The Future of Householding

The beginning of a design project is the perfect moment to think big picture not just about the property involved, but about its surroundings and its inhabitants.

I find myself in this moment as I begin work on a new construction duplex, considering all the impacts this home may have, and how to position it for the future. As designers, architects and builders, we have a responsibility to consider the impact all of our work has on the environment and community as well as our clients. For some, this may sound too philosophical, but the reality is that our planet doesn’t just need us to pump the breaks on unsustainable practices, it needs us to actively help repair it. And good design can do just that.

As a former tech CEO and executive for a global retailer, I am always looking ahead to what is on the horizon in both trends and technology. Lately, those two categories have more and more overlap, and the “future” as we have imagined it is getting closer and closer. Thanks to tech advances like the Metaverse and virtual/augmented reality, the concept of place is malleable. This has big impacts on how we view the concept of “home” and how we interact with it.

At the same time, we are faced with the undeniable reality of a planet under extreme pressure and on the brink of breakdown. Combined with the uncertainty of our daily lives that we’ve all experienced the last few years, we are all looking for ways to protect ourselves and our environments. That protection looks different for everyone. For some that means turning to their home as a place of shelter – physically and financially. For others it means bucking the entire concept of home ownership and opting for a more nomadic, untethered lifestyle.

Fortunately, those two responses coexist well and have what the corporate world might refer to as “synergy.” That’s because many homeowners are now using their own primary or vacation properties as a financial investment through short- and long-term rental systems that allow those with the nomadic approach to be where they want to be when they want to be there with the flexibility that makes them feel safe.

So how does this all relate to my own duplex design? How do I take these big picture concepts and pin them down into one space that is so relatively small in the grand scheme of things? I’ve narrowed it down to three major trends that I will consider as our design and construction moves forward.

Hybrid Dwelling

Homeowners need their properties to pull double or even triple duty. They need them to act as both a physical shelter, financial stronghold and often, a source of income. This duplex will serve as a side-by-side family living space, with the ability to monetize one half through a short-term rental model. It will also consider the work-from-home culture, knowing that both owners and tenants expect their property to provide professional and personal spaces.

Future-Proof Home

Sustainable design is a great start, but the speed at which environmental damage is being done forces us to do better. Regenerative design is the answer to that ultimatum. Regenerative design doesn’t just “do less harm” – it seeks to actively do good for its inhabitants and environment. Materials and practices that are “net positive” can actually begin to heal the harm that has resulted from years of traditional development. This is not just a pie-in-the-sky philosophy. Architects, designers and builders around the world are now using this approach as the basis of their practice. For our project we’ll be setting carbon goals from the very beginning and focusing on restorative (as well as sustainable) materials and low, no or positive impact methods.

Meet Me in the Metaverse

The growing use of 5G is going to open up virtual reality and the Metaverse to a whole new group of users, in much the same way that 3G did for apps. The digital overlap on our analog lives has to be considered in new design. I’m not sure what this will mean for Regarding Design, but it’s something we’re exploring

When we take the time to think big-picture about design, the details become intentional and important. No project is too small, nor is it ever too late, to consider the impact of our actions and the future of our world, including these little spaces we inhabit within it. I hope you’ll continue to follow along as this project progresses and see how we are incorporating these major social movements into each aspect of the design along the way.