Tokyo Living Small House Seems Large

Tokyo Living Small House Seems Large

Tokyo Living in a Penguin House

I have a reputation for liking penguins. This didn't actually start because I like penguins, this started because I like to wrap up in huge comforters and waddle around with only my face visible (no I was not intentionally trying to emulate a penguin, it just happened). So anyway, I got this nickname, and I have to say, if I have to be a penguin, I want me some Tokyo living in the penguin house. The guy who designed this penguin house for Tokyo living is a genius, sheer genius I tell you!

Tokyo Living light

Okay, so there's more to Tokyo living in the penguin house than just slapping the name penguin house on a tiny structure. And there's more to it than just cuteness. This house was designed for Tokyo living; it was designed to make small spaces seem, well, less small. And Tokyo living desperately needs that kind of architecture, as they are crowded enough as it is (on the other hand, they're currently worrying about a population drop in the next few generations, but back to Tokyo living). The first principle that the guy employs in his penguin house design is light. And boy does he ever use it. I can't even describe how beautiful that house is when the light comes through the windows, you have to watch the video. And his concept was so simple too!

Tokyo Living sight

So the next concept for Tokyo living in the penguin house is sight. This one I am already very familiar with; it's the reason that I've been trying to get rid of my stuff for...years. The less stuff there is obstructing your sight, the longer and clearer your sight-lines, the bigger a space feels. This definitely makes sense in Tokyo living too. When there is not as much space for stuff in order to avoid feeling like a sardine one simply cannot have as much stuff. You just can't in Tokyo living. This guy took it to the next level though, with the way he designed shelving and stairs to make them less obstructive of views and therefore more conducive to clear sight-lines.

Tokyo Living height

And the last principle for Tokyo living in the penguin house (and all credit for these goes to the designer of the penguin house and National Geographic, I didn't come up with any of it) is height. This is something I hadn't really thought about, as opposed to the other two Tokyo living principles, but apparently the higher a room is the bigger it seems to us humans. I can't really explain this one, but it works, just watch the video and look at the rooms, and you'll realize how your mind is being tricked (but in a good way). So if I ever design a house I might have to take a chapter from the Tokyo living in penguin house book and design a small, but spacious-feeling home for (hopefully) Tokyo living.