Two toilets, one room: small space living in Vancouver

Is it a creative solution for small-space living in Vancouver? Or is it just weird?

A strata development conditionally approved near East Hastings and Victoria includes some 400-square-foot studios designed for “modal living,” including movable partitions in the one-room living space and two toilets in the bathroom.

So, how many people are meant to fit into these units? That might depend on how comfortable you are with the toilet situation, as the plans show them separated by a glass shower.

When the proposal for 1943 East Hastings Street went before the city’s Urban Design Panel for review last October, some panelists wondered about the limits of livability in a small, partitioned space, including Peeroj Thakre.

“The unit has no enclosed bedroom — maybe they suggest there is some kind of foldable walls in there — I mean, it’s still essentially a studio with two toilets. I just can’t imagine why.”

Panelist Geoff Lister also couldn’t get past the two-toilet solution in his comments to the developer.

A strata development conditionally approved near East Hastings and Victoria includes some 400-square-foot studios designed for “modal living,” including movable partitions in the one-room living space and two toilets in the bathroom. (Supplied)

“You think it is a marketing point? I think it is probably going to be more like a roast in the Daily Hive. I would say that people are going to mock these units. If that gets you more free press and it’s worth it and you really, really, really believe in the concept, go for it. But from a livability perspective, this is not a great situation,” he told the meeting.

“Certainly no one is ever going to use both at the same time, which is the point of two toilets. So, think about that for a really long time before you build a building that has two toilets separated by a glass wall,” he added.

The developer defended the two-toilet floorplan, and modal living overall, saying it is not a marketing trick or a gimmick.

“It’s something that people are truly focusing on and seeing opportunity and taking advantage of in the market. I think we will continue to see these types of efforts to try to find ways to get more utility out of less space,” said John Stovell, President of Reliance Properties.

Project Architect Adrian Politano at BOP Architects says the studios were designed to be flexible.

“The developer, over many years, has been developing unique ways of dealing with some of the smaller spaces,” he told CityNews. “They’ve used this sort of thinking in several of their projects and several different suite types … that have apparently sold very well.”

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While those previous designs did not include two toilets in one bathroom, Politano suggests the studios slated for 1943 East Hastings are, indeed, meant to be for a single person or couples.

“Maybe you want to have the flexibility of having an overnight guest. You have a unit that has a regular bathroom and a powder room essentially in one. It’s probably not for everyone, but it might give you a bit more flexibility,” he says. “Or if you’re a couple, it would be great to have your own bathroom space like you’d get in a bigger, more expensive unit, but you have that versatility.”

Politano also points to the ability to partition the studio with “operable” walls and furniture — basically a fold-up bed and a fold-out sofa.

“It’s increasingly rare to have an entry-level strata project — most in recent years have tended toward rental. So to actually have a project that’s offering a mix of housing in a strata format is increasingly special. It is an opportunity for first-time buyers to get into something, and this does offer some rather unique styles of suites with this configurable space within them.”

After the Urban Design Panel concluded its virtual meeting, member Amina Yasin suggested the livability of modal living studios should be studied to see how buyers actually use them.

“I understand you need to get creative about the culture of how we live in a city that needs more affordable housing, but I think it would be worthwhile to do a post-occupancy study to see how they inhabit those really small spaces,” Yasin said.