OBOS Living Lab Tests Compact Homes
Bo Kompakt: Can Living Smaller Be the Key to Living Better?
The housing market is undergoing a fundamental shift. Property prices continue to rise, single-person households are becoming the norm, and urban centers face the growing challenge of housing more people in less space. At the same time, priorities are shifting—many individuals are actively seeking simpler daily lives, greater flexibility, and a smaller environmental footprint.
At the intersection of these urban challenges, OBOS Living Lab in Vollebekk, Oslo, has launched Bo Kompakt—a year-long, full-scale test project investigating how compact apartments can deliver exceptional living quality while answering the needs of modern society.
Rethinking Space: 19 to 34 Square Meters
Spanning six individual apartments ranging from 19 to 34 square meters, Bo Kompakt tests how clever floor plans, smart technology, and shared communal spaces can transform small footprints into highly functional homes. The test units feature diverse design approaches—ranging from fully customized setups to open spaces where residents bring their own furniture.
To bring this vision to life, OBOS collaborated with industry leaders including IKEA, MASE Home, AutoStore, Nooka (Coera), and Norgips. Together, they are examining how every variable—from robotic storage and lighting to indoor air quality and communal facilities—impacts daily well-being.
Smart Living Over Cramped Living
The ethos of Bo Kompakt is not about making sacrifices; it is about rethinking how space works.
"Bo Kompakt is not about living cramped, but about living smart," explains Søren Secher, General Manager at OBOS Living Lab. "We test how technology, design, and shared solutions can create high living quality in small spaces. What we learn in the lab will find its natural way into OBOS’s future housing projects."
Secher emphasizes that the project aims to lower the entry threshold into the housing market by delivering practical, real-world solutions. Daniel Silva, Architect and Project Manager at OBOS Living Lab, highlights a broader cultural evolution:
"The project lets us examine an important shift in the housing market: from small homes as a necessity to small homes as a conscious lifestyle choice—where more time, flexibility, and experiences are prioritized over the size of the home."
Shared Amenities That Deliver Value
A core aspect of Bo Kompakt is exploring how shared services can augment personal living areas. Rather than simply stacking amenities into a building, the project systematically evaluates which shared features genuinely enhance everyday life. Over the course of the study, the initiative will evaluate:
Flexible Shared Facilities: Evaluating access to guest apartments, rooftop terraces, communal laundries, shared storage lockers, and co-working spaces.
Financial & Environmental Efficiency: Lowering purchase and operational costs while enabling smarter land use in central urban locations.
Optimized Functionality: Leveraging intelligent storage and environmental controls to maximize the usability of limited square footage.
The Future of Urban Housing
Running from October 2025 to October 2026, Bo Kompakt welcomes a representative cross-section of urban residents—including first-time buyers, singles, commuters, couples, and students—with initial move-ins starting November 1, 2025.
The project officially launches on October 22 during Oslo Innovation Week and the Proptech Summit, inviting guests to tour the units, connect with project partners, and participate in the ongoing conversation about the future of urban home construction.
For project updates and further details, visit OBOS Living Lab.