Rotterdam studio Kraaijvanger has designed a modular kitchen and bathroom unit that can be inserted into an empty building to turn it into a residence (+ slideshow).

Called the Hub, the boxy 15-square-metre unit is designed by Kraaijvanger to be installed into almost any type of building, from disused office blocks to warehouses, as long as the structure has electricity and water connections.
Each module contains a kitchen, bathroom and toilet, as well as facilities including heating, a sound system and a Wi-Fi connection ? providing residents with almost everything they need to live comfortably.

It is also possible to insert more than one unit into a building to create a series of homes, meaning the Hub could be used to accommodate families, students or even refugees. "The Hub is a modular, easily dismantled system that allows empty buildings to be turned into homes in a few days," explained architect David Hess.
"When a building gets a different function or will be demolished, the Hub can easily be removed and placed somewhere else," he told Dezeen. "The idea is for users to rent or lease a Hub rather than buying it. So they aren't purchasing a home, just the comforts of one."

The project was the winning entry in a competition entitled "How will we live in the future"", organised by housing association Havensteder. The first Hubs have now been installed in a building in Rotterdam's Zomerhofkwartier district....