Micro homes inside water pipes could take advantage of unused urban space
The latest instalment of our Dezeen x MINI Living video series features a proposal to create micro homes inside concrete water pipes.
OPod Tube Housing is a concept by Hong Kong-based studio James Law Cybertecture, to transform 2.5-metre-wide concrete water pipes into temporary living spaces, with facilities for living, cooking and bathing.
The idea is that these tubular structures could easily relocated using a crane, to stack on top of each other in the unused spaces between existing city buildings.
To prove the concept, the architecture studio has built a prototype to show how a typical home might look. A glazed front panel works as both door and window, allowing natural light into the space, and residents gain access using a smartphone-operated locking system.
Studio founder James Law believes the concept could ease the housing crisis in cities like Hong Kong, which was recently ranked as having the least affordable housing market in the world.
Speaking to Dezeen earlier this year, he thinks residents could live happily in the tubes for one to two years. He believes they would appeal to "young people who can't afford private housing".
This movie is part of Dezeen x MINI Living Initiative, a year-long collaboration with MINI exploring how architecture and design can contribute to a brighter urban future through a series of videos and talks.