No, you didn’t read the title wrong.  330 square feet hasn’t stopped Hong Kong architect Gary Chang from expanding his tiny apartment into a shocking 24-room space.  How is that possible?  Are the individual rooms less than 14 square feet each?  The strange answer is…sort of.

Gary decided to make the most of his space by implementing a sliding panel system that makes his apartment pretty much whatever he wants it to be.  Journalists and home enthusiasts have called the apartment “The Domestic Transformer” and the home was featured in The New York Times.

Check out the video:

Chang is obviously some sort of mad genius – the fact that he was able to design this setup and execute it speaks to his ingenuity and industry.  There are many, many tiny apartments in Hong Kong – and Chang is the first to think of this sort of solution to the problem of limited space.

The home is also considered ecologically friendly.  Chang has come up with a way to save on heating and cooling, and because his apartment gets pretty constant natural light he barely ever turns on the lights.

If we’re going to get technical about it, Chang’s apartment isn’t really 24 rooms – it’s really just an apartment with 24 possible configurations.

Chang has lived in this particular space since he was a young man.  The building was built in the 1960′s and when Chang first lived there he lived there with his mother and three sisters.  His father was a waiter in the United States.  Amazingly enough, during those days they also rented the third tiny partitioned bedroom to a tenant to help with the rent payment.

When Chang took possession of the apartment he began a lengthy four-renovation project that cost more than $200,000 and resulted in the remarkable apartment he lives in today.  It’s guys like this that make it so fun to write for this website!

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My first apartment was an efficiency apartment with lovely 11 foot ceilings but a total of about 500 square feet.  I thought it was tiny.  The kitchen was part of the bedroom, and ran along one wall with a refrigerator, sink, stove and two cabinets.  I couldn’t cook without making my sheets smell like whatever I was cooking.

After doing a little research, I’ve discovered that plenty of people – especially people in large cities – live in much smaller spaces.

Take, for instance, the couple covered in a recent New York Post article.  They bought a tiny studio apartment that is only 175 square feet.  They love their tiny apartment, and will have it completely paid for within two years.  They travel a lot, eat out frequently, and don’t entertain guests very often.

Lots of people learn to economize space, like the photo below (not a picture of the aforementioned couple’s apartment, by the way).

photo by ClatieK

Another guy was covered in a follow-up blog to the New York Post feature.  He’s a guy that lives in a 55-square foot apartment.  The Hell’s Kitchen apartment is only marginally bigger than a jail cell in New York City.  He likes it a lot, too, though he can’t even turn around in his shower.

Tons of square footage is not necessary for happiness.  Just ask people who live in small quarters in Sweden, Japan, and other places around the world.  As Americans continue to NOT do more with less, the New York couple in their 175 square foot apartment are an example of people living large in a small space.

Could you live in such cramped quarters?  Comment below!

More pictures of tiny apartments:

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photo by by Dizzy Atmosphere

Smith Tower was built in 1914, and named after the guy from Smith Corona -  you know, typewriters and guns?  His name was Lyman Cornelius Smith and he set out to build the tallest building in Seattle.  That sort of went out the window when they built the Space Needle, but ol’ Lyman was long gone by then, so he didn’t care.  In fact, he didn’t live to see Smith Tower built either, but it certainly is a magnificent piece of Seattle architecture.

Architecture notwithstanding, it’s size and structure are not the only cool things about Smith Tower.  See, in a building full of offices, it has a surprise at the top – a three-story penthouse apartment.

Originally the top of Smith Tower held a very large water tank and a very small caretaker’s apartment.  During a 1990′s renovation the tank was removed, and a gloriously large space was revealed.  A very rich person leased said space, and got renowned architects Castanes Architects to redesign the inside of the pyramid.

What is left is a funhouse of ladders and stairs in a breathtaking three-story space that is filled with valuable artwork and very unique custom furniture.  All the original catwalks that were used to service the water tank are still there, and wind around the pointy-ceilinged place.  At the very top there is a glass ball that is supposed to offer this amazing view of the city.  No picture on the internet, so apparently it’s a well-kept secret.  Makes you want visit, doesn’t it?

The Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo is the world’s first capsule-centered piece of architecture built for actual use. This is probably not a new concept to you, but I think it’s rare that when you can actually see the room for yourself. To me, it looks like a room aboard a spaceship. Just imagine, instead of the neighbors across the way in the window, you can see Earth. Fits quite nicely, doesn’t it? Now imagine putting everything you own in an 8 by 12 by 7 ft space.

What’s really cool is that the versatility of the capsules. They can be connected to make larger spaces and are designed to be replaceable, but they haven’t had to replace one since it was completed in 1972. Each capsule is connected to one of the two main shafts by only four high-tension bolts. Only four bolts are keeping you from falling to your death. Plus, knowing everyone loves airplane bathrooms, the designers saw fit to give each room one!

Those Japanese will do just about anything to get everyone else’s attention.

Want the convenience of apartment living but don’t want to give up on things like your garden or sunlight? Then there is a perfect apartment for you in lovely Rotterdamn. Referred to as the Cactus House, the twisted design allows for large balconies which aren’t directly overlapped by upstairs neighbors. The end result is a great deal of sunlight and the ability to keep a garden. The downside is that the apartment building looks a lot like Dagwood’s dream sandwich.

I’m sorry, I couldn’t shoehorn a Star Wars reference in. Feel free to supply your own.