By Lucy Wang / Source: Inhabitat

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Lovers of MUJI’s minimalist Japanese aesthetic will swoon over the retail chain’s latest project: Muji Hut, a series of tiny prefab homes befitting the simple yet chic brand. Recently unveiled for Tokyo’s annual Design Touch event at Midtown Garden, the collection of micro-homes are designed to explore what it means to live a more sustainable lifestyle through minimalism. MUJI created the Muji Hut in collaboration with designers Naoto Fukasawa, Jasper Morrison, and Konstantin Grcic.

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The temporary Muji Hut exhibition included Jasper Morrison’s ‘Hut of Cork,’ Konstantin Grcic’s ‘Hut of Aluminum,’ and Naoto Fukasawa’s ‘Hut of Wood.’ Each cozy building has a minimal lightweight footprint so that it can be easily moved and installed in a variety of locations. MUJI describes the prefab project as an “escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.”

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All three micro-homes blend traditional Japanese elements with contemporary styles. Fukasawa’s Hut of Wood more closely resembles a traditional log cabin and opens up to views and natural light through floor-to-ceiling glazed sliding doors. Topped with a pitched roof, the timber home’s most notable features include a large traditional Japanese bath, a minimal cot for a bed, and a wood-burning stove.

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In contrast, Morrison’s Hut of Cork trades the bathtub for a minimal shower under the assumption that residents will use the neighborhood communal bathhouse or hot spring. Colorful tatami mats line the floor while sound-absorbing cork panels clad the exterior.

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Konstantin Grcic’s Hut of Aluminum is the most minimalist of the bunch. Sliding shoji-like doors open up to an all-wood interior, with the bedroom located on the upper loft. It’s not yet known if MUJI will push the designs to market.

Read more @ Inhabitat