Microflife Selfridges
Live Microflat Installation, London.
Microflat • Microlife TV media coverage reel.
‘Putting a Microflat in Selfridges corner window was a PR idea bordering on genius.’
‘You’ve got to hand it to them. The publicity garnered by the Microflat concept, by young architects Piercy Conner is immense. Building a real one in the corner window of Selfridges with real live Micronauts living there for a week at a time is a PR idea bordering on genius.’
Hugh Pearman, The Times
Microlife was a living exhibition ‘event-cast’ that aimed to demonstrate a viable inner-city urban living solution for key-workers and young professionals. Microlife is all about dense urban living; a lifestyle that benefits from drastically reduced commuting times, vibrant city life, energy efficiency, sustainability, and affordability.
A Microflat was built ‘impossible ship in a bottle’ style in only 5 days (8pm > 8am) and live tested by Warren and Helene who lived in the fully functional prototype in Selfridges for 2 weeks.
Carlton TV ‘Living In A Box’ First Edition documentary.
Results and Awards
Over £100K in sponsorship raised for build and event
Approximate PR value £2 Million (according to PR Week)
Over 90,000+ website hits during the event (2002)
3,000 interested buyers registered (22% registered are over 55)
Joint Venture with FTSE 250 property company Minerva plc
Best Use of Events 2002 (CIM Construction Awards)
Marcomms Consumer Category 2002 Highly Commended (PR Week)
Promotional Activity of the Year 2002 Finalist (PR Week)
Integrated Marketing Campaign of the Year 2002 Finalist (PR Institute)
Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2001 Finalist (Building Magazine)
Microflat Affordable Key Worker City-Living
‘Research by the Social and Economic Research Council suggests that 60,000 key workers will leave the capital over the next 10 years – but all worker’s housing needs must be addressed, not just the needs of those in the essential or key services. It is forecast that 80% of the increase in households by 2016 will be in single-person households and that, by 2011, 40% of London’s households will comprise only one person.’
Capital Gains • Making high density housing work in London, London Housing Federation
High Density Urban Living
Microflats are small efficiently designed, environmentally friendly, high-quality, compact dwellings that use boat design and new technology to provide intelligent living space. Microflat Living is a continuation of ideas by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa in the late 1960’s.
Kurokawa’s Nakagin Capsule Tower was responding to intense pressure on available land in Tokyo by providing compact beautifully designed living pods for young people and a crash pad for weary business executive commuters. The success of London as the capital of Europe and number one destination for Britain’s young workers has put land in the capital city under similar pressure.