The aim of this thesis is to have a look at micro-apartments as an emerging housing market in Europe and find out if the concept is sustainable. The research is focused mainly on Germany and the United Kingdom, as they are the two most important real estate markets in Europe. Chapter Two will give an overview of what micro-apartments are, which demographic groups they target, and how they ought to be designed. Chapter Three explains some of the trends that have led to the emergence of micro-units, followed by an overview of advantages and disadvantages in Chapter Four.
Chapter Five discusses two examples for recent micro-unit developments in London and Berlin. Finally, Chapter Six covers a survey that was conducted in order to find out if the “small space, big city” trade-off is finding favour with Europeans. The chapter begins with an overview of the questionnaire and the demographic composition of the respondents, followed by findings concerning the interest in and expectations for micro-apartments and what amenities and features these flats should include. Finally, differences between the various demographic groups are identified and the European survey results are compared to previous findings from the United States.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1 Introduction
- 1.1 What are Micro-Apartments?
- 1.2 Trends Supporting Micro-Apartments as a New Housing Market
- 3.1 Urbanisation
- 3.2 Rediscovery of the City Centre
- 3.3 Rising Rents
- 3.4 More Single Households
- 3.5 Less Physical Possessions
- 1.3 Advantages and Disadvantages
- 4.1 For Residents
- 4.2 For Developers and Landlords
- 4.3 For Other Stakeholders
- 1.4 Case Studies
- 5.1 Focus on Affordability: Pocket Living in London
- 5.2 Focus on Space-Efficiency: Spreedocks in Berlin
- 5.3 When do Micro-Apartments Pay Off?
- 1.5 Survey: Micro-Apartment Market Potential in Europe
- 6.1 Purpose and Approach
- 6.2 Respondents
- 6.3 Interest in and Requirements for Micro-Apartments
- 6.4 Differences between Demographic Groups
- 6.5 Differences between Europe and the US
- 6.6 Discussion
- 1.6 Further Research
- 1.7 Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This master's thesis aims to examine the emerging real estate market of micro-apartments in Europe, exploring its potential and challenges. It investigates the factors driving the demand for micro-apartments, analyzes the advantages and disadvantages for residents, developers, and other stakeholders, and assesses the market potential through a survey.
- The rise of urbanisation and its impact on housing demand
- The increasing attractiveness of city centers and the affordability challenges they present
- The changing demographics and lifestyle preferences of potential residents
- The economic and social implications of micro-apartments for different stakeholders
- The feasibility and sustainability of micro-apartments as a long-term housing solution
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction provides a definition of micro-apartments and outlines the thesis's objectives and key themes. It discusses the emergence of micro-apartments as a new housing market, driven by factors such as urbanization, rising rents, and changing demographics. The chapter also highlights the advantages and disadvantages of micro-apartments for different stakeholders.
Case studies focus on specific micro-apartment projects in London and Berlin, examining their design, target market, and overall success. The chapter analyzes the factors contributing to the success of these projects, including affordability, space-efficiency, and location.
The survey chapter presents the methodology and findings of a survey conducted to assess the market potential of micro-apartments in Europe. The survey explores the demand for micro-apartments among different demographic groups and compares the preferences of European and American respondents.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Micro-apartments, urbanisation, affordability, housing market, space-efficiency, city centre, demographics, rent, single households, developers, landlords, survey, Europe, US.
- Quote paper
- Florentin Rack (Author), 2016, Micro-Apartments as an Emerging Real Estate Market, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/351831
