The latest video in our Dezeen x MINI Living series features a storage solution named MoreFloor, which hides furniture under the floor, by Design Academy Eindhoven graduate Juul de Bruijn.

The prototype consists of uniform-height wooden boxes that are placed side-by-side on the floor to create a 30-centimetre-tall platform.

The containers vary in width and depth to accommodate a range of contents, including a double mattress, clothing and toiletries. The lid of each unit conceals its contents and doubles as a floor panel.

Bruijn developed MoreFloor during her final year at Design Academy Eindhoven in response to her own cramped urban living conditions. 

"I had a small apartment in Eindhoven," she told Dezeen. "I really needed an extra room to work and got frustrated that I only used the bedroom for the minority of the time," she added.

By tidying away pieces of furniture that were only used for brief periods of the day, Bruijn found she was able to reuse the floor in her bedroom for different purposes. 

MoreFloor is an attempt to challenge the notion of single-use spaces as well as traditional methods of storage, which the designer claims only serve to "make your walls thicker". 

"You can work and play on the floor during the day, and when you're tired simply open up the floor and snuggle up in your sunken bed," said Bruijn.

The micro-living solution was designed to be installed in an existing space without diminishing the footprint of the room. "By taking just 30 centimetres off the height of the room, you can gain more than six square metres in floorspace," said the designer.

"I have used the bed unit myself now for over half a year," said Bruijn. "I like the routine of tidying away the apartment, then immediately having a blank canvas that's ready to use in a different way," she added.

The modular system enables users to combine the units in different configurations to suit their own spatial requirements.

Bruijn hopes that her product will not only encourage people to think more creatively about their homes but also help those who live in cities where space is scarce.

This movie is part of Dezeen x MINI Living Initiative, a collaboration with MINI Living exploring how architecture and design can contribute to a brighter urban future through a series of videos and talks.