At a mere 475 square feet (44 sq. meters), Closet House by Consexto utilizes an innovative moving wall to maximize living space in this small apartment in Matosinhos, Portugal. Fully equipped with a living room/dining area, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom; this elegant design takes advantage of every inch available. With clever storage spaces and a beautiful interior design, Closet House really is the biggest little apartment the Sifter has seen. ArchDaily awarded this home the winner of the 2010 Building of the Year in the ‘Interiors’ category.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

– Depending on what room you are in (living/dining vs bedroom), the wall can move back and forth to create more space
– Many items are built into the wall to save space: a fold out dining table, built in flat screen tv and speakers, storage space, and coffee maker/mini bar are all built into the living room side, while closet space and drawers are built into the bedroom-facing side of the wall
– Movement is automatic
– Beautiful wood finish
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions have been raised about what happens when say, a couple inhabits this space and they want to be in different rooms. Where does the wall go? A compromise of both spaces would have to occur. Both areas would give up a little area. Remember the overall size is still very small. 475 sq ft is still 475 sq ft.

Unfortunately there was not a complete floor plan available, so it’s hard to really analyze how much space each area comprises. Other questions about how fast the wall moves are also valid. Is there a ‘manual option’ for impatient people? How cramped/compact is the bedroom to enter when the wall is set to maximize space in the living room?

When the wall has not been set back to maximize the bedroom area (and open up the entrance to the room), it appears the ‘permanent’ doorway between living room and bedroom is quite narrow, larger people would definitely have challenges moving between rooms.