Ready for teeny tiny apartments in Philadelphia?

Ready to see the apartment of the future? It’s not going to knock your socks off. They’ll take up most of the spare floor space.

In fact, what it will probably do is shock and horrify you with its smallness. Remember college? Well, these apartments aren’t much smaller than your average dorm room.

In New York City, they’re looking at decreasing the minimum size of studio apartments, and constructing units that would be 300 square feet – really just the size of a bedroom – but there would be a kitchenette, bathroom, storage space and combined living/sleeping area all crammed in.

What’s good about this? It’s an economic alternative to the future of rental living.

Uber-small units are the extreme solution to packing more people into crowded metropolis around the world. Rents are smaller and the furnishing needs are less than a regular sized apartment. Also, the utility bills are much lower and sometimes incorporated into the cost of monthly rent.

Of course, there are drawbacks. Such a small unit is sure to lend itself to a bit of claustrophobia. But on the plus side, it would motivate renters to be socially engaged outside of the home. Nice apartments are great. But fulfillment comes from interacting with other people in the community, not staring at the walls or out the window.

There’s also a green component. As more people choose to live in an urban environment, comprising a smaller footprint is realistically the only way to do so in a sustainable way. Smaller spaces make room for more residents.

What do you think? Could you be happy in a 12×12 apartment? Would you plan to do so anytime soon? No projects of this type are planned for Philly at this time, but if NYC is taking them on, we won’t be far behind.