Inside A 30sqm Apartment With 5 Rooms—Thanks To Robot Furniture
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Inside A 30sqm Apartment With 5 Rooms—Thanks To Robot Furniture

With the push of a button, a messy bedroom becomes a spotless living room

By CHRISTOPHER MIMS
Mon, Aug 15, 2022 1:11pmGrey Clock 7 min

Our homes are, as comedian George Carlin put it, just a place for our stuff. But what if, asks a new generation of startups, all that stuff could just…disappear?

Inventors, architects and designers all over the world have lately converged on ways to do just that. Their technology can make parts of apartments and homes, and all their contents, slide out of view at the touch of a button. Former researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ex-Apple and Tesla engineers toiling in San Francisco and a design and architectural firm in Spain are among those devising what can only be described as robotic furniture. And it’s already rolling off the factory floor and into the domiciles of students, church program directors and celebrity couples like Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis.

These systems include beds that, on voice command, float into the ceiling to reveal couches, and artificial-intelligence enabled cameras to track where your belongings are stored.

For now, most of these playthings are for the rich, with some of these installations costing $65,000 for a single room. But the goal of many of the people involved is to make this technology ubiquitous. Some of these home systems can cost as little as $8,000 apiece and are already installed in apartments with rents as low as $1400 a month, in places like Durham, N.C. and Buffalo, N.Y.

The promise of robotic furniture is that it can turn single rooms into multipurpose spaces. To the extent that they work, they could help blunt the rise in what Americans pay for housing, and alter where they are able and willing to live.

It’s probably not a coincidence that this technology is breaking into the mainstream at a time that is not unlike the early 1900s, when America also faced housing problems. That era inspired William Murphy, who was living in cramped quarters in San Francisco, to invent the bed that shares his name and tucks away into a cabinet or wall.

The Murphy bed allowed a small apartment’s main living area to double as both bedroom and living room. It became a cultural touchstone in its time because there was a genuine need for more versatile furniture in small spaces.

Now again, as people spend more time at home, inventors are becoming creative about solving problems of cost and space.

A version of one such system, from Boston and New York City-based Ori, is already on the market and could eventually become more widespread thanks to a partnership with furniture behemoth IKEA in 2019, says Ori CEO Hasier Larrea. An IKEA spokesman confirmed the two companies are still working together on what has proved to be a “complex project.”

Push-button transformation

Here are the problems the leaders of robot furniture companies, and their partners, say they want to solve:

For decades, America hasn’t built enough housing to keep up with demand. And despite the pandemic’s flight to suburbs and small towns, demand for housing in America’s cities has continued to grow, with rents all over the country setting new records.

Americans are working anywhere but where they used to, and more often than not, at home. Office occupancy rates remain below 50% in much of the country.

So what’s a city-dwelling, part-time-working-from-home, cash-strapped millennial to do? The most obvious answers—find a tinier space or take in more roommates—are made more challenging by the rise of remote work, and everything that comes with it. The places we inhabit, once primarily where we started and ended our days, are becoming the places we spend most of our waking hours, and where we work, exercise and collaborate, putting a premium on every inch of living space.

This is where Ori comes in. Mr. Larrea began exploring the concept of living-bigger-with-less back in 2011 as a researcher at MIT’s City Science group. In 2015 he started Ori, and today the company’s motorized, moving furniture systems are in about 500 apartments in more than 30 U.S. cities, he says, with thousands more scheduled to be installed in the next two years.

The idea isn’t just to make small apartments feel bigger, but to make them more functional. That means clearing away furniture and storage when it’s not in use. What was once a bedroom can, in less than a minute, become a proper living room or home office.

Cities, where Ori’s robotic furniture has taken root, go beyond the usual suspects of New York, Los Angeles, or San Francisco, in part because apartments in desirable urban neighbourhoods have become relatively expensive in a growing number of cities in the U.S.

Take, for instance, Fort Worth, Texas. In a 54-unit building called CoHo Fort Worth, in a neighbourhood close to a medical campus and dense with bars and restaurants, 43 of the units are equipped with “Ori Pocket Studios.” Each of these is basically a giant piece of furniture that can glide to and fro on a small track installed along a wall. It includes an entertainment centre and shelves on one side, and reveals additional storage and a bed on the other. It responds to touch, voice, and an Ori-built app. It can be moved manually, too, should power fail.

These systems attempt to overcome shortcomings of prior efforts at hidden furniture through their design, and not just through automation, says Matt Bischoff, investment director at Watermark Equity Group, the company that built CoHo Fort Worth. For instance, unlike a Murphy bed, Ori’s beds don’t need tidying up before being stowed away.

“If somebody’s coming over, you can just push a button and you’re hiding your messy bedroom or closet,” says 31-year-old Kasi Bailey, whose part-time jobs include planning child and family programs at her church, and who moved into a studio in the CoHo building in late July. Her one concern about the apartment was that the technology would have problems, being so new, but so far she hasn’t had any issues, she adds.

All that comes with an average rent of $1,100 a month, compared with the typical $1450 a month for a studio in the area, says Mr. Bischoff. There’s a simple reason for that: CoHo Fort Worth apartments average 30sqm, whereas other studios in the area are around 600 square feet. By making better use of that smaller space, renters save, but Watermark also makes more per square foot on rent, adds Mr. Bischoff.

The smaller size of these apartments hasn’t been a deterrent to renters. The entire building, save two apartments, was fully leased within a month of finishing construction, a process that would normally take up to six months, says Mr. Bischoff.

Ori’s systems start at $8,000 for a “pocket closet” that expands in about 10 seconds from something the size of a large dresser into a space the size of a walk-in closet. Its “cloud bed,” which rises to the ceiling to reveal living space beneath, costs about $14,000.

Marie Kondo in your ceiling

If Ori is the IKEA of robotic furniture, then Bumblebee Spaces is its more-exclusive, luxury cousin. Staffed almost entirely by ex-Apple and Tesla employees, the company’s desks, beds, and storage options all reside in the ceiling of a living space. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are both investors in the company and have installed its systems in their home.

The company is focused not just on making rooms that clear themselves of clutter so you can do yoga, but also on creating software that catalogues everything you own.

Utter the phrase: “Bumblebee, give me my watch,” and a box will descend from the ceiling with your watch nestled within. It’s all thanks to cameras and artificial intelligence trained to catalogue hundreds of household objects, says Sankarshan Murthy, CEO of Bumblebee. Basically, you don’t have to remember where you put any of your stuff, he adds.

Bumblebee’s system, with over 100 now installed, requires a support structure and power system as well as sufficient ceiling height. This system starts at $14,000, while a fully tricked out room can cost as much as $37,000.

Furniturebots, assemble!

Madrid-based Beyome, which is owned by the same family as construction group Kimak, is gearing up to manufacture, at scale, the maximalist version of the transforming home. That system, dreamed up by architectural design firm (and partner company) Enorme Studio, requires a complete retrofit of a home. The result is entire walls that move, with built-in beds, tables, and the like. Imagine waking up in the morning, for example, and transforming two private bedrooms into a family room, or into a dining room plus a study, or a bedroom, dining room and study.

This approach was born of long experience with clients, says Rocío Pina, director of Enorme. In Spain about a third of all apartments and homes are less than 650 square feet, and are often shared by roommates or whole families. For these kinds of tenants, just maximizing the use of space isn’t enough. Privacy is key too, and just shifting furniture about within a room doesn’t grant that—only actual walls with proper doors.

That’s why Enorme opted for the extra expense and complexity involved in making whole walls move. The company has rolled out a handful of prototype units in Madrid, and has contracts to expand elsewhere.

Outfitting a home with the Enorme system is comparable to the cost of fully refitting and refurbishing an apartment in Spain—or about 1,000 euros per square meter, says Íñigo Moreno, CEO of Beyome.

Hardware is hard

These companies are the latest to test the field of “architectural robotics,” a term invented by Cornell professor Keith Evan Green. While Mr. Green is enthusiastic about the commercialization of the discipline he helped pioneer, he warns that the success of these startups is hardly a foregone conclusion. History is littered with companies that tried to make robots accessible to everyday users, from Rethink Robotics’ attempts to bring programmable “cobots” into small businesses to Jibo, which tried to bring a “social” robot into the home.

But should Ori, Bumblebee, Enorme and their future competitors succeed, Dr. Green’s research suggests it could spur broader changes in home living. Once people accept that their home can gain new capabilities, not unlike adding functions to a smartphone via a new app, they could be more willing to invite other kinds of digital enhancements into their homes, such as robots intended to allow the elderly to stay in their homes longer.

Techno-utopianism aside, it’s worth remembering the Murphy bed never really took off. Today it’s known mostly as a punchline in cartoons and a classic Charlie Chaplin scene. True to our founding principles, as soon as Americans can afford more space, they go for it. Today the median new home in America is 2½ times as large as at the turn of the previous century, when Mr. Murphy came up with his bed.

Reprinted by permission of The Wall Street Journal, Copyright 2021 Dow Jones & Company. Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Original date of publication: August 14, 2022.



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This stylish family home combines a classic palette and finishes with a flexible floorplan

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Just 55 minutes from Sydney, make this your creative getaway located in the majestic Hawkesbury region.

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A Federation-Era Sydney Home Looked Like a ‘Cold Hospital Ward’ Until an Architect Put It Under the Knife

Amrish Maharaj undid a century of hodgepodge alterations while navigating strict conservation rules

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Haberfield, a charming slice of suburbia in what locals call Sydney’s “inner west” region, is miles from the landmarks like the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, and isn’t famous for multimillion-dollar waterfront mansions. What it is known for, however, is fiercely protecting its architectural identity.

After an uproar in the 1970s led by local residents—who were fed up with period homes getting unsympathetic makeovers—the National Trust created the Haberfield heritage conservation area in the mid-1980s. As a result, the suburb of approximately 6,500 people has one of Sydney’s best-kept streetscapes.The heritage designation has been a win for preserving the past, but has created challenges for architects tasked with making Haberfield’s homes more family-friendly, sustainable and sellable.

Architect Amrish Maharaj was hired by his clients, owners Ramy and Sarah Azzam of ML Constructions, to modernise a single-storey Federation dwelling—an era of Australian architecture between approximately 1890 and 1915. Although its bones dated back to the turn of the last century, the Haberfield home, coined Glencoe, had already undergone a number of objectionable changes before conservation rules had come in. The design was stuck between two time periods.

Metal balustrading and the front verandah detailing had also been amended, removing the original timber work. The architect replaced the front windows with traditional timber, and changed the front path and front fence to give a nod to what used to be.
Composite: Vikram Hingmire (After); Amrish Maharaj (Before)

“Its original roof and chimneys had been removed and replaced with a post-1943 hipped roof clad in terracotta tiles. The length of the house had been doubled with the addition of a substantial rear extension. A small skillion roof was put over the front veranda, metal balustrading and the front verandah detailing had also been amended, removing the original timber work,” Maharaj said.

“The previous work appeared to have focused on increasing the number of rooms, and not improving the spaces within,” he added. From the entry, a dark central hallway cut the house in half, splitting four bedrooms and a bathroom to the north from an additional bedroom, an enclosed lounge room, dining room and kitchen to the south.

A floor plan shows the closed-off layout of rooms connected by a central hallway.
Courtesy of Vikram Hingmire
From the entry, a dark central hallway cut the house in half, splitting four bedrooms and a bathroom to the north from an additional bedroom, an enclosed lounge room, dining room and kitchen to the south.
Composite: Vikram Hingmire (After); Amrish Maharaj (Before)

Despite the patchwork of renovations and extensions over the years, planning regulations still remained strict for the team attempting to bring the residence into the 21st century.

“We had an initial concept, which was a little more modern than the end result, but the local council wanted a more traditional construction. We had a heritage expert come and look at the house and give their recommendations,” he said. “She determined that it was probably part of a group of three or four houses that were once the same beautifully detailed Federation-era homes. But somebody had come along in the 1940s and did their own thing.”

“There was a discussion about pulling off the roof and getting it back to what it was, but it came down to a question of budget. We tried to put back as much as we could, by replacing the front windows with traditional timber, we changed the front path and front fence just to give a little nod to what used to be, without stripping the render and reconstructing the whole roof.”

Now the street appeal of the home is a better fit with its Federation neighbours. The decision was then made to pull focus from the facade while investing attention, and funds, into the rear of the house.

The owners replaced dated bathrooms with modern elements, such as Fibonacci Terrazzo tiles with underfloor heating.
Composite: Vikram Hingmire (After); Amrish Maharaj (Before)

“In keeping with what the Council was wanting, we used traditional materials and techniques in the construction of the back extension even though it does feel very modern,” Maharaj said.

As well as employing conventional methods for the external build of the large rear addition, a host of modern-day luxury finishes were used inside, where the interior design was overseen by owner Sarah Azzam.

High-traffic floors were finished with limestone tiles, Polytec joinery was used throughout, and internal walls feature a sleek white set render. Bathrooms feature Fibonacci Terrazzo tiles with underfloor heating.

A standout of the new look is the grand triangular gable crowning the rear indoor-to-outdoor living zone, a unique design feature in the neighbourhood of smaller sized blocks and heritage homes. The seamless flow to the backyard is an element that has become a must-have in modern Sydney homes thanks to the temperate climate.

The glass gable is unique design feature in the neighbourhood of smaller sized blocks and heritage homes.
Vikram Hingmire

“Our work began with the deconstructing and restructuring of the original home. Retaining four good-sized bedrooms to the front of the house, the central areas were dedicated to service spaces, with a big family bathroom, laundry, powder room and en-suite. The home then steps down to a large open-plan kitchen, dining and living room, which seamlessly connects to an al fresco dining area, garden, and a new pool and cabana,” Maharaj added.

“It’s such a Sydney thing, the seamless flow to the outdoors from the main living area. When I think about our briefs, from every single client, I’d say right at the top of everyone’s list is natural light, good ventilation and a connection to the garden,” he said. “Australians also love a north orientation.”

The Azzams, who declined to comment on the project, bought the unrenovated Haberfield house in 2020 for A$2.5 million (US$1.6 million), then sold the reimagined residence in 2023 for A$4.9 million.

“They bought it as their forever home. That large space at the back was created that way because they’ve got a big extended family,” Maharaj said. “They were often talking about Christmas dinners of 20 to 30 people, and space for a grand dining table was specifically on their list of requirements. Sarah has a great design eye and was meticulously hand selecting the finishes. But they ended up seeing another house nearby and decided to do it all again.”

Maharaj shared some more thoughts about the design and build process.

The biggest surprise was… I think we got lucky with the glass gable in the back of the house. We tried to do something similar on a house only a couple of streets away about a year later and it was completely knocked back by Council. When we pushed back to ask why, we were told it should never have been approved as is. Sometimes the approval process includes a bit of luck.

A favourite material we discovered during the process was… Of all the materials, I’d have to say that the Super White Dolomite and the limestone flooring we used were the big hits. We had quite a few potential buyers asking about these items in particular. We have received a number of calls from other homeowners in the area who are looking for a similar renovation, and even the odd call from people who have seen the home and wanted to express how much they loved it.

The most dramatic change was… When we start these jobs, we can often see that the houses have been either abandoned or people have just added and removed rooms and walls over time. So bringing that all back together was really fulfilling for me as an architect. Originally, this house felt like a cold hospital ward when you walked through it, with all these rooms coming off one corridor. Bringing it back to life and making it feel like a home with a heart is something we’re really proud of.

The total cost of the renovation… Being able to do the building himself, and their own interior design meant the pair could save some money, but they really spared no expense. It was a project that cost approximately A$1.5 million.

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11 ACRES ROAD, KELLYVILLE, NSW

This stylish family home combines a classic palette and finishes with a flexible floorplan

35 North Street Windsor

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