New idea? Old idea! Micro-apartments

As cities throughout the globe find that micro-apartments are a great way to create housing for one-person households, we look back at ways teensy apartments fit into the housing mix decades, even centuries ago.

Often these smaller quarters were built that size, but sometimes they were made from larger ones, splitting one apartment into two.  Or in this case, making an apartment out of an old porter’s office and washroom.

But these are not new ideas.  People have been building apartments for centuries.  This complex in the Yemen desert looks quite modern.

But a closer look reveals it is made of mud walls.

Good protection from marauders as well as an efficient use of space.

Or this micro-apartment from 12th century China:

Quite a popular idea back then.

Maybe it’s these ancient micro-suites that inspired a modern-day architecture student in China to design this 75 square-foot home:

See more at this link.