Could You Survive In A 78-Square Foot Apartment?

I saw this video over the weekend, and I just couldn’t believe it. I love NYC as much as the next guy, but I sure as heck wouldn’t spend $750/mo for a 78sq/ft apartment without a bathroom or a kitchen. Who does that?! Manhattan architect Luke Clark Tyler, that’s who..

Here’s the full story, courtesy of Fair Companies:

A couple years ago, Manhattan architect Luke Clark Tyler lived in a 96 square foot apartment. Instead of upsizing with his latest move, he chose to squeeze himself and his belongings into even less space.

Luke now lives in a 78 square foot shoebox studio. It’s too narrow to fit a bed lengthwise, but using a bit of plywood and 2x4s he built his own custom bed/couch.

When it’s down as a bed the room is mostly bed and when it’s up as a couch he has a very close relationship with the wall, “but I just use it as an excuse not to buy an ottoman because… I can just prop my feet right up on the wall.”

He keeps his clothes, plates, microwave, books, spices and shaving and cleaning supplies in a large built-in cabinet. The rest of his kitchen is a tiny refrigerator that helps hold up his desk (he works for home as a contract architect).

While he admits he misses being able to cook a real meal- though he’s vegetarian so eats a lot of vegetables and nuts and can even microwave eggs- Luke doesn’t see living small as a sacrifice.

He loves living in the heart of New York City- his place is in Midtown Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen- and he likes paying just $750/month (cheaper than the shared housing he could find in the area).

Perhaps it helps that his neighbors live in similarly-sized studios- he shares a bathroom with 3 other tenants on his floor-, but he is happy in what he calls his “Midtown Mansion”.

“Having lived in both the largest shelter in the Southeast as well as the largest slum in East Africa, I don’t think living small is a challenge. So we can call it anything; a room, a hallway, a live-in-closet, but to me it’s just home.”

I’m sorry, but I just don’t get the logic in this.. It’s not like he’s living on Park Avenue or something, he’s living in Hell’s Kitchen!! (No offense to anyone who lives there, but outside of the flea market there’s nothing terribly exciting in that area)

What do you think?