Tzipora lives in an old-fashioned low rise apartment block, which is nearly a hundred years old by the time of the setting.
Its appearance and layout give me great satisfaction because, despite its austere period styling, I think its layout is good and full of life. It is heavily inspired by the “star houses” built in Tokyo, almost none of which exist today. They have many modern but simple amenities and no central elevator, and embody many of the principles I find attractive in a building.
I have given them a pseudo-cantilever here, inspired by Hong Kong. I should emphasise that I am not trying to indulge nostalgia for its own sake. I am interested in developing a modern, somewhat timeless, dignified baseline for housing all people in the Commonwealth. Commonwealth abundance has extended the “star houses” layout slightly, and it includes many features I find appealing and hygienic, like exterior tile cladding and wood frames. I am also interested in inventing a type of large carpet tile that replaces what would have been tatami.
The end goal should be homes that are useful and comfortable while also showing restraint, since that is what housing beyond the commodity means to me. The abolition of the commodity I think is central to the Commonwealth way of living, beyond even moneylessness.