These Rotterdam Apartments Put the Average Student Dorm to Shame
Tapped to convert an office building into 218 student apartments for Erasmus University in Rotterdam, South Holland, Amsterdam–based Standard Studio faced the challenge of turning 194 square feet into a comfortable student home.
Each tiny home needed to contain a toilet, shower, vanity, kitchen, dining table, desk, couch, queen-sized bed, as well as ample storage space. "To be able to accommodate this, the furniture has dual functionalities, and the room height is used to the maximum," say the designers.
The bed is attached to the ceiling and hangs on a platform two meters above the floor. Elevating the bed allows the main living areas and storage to be tucked below.
A simple desk area merges with a built-in sofa, which includes storage beneath it. The wood components in the units are bamboo, chosen for its durability and warmth.
The stair railing becomes a picture ledge.
Shop the Look
The staircase leading to the bed also functions as a large wardrobe.
The centrally located sink does double duty. On the kitchen side, a suspended chalkboard for notes hovers above it. Similar tile in the kitchen backsplash and shower creates continuity. Note the tiny cooktop with integrated, exposed venting above it, which syncs with the industrial concrete on the floor and ceiling.
On the bathroom side of the sink, there's a vanity mirror.
Tidy closet storage frames the entry to the apartment.
Freestanding furniture with thin metal legs doesn't clutter the small space.
Project Credits:
Architect: Wilsum & van Loon
Builder: DuPrie bouw & ontwikkeling / Smeulders Interieurgroep
Published
Last Updated
Get the Dwell Newsletter
Be the first to see our latest home tours, design news, and more.