In Shanghai's Jing'An district, BMW Mini Living is set to convert an abandoned paint factory into a micro-apartment complex. Developers will combine six buildings, which will each include two to 10 residential units.
Construction will begin this month.
Residents will be able to partake in cultural events, rooftop farming, and a car-sharing program.
The building will also feature plenty of communal spaces for working, eating, and hanging out.
Each apartment will be no larger than a few hundred square feet, though BMW predicts that residents will not spend much time in the small spaces. The building will include shops, restaurants, a roof terrace, gardens, exhibition areas, and a food market.
There will be two different apartment options. One-bedroom units will have access to a shared kitchen and communal areas, while two-bedrooms will have private kitchens.
The design builds on Mini Living's concept apartment, which was unveiled last year. The new micro-apartments will look similar to this.
The company believes that micro-apartments could represent the future of city living, as urban metros become even more dense.
"Let’s take a look at one of the most pressing challenges we are facing today in our highly dense urban environment. It becomes obvious that, on the one hand, it’s the sheer scarcity of space and, on the other hand, how we use the space we have available," Oke Hauser, creative lead at Mini Living, said in a statement.
"We all know the results: rising rents, cramped living conditions, long commutes —
especially in such an attractive city like Shanghai. With Mini Living, we want to contribute solutions that trigger inspiration on how we could live better and more joyful inside of cities in the future."
