Living in a Cube: Setting Up a Geometric Space in Your Home

Image: Zeospot

After studying interior design and architecture in graduate school, I learned that many architects and designers view the cube as the ultimate ideal of pure living. The perfect lines and geometry of the cube are considered beautiful and rational, but are they liveable? Many designers think so, and have attempted to create ideal living spaces within the bounds of a cube. How does it work? Let’s find out!

Cube Court House

Image: Zeospot

The above house is called Cube Court House, designed by Shinichi Ogawa and Associates. This residence sits in a quiet neighborhood in Tokyo, Japan, and contains a closed house with a central courtyard. The cubic courtyard contains the bathroom and plumbing features, while the individual rooms divide the interiors surrounding the courtyard. The rooms are complemented with minimal furniture and décor to achieve a refreshing and sparse look.

Small and Mobile

Image: Treehugger

Architecture and interior design firm Space Flavour created an 8’ square footprint mobile living cube that combines an office, bedroom, and meditation space all in one. This space was created to fit into an existing living space, and it contains specific activities inside. Ultimate simplicity and efficiency were the design goals. To achieve these goals, features like stairs as storage, and a common space that shares the bed and office, are included in the cube’s design.

From these two examples (though they aren’t meant for everybody and every living situation) we can infer three characteristics to adapt into our existing living spaces.

1. First, creating a space that focuses on efficiency and simplicity can help create more peace within a residence.
2. Second, the cube forces a natural center to a space. Thus, place the most important elements of a home in the center and then move outwards.
3. A cube is contained and rational, so eliminate anything that is not needful.

Could you live in a cube? Why or why not?