The lessons learnt from COVID-19 on how houses should be designed from now on

If you had been told earlier this year that the arrival of the coronavirus would mean that the population would have to be homebound for months, then like everyone else, you would have struggled to believe it. And yet, that's how things have been: the period of quarantine has forced us to change our social habits, the pace of life has slowed down and we have found ourselves living and even working inside four walls most of the time. The Spanish population has spent recent months in flats with and without terraces, attics, interior apartments, spacious houses, others with perhaps only one bedroom. What is clear is that the pandemic has highlighted the importance of having a small boost of oxygen and fresh air, either a terrace or a balcony for those who are lucky enough.

This pandemic has highlighted many things, one of them being that most homes should have been designed differently, especially those found in cities, with some Spanish residents undoubtedly living in properties where they have barely seen a single ray of sunlight in these two and a half months of confinement. According to a study by an idealista, up to 8% of homes in Spain are going through this period of quarantine without seeing the street from their homes.

Let's have a look at the lessons learnt from the pandemic with the architect Pablo García, who wants to get a glimpse of how homes should be designed from now on.

Useful surface area

"Houses should be larger or at least better distributed. One way in which houses can increase in size is if building facades are enlarged by adding large galleries that act as a multipurpose space. The best reference is a project by Lacaton and Vassal in the French city of Bordeaux. A series of winter gardens were created, as well as a new range of balconies next to the main facades of buildings, in turn extending the useful area of the units. We must take this initiative as a reference of how maximum effect can be achieved with a minimum effort", clarifies García.

Terraces or balconies are a must

According to García, "terraces should be included in the minimum housing requirements. In general, a basic property consists of: a master bedroom, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. There is no mention of terraces, however now we have seen that they are a fundamental lifeline for some fresh air when we are faced with a confinement situation. The problem of its closings must be controlled by the local council, not allowing the prescription of such an infraction if we consider it as a minimum living space".

Disinfection zones at the entrance

Entrances are an area of the house that could perhaps see some of the biggest changes. García states that "the entrance of the house may start to be thought of as the transition space between our home and the outside world. This means that it would be a virus-free zone. The floor should be ceramic or using a material that is not very absorbent and resistant to abrasive products. At the entrance, it is a good idea to have wardrobe for clothes and shoes that will stay at that point so as to not let any unnecessary germs enter the property. Including a sink to wash hands upon entering the property could be another solution so that doors don't have to be touched on the way to the main bathroom. If science allows it, another idea could be spaces with special lighting that could completely disinfect us".

Teleworking area

On the subject of working from home, García adds that "we are going to need a home office and when a new layout is planned it should definitely be added. These areas need important consideration and require good lighting, a good cable Internet connection, Bluetooth plugs, an area for video calls and meetings or blinds that create neutral backgrounds behind us to protect the privacy of the home. This could also include soundproofing the room. In very small flats, this could be considered in the bedroom due to a lack of other space".

Customised furniture and home automation

"Conventional furniture is good but it is not always the best option for small spaces. It is important to think carefully about the furniture used at home and how it can be adapted to be multifunctional. Home automation systems will also be an important feature in future homes and should be introduced to help us create a multifunctional home that adapts to different situations," concludes the architect.