Living in small spaces
I’ve had this bookmarked for sometime, maybe we even posted something about it before, but as we question how we live (especially in Melbourne and it’s sprawling suburbs of large houses) in cities, maybe we all have to be prepared to make more efficient use of living spaces.
This article from Treehugger shows some very efficient living spaces from Europe which are all very well designed and probably expensive. I’ve seen some cheaper examples here in Melbourne of efficient space usage, a friend lived in a tiny room with a bunk bed, a desk underneath and shelves running around the room at various levels, it wasn’t that pleasant but still, a good use of space.
What are your views on efficient use of living space? Any ideas? Is it necessary? Would you be prepared to do it?
August 27th, 2009 at 11:54 am
It totally depends on your lifestyle. I know at one point in my life I was inner city-based. Hard core job, always ate out or at work (more efficient for me in terms of time and money) and always played out. Home was literally somewhere where I slept. In reality I only needed a few square metres to put a bed, my stuff and a bathroom.
When I eventually moved into a space like that it made so much more sense!
But now, not having a paid job and being home based I really do need more space. As long as I also take on the responsibility of ensuring that my space is efficiently run.
The emptiness of some of the blocks around here does astound me. Despite a pretty high level of unemployment and home based people there is very few gardens with any vegetables in them. It doesn’t really take that much effort..
And don’t get me started on the efficiency of the homes.. Although ironically since there’s still a fair bit of asbestos in homes round there they’re reasonably well insulated.
August 28th, 2009 at 10:05 am
Certainly one advantage of the recession is that in many countries people have started to re-think their monopoly of space by taking in boarders to accomodate empty rooms after their children leave home. I like the immediacy of this in that it challenge the idea that housing is ‘someone else’s problem’.