I think we’ve all seen The Fifth Element, and remember Bruce Willis’ apartment. Apparently New York is terribly overpopulated, and so everyone’s individual quarters was designed to maximize on space. For example, his shower would convert to his refrigerator when not in use.

I think overpopulated apartment buildings of the future could easily benefit from the Vertebrae. This unique bathroom design by Paul Hernon incorporates the ultimate in space saving utility.

The Vertebrae is a very simple concept: take all the necessities of a bathroom and put them all on this one spine. In this manner, the toilet, sink, and even two showers can fold out and fold in as needed.

The Vertebrae is not only handy for those who are in need of space in their small apartment, but I also see the Vertebrae solving other problems. For example, I could easily see the Vertebrae being standard a public pools or even public restrooms. That way, someone could be showering or using the facilities in an ordinary bathroom stall.

Unfortunately, the Vertebrae weighs in heavily at 330 pounds, which would definitely require some architectural modifications. It also costs a hefty $15,000, but perhaps full-scale mass production and high demand might reduce that cost significantly.

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