Ideas that will shape the future of architecture and interior design

Article for Urban Zen.

Featured in 99 Acres. The new restrictions placed on society have been a catalyst for architects and interior designers to rethink much of what we take for granted in the built environment. In a bid to respond constructively to the COVID-19 pandemic, many are innovating in the way they design spaces. The last few days of 2020 are passing by reminding the human race that the pandemic we were blindsided by has now made a lasting place in our collective mindset. As we humans have begun to adapt to the 'new normal' in 20201 a question arises as to how prepared are we to survive in it?

As soon as the news about the pandemic broke worldwide with the WHO's announcement, every single person sought refuge in the same place - home. Surprisingly, the place we took for granted was the place we ran towards during these arduous times. Even more surprising is the fact that architects were the ones to decide what our homes should look, feel, and smell like; although the decisions were made months or even years ago, the minute details have been impacting us for an entire year through the pandemic.

Does the 'new normal' exist or is it just another hashtag that we use? Will it precede our medical infrastructure and hold onto us for longer than we hope? If the infectious disease prolongs while we try to get back on track with our routine, it will not only mark this period as a deadly era in the books of history but will also affect the survival of life on this planet.

In the case of our medical technologies making history by inventing a vaccine to eradicate every trace of this deadly virus, the 'new normal' will die out on its own.

Either way, this outbreak has proven that architects design spaces beyond visuals. Between the 1810s and 1830s when the cholera pandemic had swept the rug from under the world's feet, design directions such as wider pavements, underground drainage systems, disciplined planning of settlements and water distribution helped the population to survive the contagious virus.

As much as we hope to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, we need to be prepared to make permanent and tough decisions that direct us to make changes in our lives. The future of the industry could lie in designs that will be considered normal 50 years from today. While we cannot visualise the future, we can certainly paint a picture of how the future should not look. As designers, our role in society is to create designs that protect life by all means.

Workspaces, community spaces, hospitality infrastructure, recreational centres, homes, etc. will have to be modified from here on. Lesser contact and more distancing will be the prime aspect of designing while keeping the same connection with our loved ones. Futuristic designs then, may or may not, lie under the list of 'out of the box' but will lie under the list of survival aspects. Such factors of design could be made a part of the bye-laws followed by the construction industry.

Under the current circumstances, we need to understand that COVID-19 is not the first nor will be the last of the pandemics we have come to deal with. The future could demand a safer environment for generations to come through an urban perspective. We have secluded rescue centres that are multi-functional to serve other purposes while not in use. The outbreak of this novel coronavirus has made the population look inwards, into their environment and modify it to their need and comfort. Homes are not a canvas to define our lifestyle first, but a space to induce a feeling of comfort- physically, mentally and emotionally, that we all want to return to at the end of the day.

It took a mere microbe for us to look at our built environment and recognise the need to modify it. Seclusion, remote contact, and minimal interfaces will define the near future of design and technology. Structures will define our routine and relationships with our loved ones. On a positive note, we have the required technology, knowledge and skillset to produce architectural wonders that will survive through the guidelines and make the survival of life easier too.