It’s no secret that rental prices in New York are among the highest in the world: trying to find an affordable place to call home can feel like you are forever walking in the shoes of Ryan Nethery, creator of infamous Tumblr The Worst Room. Back in 2013, local firm nARCHITECTS arrived with a potential solution: they won a hard-fought competition to design the city’s first micro-apartment complex, emerging victorious with their proposal for a block of prefabricated units in New York, ranging from 260 to 360 square feet in size.
Now, their project — originally entitled My Micro NY and since named Carmel Place — is approaching completion, and units were officially made available for lease this week. New images of one of the apartment interiors show a range of smart storage devices and fold-away furnishings designed especially for these compact living quarters.
In order for this architectural typology to be realized in one of the country’s most densely packed regions, city officials had to break away from the usual constraints; they have waived the current zoning and density rules stipulating that the footprint of apartments must be no less than 400 square feet.
The result is a modular apartment block of stacking units that evokes visions of Tokyo’s famed experiments in metabolic architecture such as the endangered Nagakin Capsule Tower. The legacy of Nagakin is tempered by well-documented accounts of claustrophobia and poor living conditions by its residents, but nARCHITECTS are hoping its micro-apartments’ generous ceiling heights, ample glazing, Juliet balconies, and numerous shared amenities will provide adequate comfort for residents.
Furthermore, an all-inclusive weekly cleaning service will be provided for each unit. Residents will be able to have their linens changed, beds made, groceries stocked, and laundry and dry cleaning dropped off or returned.
If you are hoping that these units could provide the answer to your perpetual hunt for an affordable apartment, you may be a little disappointed to hear the price: rents will range from $2,000 to $3,000 per month. However, if you are holding out for a place to yourself in Manhattan in 2016, these prices may be among the best you can hope for.
For more images and information on this and nARCHITECTS’ many other projects, check out its firm profile, now.