According to realtors' estimates, small-sized housing is in stable demand, and its market share is 5-7 percent. The obvious advantage of small-sized apartments is, of course, their price. This is especially true of the secondary market with apartments of 18-20 sq. m. in Khrushchyovkas.
Ksenia Pashkevich
Ksenia Pashkevich, Lead architect at Metropolis, told the "All about the construction world" magazine about the demand for small-sized housing in the modern market. The issue of housing is acutely on the agenda, but it is by no means a problem only in our country. The need of modern society for affordable, and most importantly, own housing exists in every state. The theme of mini-apartments over the past 10 years has reached its peak in Europe and America. The concept of mini-houses is just beginning to come to Russia, striving to take an important place in the modern typology of housing.
Japan was one of the first to implement the concept of mini-apartments. The Nakagin Capsule Tower was built in Tokyo by Japanese architect Kise Kurokawa. The area of one capsule for living was 12 square meters and was equipped with everything necessary. The main idea of the capsule house was the mobility of capsules, so if the capsule was damaged or obsolete, it could easily be replaced with a new one. It would seem like a great solution. However, this concept did not catch on even in the conditions of crowded Japan. To date, the building is in decline, and most of the owners have signed documents for the demolition of the building.
At the same time, in America and Europe there are wonderful projects of mini-apartments on individual designs. The area of these apartments varies from 7 to 25 square meters. The apartments have intricate layouts and meet modern needs for a comfortable stay.
For example, an apartment in the center of Rome, a few meters from St. Peter's Square. The area of the apartment is only 7 square meters. The owner of the apartment, the architect Marco Pirazzi, thanks to the high ceiling, divided the space into two levels, which allowed him to place bedroom, relaxation, kitchen and dining areas, as well as a bathroom in such a small area. Many people, especially young people, no longer need a separate kitchen and an isolated corridor, they need a house. Affordable, convenient, comfortable, mini-house. Current standards are outdated and require revision. This task gives a tremendous impetus to the development of architectural, engineering and constructive thought. As it is required to design not Khrushchyovkas, but smart and high-tech spaces.
However, every medal has its reverse. And the concept of mini-apartments has a number of positive and negative sides. Let's look at all the positive and negative aspects of this concept.
The positive aspects include:
- High building density;
- Relative cheapness per square meter;
- Project typification;
- High profitability of construction companies.
Disadvantages of small housing:
- Frequent illnesses in violation of the microclimate;
- Claustrophobia;
- Injury hazard;
- Psychological deviations during long-term living in cramped conditions;
- Expensive maintenance in the presence of modern technological equipment and transforming furniture.
Living space must satisfy not only social norms of living space, but also comply with physical and hygienic standards: sleep, nutrition, personal hygiene, etc. To ensure these standards, rooms of appropriate sizes are needed. For one person, according to research by hygienists, the preferred area is 14.7 square meters, and the volume of air should be at least 30 cubic meters per hour. For high-quality air exchange of premises, it is necessary to carry out a number of engineering and design measures, laying down solutions to ensure a comfortable microclimate at the design stage. These activities increase the cost of the building and are a section which they often save on. For reference: according to the norms of the code of conduct, today the minimum area of a one-room apartment is 28 sq.m., of which the area of the living room is at least 14 sq.m., the kitchen area is 8 sq.m.
Mini-housing is becoming increasingly popular in the real estate market. It is affordable for younger people who are less picky about the need for separate kitchen, living room and bedroom. It can also be in demand as rental housing for temporary residence. At the same time, it should not infringe on the social, sanitary and hygienic standards of housing.
Read the full material on "All about the construction world" website.
