Tokyo, the world’s most populous megacity, has everything. Except space.

How do its 35m residents live in a metropolis three times more densely populated than London? The challenge has been answered by cutting-edge architects with big ideas about living small: everything from illusory tricks of light to cleverly-hidden storage to extraordinarily efficient floor plans. Tokyo’s space-starved residents also respond to the challenge by making the city itself function as an extension of their own cramped quarters – venturing out to luxurious public baths, petting zoos populated by housecats, and ‘love hotels’ that offer an ultra-private space for couples with few opportunities for sexual intimacy at home.