SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Clockwise: Two different layouts in the living area of the same unit – a dining table becomes a desk; a sofa becomes a bed. The clean design of Carmel Place's units belie its small space. Co-founder of nArchitects, Mimi Hoang

前後大不同

順時針：同一單位的客廳可打造兩大不同佈局：餐桌可成書桌；沙發可成睡床。Carmel Place的設計簡潔元件適用於小巧空間。nArchitects合夥創辦人Mimi Hoang

Rowena suggests thinking about your basic needs and which spaces you use the most, then starting from there. "Look at your habits and consider what spaces you’re lacking," she says. "In a lot of homes, the TV and living area are such big priorities – and I don’t know if it’s that necessary. If you don’t actually watch TV that much, you may want to consider arranging your furniture in a way that encourages more conversation. If you spend more time at a table rather than a sofa, then it’s fine to make your table area bigger."

Possibly the biggest implication of micro-units is calling into question the basic structure of an abode. "We really have to rethink the idea of a living room, a workspace, a dining space," continues Rowena. Just as non-living spaces are beginning to double-up in function – offices that combine work with play, and retail spaces that serve up coffee right along with their accessories and other products – the idea of the home is changing and micro-living is only the beginning. //

對Mimi和Rowena來說，排列空間重要性才為關鍵。Mimi決定把焦點放在生活區上。「我們從宏觀角度出發觀察大量物件，整體平方呎面積則以微觀處理。」她解釋：「我們嘗試把廚房和浴室擠得滿滿的，天花都裝上儲物空間，並留用剛好讓人們分佈單位各處的靈活性。」高樓底和Juliet陽台也是讓空間更顯開揚豪華的重點。

Rowena提議可考慮你的「基本需要」，以及最常使用的區域，接著便由此入手。「想想自己的喜好，再反思缺乏哪些空間。」她指：「大多家居中，電視和客廳都是首要考慮——但我個人不肯定這是否必須。要是你根本不常看電視節目，就要考慮組出能促進對話交流的傢具擺設了。愛逗留在桌子而非沙發的你，就可以把桌子範圍擴大一點。」

小單位隱含的最大意義就是提出家居基本結構為何的疑問。Rowena續說：「我們的確需要重新思考客廳、工作室和飯廳的概念。」非生活用的空間也開始作一室兩用功能——辦公室可供工作和遊玩，零售空間出售裝飾和產品的同時也供應咖啡——家的概念已不停轉化，小巧生活間只是序幕。//