Man Lives in Rented Box in San Francisco Apartment

[Gilberto de Piento]

For Peter Berkowitz, the solution to sky-high San Francisco rent has been to build a box, or a “pod” as he calls it, in the living room of a friend’s apartment. The pod cost $1300 to build, and he pays $400 per month for the space, making the total monthly cost roughly $508 per month.

http://fortune.com/2016/03/28/man-lives ... francisco/

[bryan]

This is a great deal/idea, especially if it's a decent location (walkable) in the city. I wanted to do similar (there's a thread in here talking about similar, with a picture of some micro-living cages somewhere in Asia) but figured it would be illegal or cause for eviction.

I've maintained that living in a van in the bay area is only "worth it" if you can't find a decent place to rent for ~$750. I assume he has access to the kitchen, bathroom, and even the living room. I'm surprised the roommates are down with him only paying $400 (but I suppose maybe they need the discount on rent too).

[Freedom_2018]

At $1300 hope it fits through the door and he can take with him when he moves!

Nice way to generate some media buzz for himself and his work.

[BeyondtheWrap]

I really don't see the point of the box. The basic strategy is simply that he has a friend who is willing to let him sleep in the living room, which can be difficult to find but isn't really that impressive. How is this any different from sleeping on someone's couch?

[vexed87]

Yeah, a room partition would have probably been cheaper and less claustrophobia inducing.

[slog]

Skimmed the article and didn't see apartment size, but assuming it's somewhat intimate living quarters I could see a big advantage over a sofa experience just having the true isolation. Comparable instances of that extra level of comfort would be public restroom with dividers versus private residence bathroom where you have the tiny room all to yourself. Or at work, office partitions (the sound goes right over the walls) versus your own office.
From my personal apartment experience, one of the guys I live with has a tic where he frequently clears his throat. When there's no other source of stimulation it's loud enough to have actually startled me a few times. Protection from light and sound seem important if you want to have an independent sleep schedule.

[Riggerjack]

Only in SF would 6 sheets of 1/2" ACA, 9 2x4s, a box of screws, and a rope light cost $1300. I assume the Lion's share went to labor...

I would have built it with piano hinge, or with easy disassembly in mind, so it could be moved. It's gonna be a hassle pulling all those screws when the lease is up. I noticed that the article considered it 100% deprecated in 12 months. I guess it will be the landlord's problem, then.

[Riggerjack]

We all have a "den instinct". To make " forts". I think this has a lot to do with the tiny house movement. But being able to stand up to get dressed, would be a nice addition to the fort...

[JamesR]

I really don't see the point of the box. The basic strategy is simply that he has a friend who is willing to let him sleep in the living room, which can be difficult to find but isn't really that impressive. How is this any different from sleeping on someone's couch?

Privacy/enclosed space is pretty important psychologically I think.. There's a reason to build blanket forts as a kid


BTW.. I'm surprised there isn't an existing product in the SF/NY markets for something akin to personal capsules.. Get hotel quality capsule delivered, unfold it, viola..

[llorona]

Apparently it's illegal to live in a box in San Francisco:
http://www.sfgate.com/realestate/articl ... 243988.php