Small space living with MINI Living’s Urban Cabin at LA Design festival.

Small space living with MINI Living’s Urban Cabin at LA Design festival.

I’ve just returned from an amazing trip to sunny Los Angeles with MINI LIVING, to see their latest  Urban Cabin.

The last MINI LIVING Urban Cabin I saw was in London, and you can read all about it here.

MINI LIVING is a long term project by MINI that explores the different concepts of shared and small space living.

In an era of increased urbanisation and housing shortage, small space living solutions like these are becoming important.

The project explores a ‘conscious’ way of living, by reducing our carbon footprint whilst staying true to design.This time round, MINI LIVING worked with local LA based architect firm Freeland Buck, to showcase their Urban Cabin at LA Design Festival.The Urban Cabin is a mere 15 square metres and was constructed on top of the roof of an industrial building in ROW DTLA, the hub for LA design festival.I couldn’t get over this stunning far reaching view of Down Town LA, from the Cabin.There were 3 sections to the Urban Cabin.

Corrina Natter of MINI Living, designed the end sections of the cabin with a kitchen, shower room and bedroom. The frames were Aluminium with a plywood inner.

The cabin sat on a turquoise panel, reminiscent of a pool, with a ladder that led to a roof terrace.Here is the central section of the Urban Cabin, made of colourful graphic panels, and designed by Freeland Buck.I was in awe at how the panels filtered light, creating kaleidoscopic colours and patterns that looked different throughout the day.I couldn’t help but smile when I saw this bright and happy orange kitchen inside the Cabin.The rooms are multifunctional with perforated plywood walls that act like a pegboard with pegs holding up shelves. I love how you can move the shelves around to customise your space.The light coming through the wall create such a lovely dappled effect on the furniture.

You can sleep under the stars by rolling the bed out. Doesn’t that sound so wonderful?It’s so cool that the Urban Cabin connects with its environment.The wall panels can open out like windows.Here it opens up to become a dining table.How wonderful it must be to see the sky when you shower.I was amazed how much could be packed into what seemed like a very small area.I’ve enjoyed following all of MINI LIVING’s innovative concepts so far.

Finally, the first inhabitable co-living space will open in Shanghai next year and I can’t wait to see it.

( All photography are by myself, Geraldine Tan, editor of Little big Bell. This is a paid partnership with MINI Living but all views are my own).