Ewout Huibers
The suites in this hotel, which accommodates short and long-term stays, were originally planned as micro-apartments.
The concealed sleeping areas provide privacy and is separated from the main living space below.
Javier de Paz García/ Estudio Balloon
The movable shelving units in this apartment slide to convert this space from kitchen to bedroom.
Javier de Paz García/ Estudio Balloon
"Using a simple industrial railing system and caster wheels, units can be moved along one side of the apartment, whilst various elements including a work bench, fold-out bed, and shelves can be extended from the components when needed," according to the book.
Katherine Lu
The open-plan space of this one-room apartment was divided into two areas to separate private and communal areas.
Katherine Lu
The white cupboards that encircle the bed, which the architects call Tetris pieces, were designed to provide maximum storage in a minimum of space.
JPDA
This 500-square-foot apartment in New York's East Village was remodeled into a small, functional studio flat that provides generous storage.
Frank Oudeman
Clutter is concealed by generous storage, while areas are organized into functional spaces for cooking, dressing, sleeping, bathing and relaxing.
Federico Cairoli
This multifamily apartment project consists of 12 dwellings, all of which have large sliding glass doors that allow in light and let residents to feel engaged with the neighborhood.
Federico Cairoli
Storage has been integrated into each apartment above and along the length of the kitchen and bathroom, and underneath the bed.
Orlando Gutierrez
Zooco Estudio transformed this 388-square-foot apartment as a tribute to Le Corbusier's Modular Man, according to "Small Homes, Grand Living."
Orlando Gutierrez
"Aiming to change the traditional structure of the bedroom, the architect has created a series of modular units designed around the sequence of the daily routine... sleeping, working, bathing, dressing, and leisure activities," according to "Small Homes, Grand Living."
Gaston Bergeret
Suspending the bedroom in a box from the ceiling of this converted artist's studio has turned it into an islet that straddles the apartment's two floor levels.
Gaston Bergeret
"By suspending the bedroom in the center of the space, the concept of privacy has been inverted, with the living room becoming the private, secluded space and the bedroom becoming more open and visible," according to the book.
CNN  — 

Anyone living in Hong Kong, Tokyo, London or Manhattan knows space is at a premium. And as the number of the world’s megacities expands – there were 31 cities with populations greater than 10 million people in 2016, according to the United Nations – clever and efficient use of residential space is essential.

But is it possible to live large in tiny spaces?

Tight squeeze: The secrets behind Japan's coolest micro homes

Small can indeed be beautiful according to “Small Homes, Grand Living,” a new book by Gestalten showing how innovative designers and architects across the world have managed to create innovative homes for people in compact spaces.

It also highlights the many benefits – like time and money savings – of choosing to live in a smaller apartment closer to the conveniences of the city center.

“The luxury of time is a value that can replace the luxury of space if you are willing to live in a smaller, more compact home,” German architect Sigurd Larsen points out in the book’s introduction.

01:24 - Source: CNN
Dream home crammed into 309-sqft transformer apartment

And while tinier abodes attract lower rents, they can also help save the planet, according to Larsen, who points out that shared facilities and energy savings make compact living in densely populated areas “the most efficient form of accommodation.”

Most importantly, whether shared or solitary, a small home can also have a big impact on our happiness.

“They are retreats within which our weekly routines occur, and hence they contain the potential to contribute fundamentally to the quality of our everyday lives,” Larsen says.

“Small Homes, Grand Living,” published by Gestalten, is out now.