[greenleaf]

Small space living is possible! My wife and I lived in a 300 sq ft apartment when we moved to Toronto.

Here are a few pics that were taken when we finished getting everything arranged. As (I think) you will see, with a good layout you can fit a open concept bedroom, living room with two oversized chairs, office for two computers, and a dining table in this amount of space. Plus we had room for three 7' book shelves and three other shorter ones. There's no need to get rid of good books! =)

View from near front door:

The view from the white chair (kitchen on the right, the "hallway" with closet that led to bathroom is on the left):

Towards the dining and office area:

 

[iSlutsky]

No kidding, it's out of greed. There was a time when the smallest 1 bedroom condo was 600SF...that's a fact too!

Again, range hood microwave ovens and small dishwashers have been around for 35 years....this is not a breakthough.

(i) "No kidding, it's out of greed." Why do you say out of greed? In fact, the optimal size to build is roughly 1,500 square feet per unit. The smaller the units in the building, the more expensive it is to build. Think about a the space required for a 1,500 SF unit.. in that space (roughly) you could fit three-500 SF units. That is more kitchen appliances, more venting, more washrooms...etc...etc..

Developers/builders are selling and building what people are able to afford. Developable land is scarce, which increases prices, and first time users limits to what they can afford. As such, units are becoming smaller.

(ii) Range hood microwave ovens have been around for 35 years? Can you provide me your source for this? I did not know this. I thought microwaves only came about 35(ish) years ago. But, I do know that that they have had major problems with regards to the amount that they can exhaust until recently. As such, they have only hit the market more recently.

Regarding two-in-one washer dryers. Sure, they have been around in Europe for a long time. I did not see them being sold condos until very recently. Again, it seems to me that it is a new technology being brought to Toronto.

 

[iSlutsky]

iSlutsky: Kindle as in the Amazon Kindle, an electronic book device that takes the place of up to 1500 books.

Hahaha.. Well, kindeling is an other option that some people do! Very funny.

Do you have the Kindle? I thought it was not fully market ready for Canada. From my understanding, in Canada you have to download to you computer, then onto the Kindel; whereas, in the US you can download a book from ANYWHERE directly onto the Kindel. Seems pretty amazing, and most definitely a new technology that will save a lot of space!

 

[cdr108]

Also, Mic Jagger's daughter has a development that I visited in New York with pretty crazy modual kitchens..

Amazing designs and wicked technologies on both those projects mentioned above... Anyway.. will dig later today for some photos.

ah yes, jade, that piece of schlock crap ...
put painted high gloss plywood(or is it mdf) on a 8ft linear kitchen and call it a 'pod'.

 

[AGTO]

Think about a the space required for a 1,500 SF unit.. in that space (roughly) you could fit three-500 SF units.

You could fit 15 100SF units in there as well.....but that's not the point.

I thought microwaves only came about 35(ish) years ago.

OK

But, I do know that that they have had major problems with regards to the amount that they can exhaust until recently

Can you cite this "fact"?

Regarding two-in-one washer dryers.

I never mentioned those, I did mention under sink dishwashers though.
Europeans like to do their laundry in the kitchen, hope they don't bring that idea here.
According to you, you could make a bedroom bigger by using a "new technology" single bed, instead of a queen size.

 

[iSlutsky]

ah yes, jade, that piece of schlock crap ...
put painted high gloss plywood(or is it mdf) on a 8ft linear kitchen and call it a 'pod'.

Materials and marketing of the "pod" aside, it was a really cool concept. While the idea of "pods" have been around for a long time (same concept as RV'ing), it was the way that the centralised "pod" separated the rooms that I found really amazing.

For anyone who doesn't know the project, check here.

 

[DarnDirtyApe]

Our early 80's condo has a microwave/range hood combination, so the idea has been around for at least 25 years.

I would imagine that the throughput of the smaller range hoods is probably not as good as the standalone kind. It's fine if you never really cook anything too involved, but it really sucks when your apartment smells like broccoli for several hours after dinner or you set off the smoke alarm while cooking steaks on a grill pan!

 

[iSlutsky]

According to you, you could make a bedroom bigger by using a "new technology" single bed, instead of a queen size.

While I like the theory behind the "Single Bed", I think the Single Murphy Bed / desk would be a better space solution.

Ok. I think I have spent the last two hours on this discussion. I do not think we are going to come to an agreement or any conclusion. If you want, I would be happy to move this into an email discussion, as I am not sure that anyone else cares about this conversation and I do not think it is bringing much light to the question of the thread "Who would buy a 500~550 sqft condo?". Maybe it needs a whole new thread called "New Designs and Technologies have allowed for liveable 500-550 SF units... DISCUSS".

 

[cdr108]

Materials and marketing of the "pod" aside, it was a really cool concept. While the idea of "pods" have been around for a long time (same concept as RV'ing), it was the way that the centralised "pod" separated the rooms that I found really amazing.

excluding the 1 bedroom unit, i don't see any centralized 'pod' separating spaces.

all it is, is having the bathroom tucked behind the kitchen, keeping the plumbing mechanicals close together which is really no different than anything that's been on the market for 20, 30, 40 years.

only real difference i see are the use of european slim-line appliances for more compact dimensions; really good marketing with a brand name like yoo and jade jagger; nice shiny paint.

if tridel thinks 12ft x 2ft is a miracle, i can do 10ft x 2ft for them and provide more counter and storage space.

 

[iSlutsky]

excluding the 1 bedroom unit, i don't see any centralized 'pod' separating spaces.

It is mainly the one-bedroom that I found to be a cool design.

I also like the look of the shiny pod. I haven't seen any places in Toronto that have the linear kitchen's disappear like that. It is great for small units, and units where people only lightly cook as I feel it gets rid of a cluttered look.

Their presentation gallery is set up in a pretty large and open room, with the pod in the middle. No matter which "area| I was in, I felt like I was completely separate room of the model-suite.