Muji Unveils Three Tiny Prefab Houses

Naoto Fukasawa's focus material was wood, which is blackened on the outside of the structure.

Naoto Fukasawa's hut contains a cast-iron stove, trestle bed, and a small kitchen area.

Naoto Fukasawa's hut features a large square bath with surrounding blinds that provide privacy for bathers.

Jasper Morrison used strips of cork to clad his hut.

Jasper Morrison's hut has a sliding glass door entrance, and letterbox-shaped windows at the front and back.

Jasper Morrison's hut has a large main room, which contains a fireplace and stove, with two separate sections for a kitchen and bathroom.

Konstantin Grcic's hut for Muji has aluminium walls.

The second mezzanine floor in Konstantin Grcic's hut is reached by a wooden ladder.

Konstantin Grcic's hut is a narrow two-storey cabin, with corrugated sides and wood and paper sliding panels at top and bottom.

Acclaimed designers Konstantin Grcic, Jasper Morrison and Naoto Fuksawa explore minimal living for Japanese retailer Muji in a set of ultra-simple cabins unveiled at Tokyo Design Week.

The three huts include a kitchen, bedroom and space for activities like reading, lounging and soaking up nature. The architecture is in keeping with Muji’s philosophy for minimal design by avoiding anything unnecessary – the huts are modest, fitted out with the basics, and executed with utmost elegance. Although they may be small, each of the pre-fabricated “Muji Huts” feels spacious, providing minimum space needed for a rich experience.

Jasper Morrison’s cork-clad structure features zones for cooking, eating, sleeping, and washing up – ideal for a short trip to the countryside. Konstantin Grcic’s design features a compact footprint with a spartan interior – there’s just a ladder, sleeping loft, lamp, and outlets, offering ultimate flexibility in how the space is used. Naoto Fukasawa incorporated floor-to-ceiling glass walls in his design. The cabin features an open plan with a soaking tub tucked behind a wall for privacy. The interior is furnished with a cot, dining table and chairs, and a kitchenette.