Studio Liu Lubin are the architects behind the aptly named Micro House in Beijing, China. This mini house is unlike anything we’ve ever seen, packing a big punch in spite of its small scale. This compact home boasts a stacked silhouette that reminds us of a Tetris block. And like the popular video game, the various modular volumes piece together to create a fully functional, livable and comfortable home. And style doesn’t go by the wayside. The bold, geometric silhouette doesn’t go unnoticed in this Beijing park. Surrounded by nature smack dab in the center of the city, this undersized urban house has it all.
This house is located in a Beijing city park, ideally situated to enjoy a bit of nature within this densely populated urban setting. And this is just one of many nice features of this house – its small scale and modular design means you can put it virtually anywhere.
The building is constructed using glass fiber reinforced plastic, which is light enough to be easily transported and assembled by hand, taking shape either as a single structure, or grouped into a larger house or even a community of individual homes. But don’t let this lightweight material fool you, it is also durable.
Offering an alternative to the traditional cramped quarters that many urban Chinese call “home,” this small but sweet house design is based on the minimum amount of space required to live, work and rest, combining it all into a single, smart layout to accommodate every aspect of daily life.
A set of stairs leads up to the entrance in the white facade. Just try to walk by without stepping up to sneak a peek!
The shape of the house echoes the lines of the stairs, delivering a bold geometric element with a big impact. Each modular volume is a cross-shaped block with a large square window at its center. The volumes fit together like a puzzle, each becoming a different living space like the rooms in more traditional houses – one volume for cooking, one for eating, one for dining, one for sleeping, and so on. Need more? No problem, you can add on as required and desired.
The windows swing open to invite nature, views and visitors inside.
Interiors combine architecture and furniture to make the best use of the limited space. The volumes can be combined to form larger homes, or they stand alone as fully functional and fabulous individuals. The small space appears larger thanks to the large windows that welcome natural light and outdoor views. The white interior finishes amplify the light, thus enhancing the home’s sense of space.
Smart storage keeps the limited surfaces clean and every corner organized – a must for any compact living space.
Another essential for small space living are multi-purpose elements. This surface offers a practical work space which also functions as an eating area and a spot to sit and watch the world go by.
The bed is a sunken nook tucked between two “steps” that serve as side tables or shelves.
A window overhead invites the morning sun in, illuminating this sleepy little space with natural light.
Even the bathroom boasts its own view into the outdoors.
Teetering between installation art and everyday functional living, the Micro House is definitely a local attraction and hotspot for architecture aficionados the world over.
Here are some diagrams of this smart, small house plan, with not an inch of wasted space, as you’ll see!
These individual modular volumes can stand alone, or pieced together to form a larger residence.
Cooking, dining, cleaning, bathing, living, working, relaxing – each module has a designated function, much like the rooms in a traditional house do.
Ultimately, the Micro House modules can even come together to form micro communities.
Studio Liu Lubin
via Contemporist
