Comet Calm
What's needed at the moment in the NYC residential space is a practical, pleasant micro-apartment. Designs have been proposed - and in some cases built - where the goal has been to take a small apartment, run it through the compactor, and reduce it in scale by 25 to 50 per cent. This micro apartment scheme brings along everything - including the kitchen sink - only smaller. VRT is of the opinion that below a certain threshold size, it's time to throw out the bathwater, the kitchen sink and more. In fact at the micro scale VRT jettisons all plumbing, relocating it elsewhere in the sort of 'commons' scheme not uncommon in many European hotels until well into the 20th century. As well VRT dispenses with the living room, the dining room, and even the breakfast nook at the micro scale - letting an expanded and more extensively equipped lobby take on that role. What's left for the micro apartment is to provide a roomy place to sleep - a queen size mattress or perhaps even larger, storage space for clothes, books, backpacks, and a few trinkets - and generous desk space for working online. The desk shown is 26 inches deep by 8 feet long with built in bookshelves as well.
VRT's strategy is to put the bed over the desk, the former made accessible by a set of steep stairs which double as a chest of drawers. The dimensions in the scheme shown are Length 12 ft, Width 5 ft, Height 12 ft. Each unit occupies just over 60 square feet. The sleeping space is 7ft by 5 ft - hopefully sufficient space for one person or two people who are very close :) The business angle is opportunistic: If as predicted a recession hits and a glut of B class commercial real estate begins to pile up, the play would be to try to lease up a good chunk of it at fire sale rates rates, move to quickly fabricate and install banks of micro apartments, and rent them at just under studio market rate. VRT's design is constructable entirely with 2 x 4's, plywood, and sheet rock with the sheet rock on the extra thick side the better to soundproof the units. Not shown is a ventilation system which will require some thought. On such small volume you want to ensure a steady supply of fresh air.
After wrestling with itself for the last few days, concerned that the 60 sq ft unit is a little too small for a party of two, VRT has devised a larger version of the micro-apartment - perhaps these units function better as micro-hotel rooms amenable to listing on sites such a AirBnB - this new larger and improved version having a footprint of 88 sq ft.
As well the bedroom headroom is cranked up an extra two feet by extending it out over the hallway. Ventilation is factored in and a mini-split HVAC unit finds a home perched above the bedroom book shelf. The desk and closet are the same size but extra bookshelves and space to hang coats and book bags is now available on the left as you walk in. The bed is widened to full King Size of 76 inches. An additional upstairs chest of drawers is built in - and a projector and projector screen are added.
