At only 17.6 square meters, this apartment from Taipei (in Taiwan) is very small, even for a single person with very few requirements. The space used to be a piano studio and has a 3.4 meters high ceiling which is not a lot but enough to allow a mezzanine level. This micro apartment was recently redesigned by studio A Little Design, with architect Szumin Wang as lead. As if the tiny footprint wasn’t challenging enough, the apartment also has concrete beams running through it, making it even more difficult to organize the spaces properly. Still, the architect managed to come up with a wonderful plan.

The apartment is tiny and to combat that the architect relied a lot of multifunctional furniture

The sofa can also be used as a single bed, allowing the owner to welcome overnight guests

The apartment’s original structure was poorly designed and as a result, some changes had to be made. The bathroom was too big for the overall proportions of the apartment and the kitchen was too small, so small that there wasn’t even room for a fridge in there. The two spaces changed roles, the kitchen becoming the new bathroom and vice versa.

The living room is also the dressing and includes a built-in shoe cabinet and a fold-down deskThe new kitchen is more spacious than the original, with sufficient storage and room for a washing machine

On top of that, the kitchen and the entryway became one and the same, allowing the fridge to be placed under the stairs alongside a set of storage cupboards. The sleeping area occupies the mezzanine floor and is as simple as it can be, emphasizing space-efficiency and functionality more than anything else.

The mezzanine floor is super minimalist, with nothing more than a mattress and a wall-mounted sconceThe kitchen seamlessly transitions into the entryway but at the same time maintains its independenceThe bathroom now has more sunlight than before and a mirror door which helps it appear largerGiven the very reduced proportions of the apartment, the palette of colors and materials used throughout are minimalWhite is the primary color used in all the spaces, often complemented by light grey surfacesThe built-in furniture and multifunctional elements are very space-efficient and ideal in this caseThere’s enough counter space in the kitchen considering the footprint and a fair amount of storage in various formsBy redistributing the spaces inside the apartment the architect gave the rooms more practical proportionsThe plan reveals the space has been maximized as best as possible, especially on the main floorThe mezzanine may be small but allows the apartment to include a queen-size bed which was previously impossible