Transforming Wall Hides All in Young Family's Micro-Apartment (Video)

As real estate gets more costly in growing cities, there's been a trend toward smaller but more affordable spaces. Creating this space for a husband, wife, and their young child, Spanish architect Angel Rico redid this small, 20-square-meter micro-apartment (215 square feet) by adding transformable, multifunctional elements and furniture, making the space much more livable for this young family. You have to watch all the pieces move to understand how it works (and well worth the few minutes):

© Angel RicoLocated on the Spanish coast somewhere, this tiny apartment is right by the ocean, and as mentioned in the video, is home to a health care professional, her son and her husband. To maximize these views, all the functional components of closet, pantry and storage, as well as other zones like the kitchen and child's bed have been pushed to one side and hidden in a wall unit of sorts.

© Angel Rico

It's not immediately apparent, but the wall has multiple layers. Like a puzzle or pancaked nesting doll, part of the wall hinges out to unfold and reveal a series of cubbies, one of which is a special closet for the homeowner's long dresses. The bed for the son can now be hinged down; the previous hinged wall acts as a privacy screen. Obviously, it's not the most ideal situation when the child gets older, but at a younger age, it's workable.

© Angel Rico

Then, the top half of yet another part of a wall can unfold, to reveal the kitchen and its storage. It has been designed so that it fits perfectly together (though it seems that in order for the kitchen to close upon itself, the counter must be clear). Below that is the small refrigerator, hidden behind a cabinetry surface.

Beyond that is the bathroom, hidden behind a thick, hinged wall unit that's actually another closet, which allows everyone to bathe and get dressed in the bathroom itself, without having to leave the room -- a clever workaround in this home that has no other rooms or partitions.

© Angel Rico

Angel Rico/Video screen capture

Right above the bathroom is a lofted space for naps. As the homeowner mentions in the video, she works late shifts at the local hospital, and she wanted a private space to nap or relax when she comes home. In the future, it could possibly become a bedroom for a growing child.

Angel Rico/Video screen capture

At the other end of the apartment is the living room; it's furnished with a sofa-bed, and is where the couple sleeps usually. This space also doubles as a place for entertaining up to 11 guests, thanks to a extendable table and chairs that are hidden in a ceiling hatch. The living room overlaps with the balcony space, which expands the sense of space to the outdoors, and given the mild climate, it creates an extra sense of spaciousness.

Angel Rico/Video screen capture

The apartment is small, but by virtue of some clever space-making ideas, it feels a lot bigger than it really is, enough to accommodate this family living by the sea. For more, visit Angel Rico.

[Via: ArchDaily]