[toomanybeersies]

I've lived in accomodation with less than 4 m^2 per person.

I lived almost a year in a ~3.5x3.5m hostel room with 3 bunk beds (so 6 people total). Basically enough space to fit beds and nothing else, that's about 2 m^2 per person.

It's actually not as bad as you'd think. You basically use the room as a place to sleep, the rest of the time you were in the hostel you'd just hang around the common areas.

It's definitely not for everyone. If you're more introverted and need your alone time it would be horrible.

[bouncycastle]

This. I've lived in a 3.3 meters square "goshiwon" in Seoul, Korea, for about a year. After escaping the coprorate air-conditioned cubicle world back home, these were really the best days of my life!

[seanmcdirmid]

You probably had a window at least. It becomes really bad room is windowless in a musty basement. But people still live in those conditions.

[Zenbit_UX]

If you're just using it as a place to sleep the window really doesn't matter.

If you're on a normal rhythm, it's night when you go to sleep and the window doesn't add much. If you do night shifts, having no windows in the day is down right merciful.

[seanmcdirmid]

Have you tried it before? I had a hotel room for one night like that in xian and couldn’t stay a second night there.

More to the point, musty and moldy is bad for your health.

[m-p-3]

As long as I can have a fan to blow up some air (like those you can clip/mount somewhere to save space), I'll be fine without a window.

[cheerlessbog]

I spent a night in a climbers shelter in the Andes, in very bad weather. It was maybe 50sqm with about 50 in it. No windows, one door, which hapless arrivals tended to close during the night. Bunks up to inches from the ceiling (in my case), which was slimy and dripped. Concrete walls wet from breath. Hard to move without whispered negotiations. It was one of the most unpleasant nights I have spent. Difficult to avoid panic whenever the door closed. There is a lot to be said for windows in close quarters.

[sizzle]

Wow this sounds like an incredible experience, have you blogged about it or can you share some links on what the climb entails? Thanks!

[mirimir]

Same here. The Flying Pig, in Amsterdam by the park. But not for a year. And eight per room, as I recall.