What is the future of homes post Covid-19?

They say it takes 21 days to form a habit and India has been under lockdown for thrice that period of time. That’s enough time for those fortunate to have a home and means to survive to have analysed every corner of their residence—and formed a plan for what needs to change.

Architects and interiors designers believe that future and existing homeowners will look at their prospective and current residences with a new perspective, having survived many days stuck indoors. In this time, they would have realised what they missed most, contingency measures they need and how to be prepared if such an unlikely situation were to recur.

“We already have calls from two clients, both ongoing projects, where they want to include home offices,” says Shabnam Gupta, who runs the design firm The Orange Lane in Mumbai.

“Much more than climate change, these (events) impact architecture,” says Madhav Raman, principal and co-founder of Delhi-based Anagram Architects. “That’s the only reason why we must think immediately about the impact. Pandemics change how space is allocated and gets new typology.”

There is a reason why this is a disruptive moment in space design, says Raman. Whenever there has been a pandemic (anywhere in the world), it has resulted in changes in design features, on the back of public health. Right from the plague (in England) in the 1600s, which brought focus to sanitation, public health awareness allowed for heating and cooling of homes. The great fires of London and Chicago set the tone for stone and brick to replace wood as a material for construction. The development of the germ theory in the late 19th century brought attention to indoor air quality, ventilation and hygiene. Powder rooms were created near the front door so that visitors did not go into the house, for example.

And it is quite likely that Covid-19 too will catalyse some modifications to residential architecture and design in the future.
 

“I love using black,” says Adappa, adding a counter view to an accepted adage. “As much as people think it makes a room smaller, I feel it expands the space.

Pankhuri Goel, design principal at Delhi’s Studio Lotus, also suggests light furnishings with bright, colourful linen and cushions in the living room for a renewed appreciation for spaces one might otherwise take for granted, while also embracing the idea of “conscious living”.

Budget will be on everyone’s mind
With businesses and the economy down, with pay cuts and job losses looming, clients would also become more sensitive to budgets—at least in the short-term. Using furniture for dual purposes or smart ways, like Adappa suggests, would be more cost effective.

“Warm and earthy materials” like timber and cane have a distinct aesthetic character, says Goel. “They not only age gracefully but also retain their strength. At the same time, celebrating local materials, which are more accessible, will be essential to suit economic and environmental interests.”

Home tech will take over
Already, modern homes rely substantially on technology—and not just the Alexa kind. Touch-free doors, lights, taps etc. may become a norm, particularly in places that host people and parties, but want to maintain a certain degree of hygiene. The now forgotten letterbox could become a self-sanitising pick-up box for home deliveries.

Maybe the number of doors in the house would reduce, allowing for other ways of maintaining privacy, like air curtains that give visual instead of audio separations. 

“You may have people with interactive art, projectors, motion sensors etc. They may become the new luxury—experience based not object-based things. I am not afraid of robots taking over because they don’t catch Covid,” says Raman, laughing.

“Homeowners are becoming increasingly conscious of lowering their carbon footprint on the planet,” says Goel. “Inclusion of indoor plants, green walls, flower beds, etc. has a profound effect on occupant well-being.”

The future is a fertile ground for designers
The definition of a home itself has transformed in recent times—they mean different things to different people and not everyone aspires to 1-2-3 BHK. A home could be a hostel, a chawl or a large paying-guest system. Already, co-living, like co-working, is a concept. 

“Instead of feeling depressed, we should be bouncing with enough to do to last our entire working life,” adds Raman. “It’s a fertile ground for all designers. We will come up with some funny, crazy things and capture people’s imagination.” Some like Adappa believe the future would be a juxtaposition of using older traditions and materials with technology, modern homes with traditional furniture.

“This has been a ‘wish I had…’ moment for many,” says Gupta, laughing. “People may, for example, want bigger bars in their homes.”