Modern micro living: Yves Béhar unveils robotic house Ori

These days, it seems bigger isn’t better — and with the unveiling of Ori, the intelligent, robotic house system designed by Fuseproject’s Yves Béhar – it’s further confirmation that slim is in.

Globally, as domestic spaces shrink and living costs rise, the sheer physical square footage of many homes has been reduced. Human needs – eating, sleeping, socialising and, more so these days, working from home – have, however, not followed suit. Founded as a MIT Media Lab CityHome spin-off, Ori offers a truly innovative approach to living; combining robotics, architecture and design.

Ori is a flexible solution, suited for small spaces, where, as Béhar details, 'a one room studio has the ability to become a bedroom, an office, a living room, or a closet, all with the touch of a button.' Think of Ori much like mechanical space-saving library stacks, but instead of only endless shelves of books, inside the unit is a standard-sized bed, dining table, kitchen counters, desk, walk-in closet and adjustable mood lighting — suited especially for the 300-square-feet or smaller apartment. The unit sizes have a few variations, depending on the house’s layout.

'Personally I am a big fan of micro living,' explains Béhar. 'I think it is a great way to make cities sustainable, and for people to align economic realities with the belief in living with less,' he adds. 'I think the convenience of the system is clear, but it also creates more financial value for the space, and that is important to maximise for developers as well as owners of the apartments.'

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Photography/Videography/Animations: Courtesy of Fuseproject