There’s making lemonade outta lemons and then there’s this.
Officially dubbed the "Near House," this humble Japanese abode is a prime example of a newish form of housing casually known as the "micro home" or the "mini house."
More and more, these teensy-tiny homes are springing up in densely populated urban areas where real estate is at a premium.
Located in Tokyo, this two-story house was designed by Mount Fuji Architects Studio for a tiny L-shaped lot that’s only 66 square meters.
That's roughly 800 square feet.
Inhabitat reports that a courtyard separates the home's two main "volumes"—the gate house and the main house.
According to Inhabitat:
The gate house is a slim, two-story volume located adjacent to the street that serves as the entrance to the home. A narrow passageway sits on the right side of the house, providing direct access to the courtyard. The bottom floor of the gatehouse acts as an entry, while the top floor, accessed via a wooden ladder, serves as a study with built-in bookshelves.
So, whaddya think?
In a day and age when the U.S. film industry steals—sorry, "remakes"—foreign break-out hits and refigures them for an American audience, will the same happen with the mini-home?
As the Age of the McMansion dies off, are U.S. homebuyers ready for a wave of mini-homes and micro-houses?
Let us know in the comments.
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