In our growing cities, architects face the challenge of building more homes in increasingly smaller spaces. From tiny houses to high-rises, Vertical Living is an introduction to the architecture and interior masterminds using skillful, clever design to conquer compact living wherever there is space.

As house prices are soaring and urban plots shrink in size, a look at traditional narrow homes, especially in Japan, Vietnam or the Netherlands, where slender buildings have a long history, provides contemporary architects with inspiration for buildings with restricted space.  Living small is no new phenomenon. Ultranarrow homes have often characterized the urban fabric of our historic cities where the demand for housing has outstripped the supply of land, but the slender, skinny houses that are now being build to fill the gaps offer increasingly innovative and aspirational solutions:  Previously rejected, abandoned, or forgotten plots deemed too tight to develop become spacious townhouses. A London taxicab office is turned into a poppy pink micro-apartment and in just the narrowest slivers of land around Tokyo, Japanese architects manage to build high-functioning family homes.

Densification asks us to design buildings that uniquely fit a local context. The ‘International Style’ with its concrete cores and curtain wall facades uniformed our cities that once were so unique, be it London, Melbourne or Shanghai. But there’s no one-size fits all solution. Sustainable densification is about more than just efficiency. It starts with buildings that are not separate from their surroundings, but are an integral part of a healthy neighborhood. Buildings that we care about. Interiors that are dynamic and adaptable, and can be tailored to residents’ changing needs. This is why London based practice Alma-Nac refers to its approach as ‘urban dentistry’, “we work with little nooks and crannies that are leftover – like the tiny spaces in between teeth.” The more compact the house the better it has to fit its inhabitants. This takes ingenuity, and cities don’t always give architects a lot to work with. But creative solutions like skylights that allow natural light to flood into each storey, sculptural staircases that provide ventilation or roof terraces help to convey a sense of spaciousness.

Vertical Living shows 41 stunning examples from around the world and introduces four architectural practices that masterfully create a big impact from minimal space.