On a trip to Tokyo—jet-lagged and awake at 3 a.m.—Preston Pesek looked through the windows of a dark restaurant and wished he could go inside, sit down, and connect to Wi-Fi. That's when he had an epiphany: Throughout much of the day, restaurants sit empty and unused, even in overcrowded cities that desperately need more space.
"The light kind of went off," he says. "During the day, in New York City where I live, there are these amazing restaurants that are closed until 5 or 6 p.m."
[Photos: via Spacious]