Business

Architecture and Design Trends are Changing Due to a Global Pandemic

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Covid-19 made tectonic changes across all industries. The global pandemic reshaped nearly everything we know in the past couple of years. Some enormous companies and even entire industries were wiped out from the map because most of the world went into lockdown.

Architecture and design are two industries that will never disappear unless humans start living in caves again. Even then, we’ll want to decorate the inside. Jokes aside, these industries survived easily, but the industry changed because the needs of its clients changed.

Since clients create the trends, we can say that what ruled in the past couple of decades changed overnight. People now ask for different things from their contractors, designers, and architects. Covid-19 is the direct reason for this.

Lockdown made people start working remotely

When governments across the world announced that everything would be closed, companies had to find a way to keep going. Those who had the option to send their employees home and let them work remotely did it.

Millions of people stayed home and worked in their pajamas. There are many benefits from working remotely, no doubt, but there are some downsides, too. People who designed their homes to fit their lifestyles, suddenly found themselves lacking many devices and appliances.

Their homes were not made for spending 24 hours inside, but barely six to eight. People realized that they needed changes, and many rushed to online stores and ordered all kinds of items to make their lives bearable while working from home.

Many business owners kept the flexible workspace policy

Even though the pandemic is almost over and there are no more lockdowns worldwide, many business owners kept the idea of hybrid working. Some ask their employees to come to the office at least a couple of times per week, while others allow them to choose what works for them freely.

That means companies will most probably use office flexibility even more in the future. That also means people will also change their needs and understanding of the home interior, further imposing new trends in architecture and design.

Minimalism is getting abandoned and changed with maximalism

Since the beginning of the new millennium, minimalism has dominated home design. People spent too much time outside, needing functionality and practicality at home. That’s all gone now.

Spending more than 140 hours at home means people need more sunlight, entertainment, social interaction, and everything you used to get outside. You also need to enjoy looking at your items, so sharp, clean lines that used to dominate furniture are now less used.

Architects designing new homes are now paying 100% more attention to sunlight, trying to use all of nature’s resources to create a living space that will compensate for our excessive time spent at home.

It is the same with furniture and interior design. Designers are asked to create a living space that will meet all demands, from having lovely furniture that people will enjoy using to creating a smart-home filled with appliances controlled over the internet and being as valuable as possible.

Minimalism is rapidly changed with other interior design styles and furniture choices. People constantly ask for various styles no matter where in the world they are located. They ask for rustic kitchens, traditional living rooms, and even french provincial furniture in Australia sees a tremendous rise in demand.

People want everything to have available while staying at home. If they can’t use the gym, the park, and other amenities, they need to create them at home. Designers are asked to turn the tiny spaces into small gardens filled with home gym equipment, which is not an easy task to do.

A wider living space is now required

Since we spend more time at home, it’s natural that we need more comfort. The living area we most commonly use needs to be spacious enough and filled with so many items. Architects are asked to create wider kitchens, well-lit living rooms, and bedrooms.

Most modern homes in the middle of the previous century were designed this way. With at least one person staying at home full time, homes were places where people lived in harmony with nature. Plants, flowers, and an abundance of items were usual for the house. We seem to be going back to this.

Conclusion

These few points show exactly how Covid-19 affected our lives from an architectural and interior design aspect. We changed the way we live, and we now have different priorities. Living and working from home means we need to meet all our needs in the same living space.

It’s not easy for interior designers to turn the tiny space into everything we require. If you’re thinking about a new house, don’t forget to impose these demands on your architect and create a spacious place. Who knows, you may never work in an office again in your life, so make the best out of your home.

About the author

Saman Iqbal

Saman is a law student. She enjoys writing about tech, politics and the world in general. She's an avid reader and writes fictional prose in her free time.







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