Isn't storage built into the walls far more space efficient and convenient?
I'm not familiar with storage in walls, as it's not used at all used in my country (Poland). So, my question is - doesn't it make the planning of overall apartment/house more difficult? With in-wall storage, the rooms suddenly have these weird, puzzle-like shapes, which need to match to a puzzle on the other side of the wall. Developers around here are already performing acrobatics when doing floor plans in apartment buildings [1] and none of them has considered an in-wall storage, which makes me think it's perhaps not cost efficient in the end?
[1] Trying to maximize square footage per appt while maintaining minimum daily sunlight requirements, which leads to long, narrow rooms with a single window on the narrow wall, and also to oversized, maze-y halls etc.
Maybe because American houses are significantly larger there's more space to put inbuilt storage without eating up valuable furniture space ?
@zbigi - Is light minima a regulatory requirement in Poland ? I remember a skyscraper in Warsaw which had a big chuck 'cut out' of it to allow light to a neighbouring building.
That is why I like apartments that have some wall storage.
This way people who own little stuff have enough and don't need to add free standing furniture, while hoarders can add it if they like.
Here in Southern Florida we have a couple walk in closets and they are more than enough for all our stuff, so we just had to buy a couple small Ikea things to put on the side of the bed and we're golden.
@zbigi - Is light minima a regulatory requirement in Poland ? I remember a skyscraper in Warsaw which had a big chuck 'cut out' of it to allow light to a neighbouring building.
Yes, it is. There's a law saying every room's floor (doesn't have to be entire floor) has to receive at least X hours of direct sunlight per day. This leads to urban designs like e.g. this apartment block near me:
As you can see, the buildings look kind-of randomly scattered across the plot, which I suspect was done to maximize the light received. I wonder if they're using some optimization algorithms to find the best layout.
Maybe because American houses are significantly larger there's more space to put inbuilt storage without eating up valuable furniture space ?
This was actually a major factor in the increase in apartment sizes in the US over the last 50-60 years. There was an increasing demand for more amenities that required additional space. Utility closets for in-unit washer and dryers, closets in the bedrooms, dishwashers, etc...The shift to micro units is eliminating some of that stuff, but also just utilizing better design.
I currently live in an apartment building that is over 100 years old. The craftsmanship is quite impressive and it is clearly better designed than apartments that were put up over the last fifty years. I have a built-in bookshelf in the living room, but it actually saves space because it shares a wall with a large pantry/cupboard in the kitchen. All of the built-in storage is designed to hide plumbing or to maximize livable space.
As you can see, the buildings look kind-of randomly scattered across the plot, which I suspect was done to maximize the light received. I wonder if they're using some optimization algorithms to find the best layout.
This is interesting - thanks for sharing!
Vancouver, BC has some of the most intricate urban design standards I've seen. The city protects and considers 27 different viewsheds when permitting new development downtown. It ensures that new development doesn't block mountain or ocean vistas, thus minimizing property value and aesthetics for existing residents. It results in some interesting configurations.
Most people love the aesthetic of the city, but don't realize how much thought went into the design. It's quite spectacular to be walking down a variety of streets with stunning, unobstructed views.
