Re-imagining homes after COVID-19 Re-imagining homes after COVID-19

Starting tomorrow, December 1, 2021, the Safe O’ahu Response Plan allows expanded operations. We’ll be able to have more social gatherings, more access to parks and recreation, restaurants and attractions and personal care services.

Some people are excited to be able to go out more freely again. Some people were able to work from home at times, and are reluctant to start commuting again, five days a week. Some people had positive COVID-19 results and self-quarantined until things were better.

Thinking about the greater freedom to leave home made me start wondering… how could homes and offices be re-designed to take into account the dangers of viruses and diseases?

Cleaner and convenient living. Construction companies and property developers may already be designing homes with built-in air filtration systems to keep the air cleaner, central vacuum systems to remove dust and particles, and radiant cooling systems to keep the house cooler, especially in Hawaii.

Modular living areas. Instead of bedrooms designed around a common living room or great room, homes could be designed with a central entryway and self-contained areas. Like a dormitory or residential hotel, each area could have its own bathroom and kitchenette, and could be isolated from the rest of the house.

There could also be a trend towards building dumb-waiters, those small elevators traditionally used to move food from a lower-level kitchen to an upper-level dining area.

At work, this could mean a return to cubicle living. The open floor plans and shared work spaces may be replaced with cubicles, the business version of “social distancing.” I’ve worked in cubicles, and the one benefit of cubicles is the ability to personalize your space. We may see more cubicle decorating contests.

Social spaces outdoors. There may be a revival of patios and porches, places where people can sit outside and talk to people walking by. I know people who met their neighbors for the first time during the pandemic, because everyone was at home. And maybe more homeowners will be interested building a social courtyard on their garage, where they can have open-air gatherings. This would be one way to add more functional space, without adding to the square footage of the house.

Nature indoors. Instead of looking at nature from inside our homes, more homes may bring nature in-doors. There may be more interest in desktop greenhouses, hanging planters suspended from the ceilings, vertical gardens growing on the walls, and rooftop or garage-top gardens. Imagine if you could have solar panels on the roof, a walk-up garden on the garage, a countertop greenhouse, and a rain barrel in the back yard.

P.S. The nature indoors idea sounds good, but it’s not for me. I’m not good with plants, I’m not interested in learning to be good, and bugs scare me.

Speaking of nature, new public parks could decide to plant different types of grasses in different sections, to subtly encourage physical distancing. It may be too difficult to maintain.

Have you made any changes to your home to cope with the pandemic and stay-at-home order? What changes would make it more comfortable to live and work from home?

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Tags: Building, Homes, Nature, Re-imagining homes

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