Japanese Man Builds House in Parking Space

A 39-year-old man named Fuyuhito Moriya and his mother Yoko found a creative, if claustrophobic, way to deal with Tokyo’s sky-high real estate prices: For about $500,000, Moriya built a house on a thirty-square meter parking space.

Some architectural and aesthetic tricks were necessary to pull this off:

South-facing, large windows create the illusion of space. Minimal furniture and clutter keep the small home tidy. Hideaway cabinets for kitchen appliances and half size sinks shrink expected space.

Even the spiral staircase shaves inches, drawn as a triangle instead of a circle, slashing the space’s diameter. The corners of the staircase become small closets, to stash shoes.

“Every single corner is used,” says Moriya.

(CNN via Neatorama)