As we isolate in our homes, we become increasingly aware of how our interior spaces affect our moods, our ability to work and our physical comfort.
The current Corona virus crisis will impact how we design spaces in the future. We will design our homes and our commercial and public spaces with new awareness of personal safety concerns.
Currently, video conferencing is making people more aware of how they are perceived, and spaces in the future will be designed with that in mind. So, sound insulation, acoustics and lighting arrangements will be given much preference.
Space planning, circulation and programming will include physical distance measures. The way in which we look at comfort zones in social environments will begin to expand, creating a visual shift in how our interiors function.
The importance of interior design and mental and physical health will become more prevalent than ever. Designers will need to consider how we can assist in mental health through interior environments, using lighting, materials, sound and acoustics.
Residences will no longer have a home office but an office at home. Significant reconsideration of how we can create a beautiful, functional office at home will be designed and set up to accommodate full time workplaces. This may be challenging in smaller spaces, where the office is often just a desk in a corner.
There will be more cost allocated to technology, where one can facilitate minimum human interaction. Automation to avoid human contact with vulnerable surfaces should be a preference. Sensor based lighting in common areas, sensor taps and gesture controlled flushing in public washrooms should become industry standard as people will become aware of how many surfaces they touch during a normal hotel visit or in commercial spaces.
Other areas of a public space, which are in a higher risk of surface contamination, are communal facilities like health clubs, salons and swimming pools. Hospitality projects at the top end of the spectrum may choose to redesign these facilities to have proper social distancing, while these amenities can disappear altogether from mid-range and business hotels.
The other major change that commercial design will witness is the choices of materials. There may be fewer carpeted areas, and the use of tiles and stones may increase.
The pandemic has definitely affected each and every industry at the global level and Interior design sector is no exception. There will be a need to re-design the commercial spaces keeping in mind the guidelines to protect people from this pandemic in the long run. So, professionals working in the construction industry needs to upgrade their knowledge and find ways to design more better spaces keeping in mind public health and safety.
