Imagine rooms that expanded and compressed depending on occupancy, then stretch your mind to conceptualize a whole home that works the same way – it folds virtually flat then unfolds as you move through it.

Thi sultra-slim temporary dwelling design, dubbed Cocoon by Tanya Shukstelinsky, is early-stage and essentially conceptual at this point. It is nonetheless compelling as an idea and prototype for nomadic urban explorers – a thin and lightweight way to slip oneself in between buildings or into other cracks in a city.

A series of handholds and other slim elements are stitched into place to create horizontal and vertical spatial dividers as well as other essential domestic elements like stairs, seats, sleeping platforms … even a fillable bathtub. Then, of course, like a tent without poles, the entire structure can be packed up into a highly portable unit, too.

Giving a new, more literal meaning to the phrase ‘urban fabric’, the designer writes: “I came up with an idea for a space between two stitched layers of fabric. A person who lives in the space can move upon the stitches. The stitches are dividing the fabric into different areas – dining area, sleeping area and bath.”