How Apartments Will Change Post-Pandemic

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During these recent times of global health crisis, real estate property planning changes have come at a terrific turn-around, due to the global virus. People are now working from home more often, kids are learning online, social distancing is the new normal, and we all starting to adapt to the changed living conditions, including the shared working space.

Spending time with family has been lovely, but needing space for yourself has become a priority now more than ever. Most homes have been called upon to play many roles during the past few months due to the pandemic, which now serves as makeshift offices, classrooms, and gyms. Here’s how various apartments will change post-pandemic.

Need for Privacy

The open floor plan, where the kitchen, dining, and living area are one uninterrupted, wall-free space, has been falling out of favor, especially during the pandemic. Finding some private place to work or study has become an essential need for so many people nowadays. Introducing the new modern ‘flex-space’- a small space that can be closed off where you can set up a home office, a study, and even working out area, is now present more than ever.

It could also be a multi-purpose room or space. For example, the dining room, serving as a workspace during the day or a repurposed bedroom, might be furnished with a desk so it can quickly be converted back to a bedroom in the evening. People needed to adapt to that in a few days, so they can still work, and not give up on their everyday routines.

Spending your time with the family is great, and many of us realized that we didn’t really have time with them previously. But, when it comes to working or studying, it’s always better to have some privacy, so we can be focused on our tasks, without any distractions that can grab our attention during the process.

Need for Home Office Space

The post-pandemic living spaces will focus more on home offices, not just a desk at the corner of the room. Instead, apartments will include special spots with all the necessary equipment and a fast and stable Internet connection.

Some people can also adapt these spaces to special conditions they need to do their job, like soundproof walls, curtains, proper furniture, and so on. Another thing that will surely be changed is being respectful of other’s personal space. We hope that business owners and CEO’s will finally buy or rent bigger office spaces, so all the employees can maintain a proper distance.

Need for Outdoor Living Space

The pandemic lockdowns have left a lot of people feeling anxious, because some of them couldn’t even leave their homes, or needed to work hard with their kids. It affected almost every person in the world, and psychologists and psychiatrists were offering free and urgent support for those who need it.

Also, we need fresh air and sunlight, so our bodies can work properly, and those who don’t have big balconies or yards, really had a problem with spending time outdoors. A solution to this is having more balconies and patios, which not every property can offer.

Past global pandemics like tuberculosis and the 1918 influenza had a massive effect on architecture. Most houses designed in that era had sanatoriums- open, airy rooms with balconies where the sick could get exposure in the healing breezy sunshine. In every moment of these described situations, doctors and people were aware that spending time outdoors, while keeping a proper distance, is a crucial part of their healing process.

Future apartments will include large, breezy windows and ventilation. People will reclaim more space for their backyards, so they could have a place to work out and relax without breaching any social distancing requirements. Hopefully, they will finally learn they don’t need a lot of furniture, and that hoarding thing is bad. Everyone who lives in that space should have enough freedom to move and breathe easily. Small interiors will be left in the past, and people will be more focused on having enough space for all the family members.

Need for Enhanced Technology

The sudden spread of the coronavirus has had many people deal with slow Internet service, uncomfortable seating, and distractive family members. Many have improved their home Internet service since, and with it, there shall be increased adoption of smart home technology.

They also learned that they can shop for everything they want online. Even though the virus is harmful and damaging, causing so many deaths, those who survived learned a valuable lesson of embracing the technology, and appreciating the need for more personal space, even to their children, who are not fully independent.

Post-pandemic housing will improve its indoor ventilation systems to provide more fresh air. Apartments will have automated lights, doors and elevators will unlock themselves with voice commands. All these advancements are intended to reduce the need to touch surfaces and prevent the spread of the virus.

Need for Efficient Storage

At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a rush everywhere in getting essential amenities needed in the house like food, toilet paper, sanitary and hygienic products, and disinfection sprays. There was a sudden need to stock up due to lockdowns and curfews. More supply chains continue to close down their business hence the need of having sufficient storage space.

This is why most apartment owners are investing in bigger, more efficient appliances, closets, and pantries. Modern kitchens will be more significant to allow individuals to cook and hang out and have high-quality ovens and refrigerators.

A proper entrance area is likely to feature in future apartments as well. A better entrance hall with a closet where people can take off their coats and shoes and unload packages will be a useful feature in the pandemic era. People also learned they don’t need to go to the store for just a few things, and now they are planning bigger, meaning they also need more space to store the things they bought.

The post-pandemic period will be very challenging. Today, we live in the new normal world, wearing masks all day long, using disinfectants every now and then, and keeping a proper distance even with the people we love the most. This virus is changing the world, making people realize what is really important in life.

That’s why now we appreciate our personal space more than ever, and we won’t let anyone mix with it. That will soon change the way the architects are making the living spaces because in recent years they were saving on space and resources. But, it will be very different in just a few months.