It has been a year since the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the world and changed the way people live. As we embrace the "new normal," the health crisis also changed many factors in the real estate industry.
Aside from having virtual tours instead of physically visiting a house for sale, the coronavirus pandemic has also affected how architects would design a multifamily house to prevent the virus from entering one's humble abode.
According to CBT Architects principal designer Vicki Alani, the health crisis is continuously shaping the future of home designs in a way that people have never imagined before the pandemic.
Potential homebuyers are now looking into specific home features that played an important role during the pandemic. Alani told Forbes that shoppers are not necessarily looking for a bigger unit size, but something where the family can work-from-home and practice social distancing and apply COVID-19 preventive measures.
Below are some of the ways the pandemic transformed multifamily house designs, and these features are expected to stay even after the health crisis.
Protective Front Desk
Multifamily houses will now have their own concierge, serving as the homeowners' safe barrier when receiving guests and deliveries from the outside.
Alani said that in the future, a protective front desk would probably incorporate gorgeous and humanistic decor safe for social distancing "without creating a clinical ambiance for residents and visitors."
Foyer
A foyer is the entrance hall or an open area in a house or apartment. It connects the home entrance to the rest of the house. Over the years, the foyer has become synonymous with other terms like entrance hall, entryway, hallway, or vestibule.
The foyer is the area where you welcome guests as soon as they enter the house. Some foyer could be as big as a room, while others could resemble a hallway.
Back in the day, the foyer is viewed as a "useless" part of the house since it doesn't play an important role other than holding the coats of people entering the house. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the foyer is making a comeback in the real estate and architectural scene.
Shoppers are now looking for a multifamily house design with a foyer where they can drop things from the outside, disinfect themselves to come clean and virus-free inside the house.
Work-From-Home Area
Since the COVID-19 pandemic forced most employees to take their jobs at home, potential homebuyers are now looking into a house where they can productively work. The house doesn't necessarily have a separate room for work or study area, but a house design with flexibility to incorporate a workstation.
Alani said people are looking for living room, bedroom, or even kitchen areas to add a divider to separate the work area easily.
Touchless Technology
To avoid spreading or contacting a virus, touchless home technology is now gaining popularity. Alani also recommends having touchless home features like doors, faucets, toilets, lights, and more.
Voice-activated controls and facial recognition is also a great additional feature to prevent hand-to-hand transmission of germs.
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