlin’s “it’s bad for ya” - :lol:

 

I crossed the Rubicon when I got rid of my books.

 

I used to live in a 3BR flat in London, on my own with my stuff, including hundreds of books.

When I decided to sell that flat in move, buy gold shares, and move into a rental flat, it was the real beginning

of my investing career.

 

Now I own about 8-10 books, and when I buy a new one, I have to get rid of an old one, or I have no space.

 

America set itself on becoming Consumer King for the world, when it adopted the Suburban living arrangement.

With those huge homes in the sprawling suburbs, there was plenty of room to accumulate useless junk from

all around the world. At first, Americans manufactured most of their stuff. But all the companies that sell the

crap they buy, realised that they could manufacture it more cheaply abroad, so they turned to places like

Japan, Hong Kong, and now China, where wages were lower.

 

America had a voracious appetite for all manner of consumersist garbage (and so did Britain, I believe.)

During the heyday of Clinton and the Bushes (and in the Blair-Brown era in the UK too), people could borrow

more and more against the rising value of their homes, to fill their huge homes with garbage. They literally

borrowed their way into oblivion, with rising mortgage debt allowing them to import.

 

Had they been forced to live in smaller homes, then there might have been less accumulation, and less debt.

 

In HK, people do not have the same fetishes as in the US and the UK. I could not understand their incredible

desire to buy expensive mobile phones and watches here, until I understand that this was all they could fit

into their small flats.

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I say keep the books and musical instruments and garden. Bin the rest. Esp the mobile phones and the ludicrous expensive watches, TV's and useless gadgets. If you want to live in an elaborate chicken coup renamed 'City Hills' or 'Pacific Heights' like many Asian cities then that is your choice. To me they are prisons in the sky. Breathe the air, drink the water. Make sure you are near a station/airport to get the hell outta there if needs be.

 

'' I could not understand their incredible desire to buy expensive mobile phones and watches here,

until I understood that this was all they could fit

into their small flats.''

How sad... and how true of much of the city life in Japan too. No wonder people stop haviing children. Can't afford to. Not much of a life is it?

One thing that may be missed if many of us moved into smaller spaces.

Americans have been great "tinkerers", because they have the space for it.

 

steve-jobs-epcot-3-400.jpg..apple1.jpg..

 

Many great businesses, such as Apple Computers, were started in a garage.

A place like HK has little space for such useful experimentation.

 

Might there be another way to create space for innovation-and-experimentation in a crowded City?

 

I have been pondering this need recently. (with a few small ideas to show for it)

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Have you seen this video, of a George Carlin routine:

George Carlin Talks About "Stuff"

("That's all your home is - A place to keep your stuff, while you go out and get more stuff.")

 

Living in a small space, gets people away from the tendency to accumulate unneeded "stuff".

 

:lol::lol: So true, he's obviously seen an early video of my wife packing, took me years to convince her there are food shops away from our home area AND get this, they even deliver to holiday destinations what you NEED <_<

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If that’s a recent picture of "your patch" I tell you what, you are a lot further in front of me this year ;)

 

NO thats an aspired view, besides my kids kick lumps out of our lawns, their enjoyment prevents me increasing the veg patch.......for now ;)

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  • 3 weeks later...
I thought this is a fitting place to post this............

image009.jpg

 

Interior can be viewed here....... http://dalesdesigns.net/silo.htm

Wow!

It must be hot inside

 

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One thing that may be missed if many of us moved into smaller spaces.

Americans have been great "tinkerers", because they have the space for it.

 

Many great businesses, such as Apple Computers, were started in a garage.

A place like HK has little space for such useful experimentation.

 

Might there be another way to create space for innovation-and-experimentation in a crowded City?

 

I have been pondering this need recently. (with a few small ideas to show for it)

Hacker Spaces are springing up in cities to try and meet this need, see http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/List_of_Hacker_Spaces

 

'Tinkering' is becoming increasingly relevant and co-ordinated, as evidenced by the publication of magazines such as Make and information sharing websites like Instructables, as we increasingly look to create and re-use rather than purely consume.

 

Happy hacking :)

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