Boston officials have approved a two-year pilot program eliminating minimum square-footage requirements for new apartments and condominiums, a move that reflects changing household demographics and demand for more flexible housing options.

Developers of multifamily projects with 10 or more units will be eligible to submit proposals under the new guidelines, which encourage them to think creatively about how to integrate private living spaces and shared amenities.

The Boston Planning and Development Agency’s board of directors approved the pilot Thursday following a two-year study by city departments. One of the goals is to prevent existing apartments being filled with roommates and displacing families, said Marcy Ostberg, director of the city’s Housing Innovation Lab.

“Lots of people are doubling and tripling up in our family housing stock,” Ostberg said. “Residents want to to be able to afford their neighborhoods that are changing.”

Maximum sizes range from 450 square feet for studios to 950 square feet for three-bedroom units. All developments containing compact living units will be required to go through the BPDA’s Article 80 large project review, and a new design review of interior spaces to encourage sufficient natural light and storage space. While there are no changes to the zoning code, the policy provides guidance to the zoning board of appeals as it considers variances for such projects.

The new policy encourages developments near public transit, and residents of compact living units won’t be eligible for resident parking stickers. Developers would qualify for reduced parking requirements at properties located near transit stations.

Prototypes for compact living units typically include convertible furniture systems that serve multiple functions.

Boston-based startup Ori Inc. last year received $6 million in venture capital funding to market a robotic furniture system to East Coast multifamily developers. The app-controlled product can be configured to serve as an entertainment center, home office, storage space and bed.

One of the first large-scale adopters of the new guidelines could be London-based academic housing provider Scape, which Thursday announced plans to build $1 billion worth of new developments in Boston including studios as small as 250 square feet. The company is expected to submit plans for its first project this fall.

Only 7 percent of Boston’s aging multifamily housing stock is studio apartments, according to city research.