We didn’t know Bloomberg liked his spaces so tiny!
Mayor Bloomberg just announced New York City’s new adAPT NYC competition, which challenges architects to design a new apartment building in New York comprised entirely of micro-mini units. The new plan seeks to accommodate New York’s booming population by creating affordable homes to meet the needs of single city dwellers. The proposed units would be just 275 to 300 feet large, and they would occupy a city-owned lot on 27th Street in Kips Bay. NYC has always been on the cutting edge when it comes to tiny dwellings, but the competition couldn’t have come at a better time since small space living is so en vogue right now.
New Yorkers are no strangers to small space living, but Bloomberg’s new competition would scale down the average living space even more in order to create more available units for residents wishing to live on their own at an affordable price. Previously, constructing an entire building of these micro-units was a violation of zoning laws, but Bloomberg has waived the restrictions for this competition.
Currently, the required size for an apartment is at least 400 square feet. Bloomberg’s proposed micro-units are just over half of that size, and are roughly four times the size of the average prison cell.
The Mayor and his posse came up with the plan in response to the housing problem in NYC as more and more people flock to the city. The new micro-unit building will be geared towards young professionals just starting out who can afford to live in Manhattan but do not want roommates. The units will not be subsidized, and will be for sale or rent to the general public.
Entrants to the competition will be considered at the Institute of Architects’ Center for Architecture on July 31, 2012. According to the city’s press release, “Every Applicant wishing to submit a Proposal in response to this RFP is encouraged to attend, as this will be the only opportunity to ask questions and receive answers in person regarding this RFP.” The address is 536 LaGuardia Place, New York, New York 10012 and the meeting will take place at 2PM.
Via Archinect
Images ©CarbonNYC and ©Steve Shattuck
