Living through the 2020 lockdown, it's become clear that the lack of space in our residential homes poses a risk to both our physical and mental wellbeing. In this excerpt from our latest Scenario, we forecast how the design of our future homes and interiors will strengthen human wellbeing.
‘In 2030, living spaces support our physical and mental wellbeing. Antimicrobial paints and finishes are common throughout home interiors. Frank Chou’s sterilisation lamps are also found in every house since he collaborated with Ikea on a whole collection.
‘Open plan living is actively discouraged. Our Woods Bagot AD-APT interior means we can reconfigure our apartment into spaces that seal shut – especially desirable if my housemate happens to get sick. That's where the Iso-room comes in. Most new homes have these now after developers and big pharma struck up partnerships to encourage at-home recuperation, in light of the NHS being sold off to Chinese and American corporations back in 2024.
‘We use our Iso-room a few times a year. It's kitted out with everything you might need for two or three weeks alone: a temperature-controlled bed to help you ride out fevers, a VR headset to immerse yourself in multi-sensory meditation or a group chat with your mates. You can order personalised meals too – I usually choose something to support my immune system in line with my annual epigenetics test.’
To envisage how our homes and interiors could evolve by 2030, dive into Pandemic Proof Properties.