go hasegawa designs prototypical living space for MUJI employees

against the backdrop of beijing’s herzog & de meuron-designed national stadium, ten design teams have presented miniature dwellings that consider how we may live in the cities of the future.

against the backdrop of beijing’s herzog & de meuron-designed national stadium, ten design teams have presented miniature dwellings that consider how we may live in the cities of the future. the brief for the ‘china house vision’ exhibition encouraged creatives to think about themes such as energy consumption, communication, artificial intelligence, and the sharing economy — all topics that must be considered when designing a contemporary urban dwelling. in addition to contributions from MAD architects and MINI living, the initiative also includes a scheme conceived by MUJI and japanese architect go hasegawa.

in developing their project, MUJI referenced china’s history of shared housing to create a concept for its own employees. in particular, the scheme examines the upper floors of residential buildings in shanghai where 4-meter-high spaces are too tall for single-storey occupancy and not tall enough for duplex dwellings. the company believes that these volumes could be transformed into micro apartments for staff working at MUJI’s shanghai office, who may live up to three hours away.

go hasegawa’s design uses a centrally positioned, three dimensional unit — similar to the ‘canopy beds’ found in traditional chinese houses — to divide the shared and private parts of the home. inside the unit, a ladder leads to the bedrooms, which, as with the communal space below, is fitted out with MUJI furniture, including storage racks and a bed. meanwhile, the area below contains shared household appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, and air conditioners.