Space Age...
Imagine a house where walls slide away with a gentle push, a dining room table appears from a compartment in the floor, and a plush king-size bed lowers from the ceiling.
While it may sound like a scene reminiscent of a science fiction film, thanks to YO! Sushi founder, Simon Woodroffe, these affordable apartments could soon revolutionise the way we live.
Labelled as the ultimate space-saving apartment, the YO! Home is designed to squeeze a bed, kitchen, lounge, dining area and bathroom into a one bedroom studio flat - but of course, with a futuristic twist.
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The apartment, which is at present only a prototype, is designed to maximise space with hidden features appearing at the touch of a button. Here the dining room emerges from a hatch in the floor with the space doubling up as legroom
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In this prototype the table is tidied away and a king-size bed lowers from a hidden compartment in the ceiling, using sensors to keep the homeowner safe
The compact home is marketed at urban dwellers - who may be disheartened by the lack of space in city centres - and makes the most of the room available with hidden storage, hatches in the floor and concealed furniture.
With space at a premium and funds for home buying severely limited by the global recession, these apartments are designed to give people maximum value for money.
They are being hailed as a completely new concept for compact living and aim to attract buyers of all ages and backgrounds.
The design is a prototype at present with the first homes earmarked for Manchester, with planning due to take place next month. The apartments will later be rolled out to cities all over the UK and the rest of the world.
The developers have already set their sights on Manhattan, Buenos Aires, Tokyo and Shanghai. It is hoped that the innovative accommodation will address the growing population issues and change the way people live in small space.
These images reveal how the space-saving homes could look, however the designs could change as the project moves into the planning stages.
Upon entering the YO! Home, it is said to resemble a spacious studio flat. One wall is taken up by what appears to be full-length storage cabinets and a television slots neatly into an in-built unit in the wall.
And while a large U-shaped sofa dominates the middle of the room, the rest of the space looks suspiciously bare. But at the push of a button, the wooden space transforms.
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The king-size bed is extremely spacious for a one bed studio flat thanks to the futuristic conversion and it slots perfectly over the U-shape sofa to replace the living space
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The lounge has become a spacious master bedroom with the sofa now replaced with a large and luxurious bed. The walls also include floor to ceiling wardrobes with plenty of storage space
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The homes are extremely spacious in these prototypes, although designs could still be altered as the development moves from the planning stages and into the actual construction
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Upon opening some full-length cabinet doors, a compact kitchen unit is revealed - complete with a sink, oven and dishwasher area. This can once again be hidden away when not in use
The bed lowers down from the ceiling slowly, slotting neatly on top of the U-shaped sofas to replace the living room.
A hidden hatch in the floor opens up and a dining room table emerges, big enough to seat four people. There are cushioned mats to sit on and the hole left behind cleverly doubles up as legroom.
For any self-confessed hoarders, the entire flat is full of under-floor storage - to maintain a minimal and modern look without the clutter. The large wardrobes also have a washing machine bay and space for various other utilities.
Furthermore the full-length storage cabinets along the wall open up to reveal a kitchen unit, complete with an oven, sink and cupboards. Homeowners only need to push aside the sliding doors to use the facilities.
The seemingly complex system uses counterweights, which are more commonly used in theatre staging.
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Hinged hatches can open up for additional storage space hidden in the laminate floor, to maintain a minimal and modern look without the clutter
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How the futuristic apartments could look from the outside (left), with a large window - increasing the sense of space and light (right)
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The king-size bed, which lowers from a hatch in the ceiling at the touch of a button, is far more spacious than you would expect to find in a normal studio apartment
Like a car factory, the apartment is built in sections and then delivered to site - making construction a lot easier than it may seem.
The structure is stacked on-site a bit like lego, eliminating factors such as weather affecting build times and keeping costs to a minimum.
The company is close to landing a deal with a Manchester-based developer, which will give the go-ahead on the first convertible apartment block. Due to the swift construction process, the flats should go on the market in the summer of 2016, with prices at about £150,000.
For those concerned with the dangers of ceilings that lower, reminiscent of Indiana Jones, or disappearing floors, the company insists that the flats will be fitted with sensors that ensure safety.
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The dining table, which seats four people, emerges from a hatch in the floor, while a fully-functioning kitchenette appears from the storage space in the walls
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The U-shape sofa seats a maximum number of people using minimum space, while the floor space is extremely roomy when the bed, dining table and kitchen are closed away
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Here the U-shape sofa is visible along with the kitchen, which emerges from the full-length cabinets in the walls. Homeowners simply need to slide open the doors
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There is also an attached bathroom complete with a bath, toilet and sink. The design is sleek and modern to fit in with the rest of the apartment
And while it may seem like a far-fetched and faraway invention at the moment, the company envisions a future in which convertible homes are the norm.
The idea was conceived by Simon Woodroffe, the man responsible for the popular restaurant chain YO! Sushi and YOTEL. Similarly, the international chain of hotels was developed to incorporate the essential elements of luxury in smaller, smarter spaces.
Mr Woodroffe said: 'Homes help shape our lives. They are our refuge, and our rock. Since the invention of the city centre apartment, we’ve never really re-invented it.
'YO! Home is that new invention. Moving parts draw on the wealth of engineering technology taken from fields as diverse as yacht and automotive design, and the mechanics of stage production, allowing the transformation of a 40 square metre space (the size of a one bedroom apartment) into what feels like a much bigger home.
Jack Spurrier, the Managing Director of YO! Homes, said: 'Our vision is tower blocks of single space
YO! Homes in city centres around the world, from Manhattan and Buenos Aires, to Tokyo and Shanghai, changing the way people live in small spaces whilst addressing the growing population issues.
'But any journey or adventure starts with a first step. And our first step is in Manchester.'
..so they all come Home to roost.
Hill couldn't have staged it any crazier.