Posted September 29, 2016
DaCostaBR: I saw the same thing in Japan. The main problem I see is in principle:
If it's a house with a yard, fine, but if it's an apartment then when you open the door your private property (your door) will be taking up public space (the hallway).
That's the reason why in my house we had to put glass blocks in the kitchen instead of a window that opens outwards. Because even though the neighbouring property is a house, and we are several stories high, we would be intruding upon his property.
I have problems understanding what that means. Why would it be any kind of problem that e.g. opening my apartment door takes "public space" in the hallway for the few seconds when I keep the door open? To me that sounds like saying car doors should always open inwards because otherwise they'd be taking public space when you enter or exit the car. :) If it's a house with a yard, fine, but if it's an apartment then when you open the door your private property (your door) will be taking up public space (the hallway).
That's the reason why in my house we had to put glass blocks in the kitchen instead of a window that opens outwards. Because even though the neighbouring property is a house, and we are several stories high, we would be intruding upon his property.
I recall earlier some saying it is a problem because then people can't keep stuff on the hallway (because the front doors of apartments could hit the stuff)... but here that is not a problem either because people are not even allowed to keep stuff outside their apartments in the hallways. It is considered as a fire hazard, the hallways must be clear of any extra objects all the time.
EDIT: Come to think of it, that is a similar question to me, should car doors always open inwards, or at least up like on Lamborghini Countach? It is true we always have to be a bit cautious when opening a car door so that we don't hit anyone with it, or a passing car hits our door... yet somehow we still manage with such car doors.
Post edited September 29, 2016 by timppu