I saw a presentation yesterday by a friend who spent some time this summer in Stockholm, Sweden. What impressed her the most was the size of the apartments where she was staying. The average Swedish urban household only measures 960 sf. Compared to the average of 2,400 sf in the USA, this seems like an impossibly small space to live in. I also found out last night that last year, 2010, was the first year since, I believe 1958, that the average size of households in the US actually diminished. It was on the continuous rise since then. If I remember correctly it used to be 1,200 sf back in 1958.

Even though the living quarters may seem small, the standard of living in Sweden is one of the highest in Europe and possibly in the world. Very few people drive at all, most use bikes to commute anywhere around town. Also, they treat the space outside of their homes/apartments as an extension of their living space. One is enclosed and the other is not, but it is still one’s own living space. Private and public.

The population density also has a lot to do with the feeling of comfort. Five to six floors apartment buildings offer the possiblity of walking around town and not needing to drive. Again, people on top of other people, mingling in the streets, healthy walk around town before retiring for the night.