Exploitation or Affordable Option? Melbourne Debates Micro Apartments

The increasing scarcity of affordable accommodation in large cities has seen the rise of the 'micro apartment'. Taking its lead from studios but on a much smaller scale, this article questions the appeal of living in a space of less than 15m2.

2 minute read

August 23, 2013, 10:00 AM PDT

By Kat Martindale


The quality of life experienced by residents living in an apartment no larger than a car parking space, often with no direct sunlight, is under review by the council of the Australian city of Melbourne. The international trend of building 'micro apartments' has seen average floor spaces of less than 15 m2, including a bathroom and kitchenette, sell for between A$115,000 to A$165,000. 

In a city that has become increasingly expensive, research conducted by Oliver Hume Real Estate suggests that the average floor space of a one bedroom apartment in the inner suburbs of the Victorian city has decreased from 52 to 44 square metres in the last five years.  Melbourne Council will consider whether similar regulations adopted by the city authorities of Sydney, Adelaide and London would be appropriate.

The article cites the example of a 37 year old woman working as a chef in Southgate on Melbourne's Southbank and lives a short walk away on Flinders Street in an apartment that is 11.2 m2.  Josephine Lee remarked that it was not much smaller than her former home in Malaysia and would be ''happy here for at least another year.'' She pays A$300 a week.

This ''rampant exploitation of renters'', suggests Michael Buxton, Professor of Planning at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, needs to be addressed with minimum size standards for new developments. Buxton notes that most are purchased as buy-to-let units, rented to international students and city workers and rarely have direct sunlight, parking spaces or other amenities common in apartment buildings.

Tony De Domenico, CEO of the Urban Development Institute of Australia, stated that as more affordable units were needed in the City, ''trying to interfere with the market by having a minimum size" would be "very dangerous" adding that if "people are prepared to live in smaller apartments, and most are not, why should they have to pay double for space they don't need?'' 

Much the same response has been garnered from the British government who have rejected calls for national minimum standards as advocated by the Royal Institute of British Architects in their campaign Homewise.

Monday, August 19, 2013 in Sydney Morning Herald

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight