| | MAY 202219The connections we have with our residences have grown stronger over the course of the year 2020 and the first quarter of 2021. Such a mental-physical relationship between our homes and minds will persist well after the pandemic has subsided. Thus, it is necessary that the layouts of one's abode are adaptable. Areas meant for sleeping, eating, and working have to be clearly demarcated. The current situation demands a fine balance between multi-purpose spaces and rooms with fixed functions. Else, the process may hamper the work-life and personal life if this balance is disrupted. For instance, working from the bed is a faux-pas. When the lines between home life and office lines get crossed and tangled, an individual might face burnout at a much faster rate. Abodes need to have a therapeutic living value. While living in one space without having any chance to move about is extremely difficult, homes need to have green areas where there is plenty of ventilation and natural light via balconies, courtyards and terraces, indoor greenery through plants, green walls, and flower beds. These measures might seem small, but they have a profound effect on the occupants' well-being. There have been many instances where the occupants need plenty of outdoor spaces along with major technological interventions that have the ability to satisfy people during a period of prolonged lockdown. The buildings of the future need to be independent and self-sufficient. In the case of a large-scale failure of the city's main power grid, each apartment building must be equipped with a sustainable energy source to heat water. A lot of people are looking into renewable sources of energy like solar power in order to cut down on electricity bills while opting for eco-friendly solutions. A safety net needs to be created. Solid fuel boilers, stoves, and batteries shall be kept as an emergency option in case of power failures amidst this global crisis. It is best to be prepared. As the lockdown slowly gets lifted, public spaces like restaurants and cinema halls open-up. Public places will only open-up after there are proper sanitary measures implemented. Measures taken to disinfect spaces, regularly and taking temperature checkpoints at the entrance can be indicative of a safer environment. These techniques are required to be employed in private residences as well. In order to keep homes clean, the entryway or foyer can serve as transitional spaces where guests can be sanitized. The installation of antimicrobial spaces are a great way to keep living rooms clean whenever guests visit. Also, the installation of antimicrobial surfaces in living rooms can help. Antimicrobial surfaces are damage-resistant and are easy to maintain. The reliance on the homes will persist even after the pandem-ic is over. We need to accept the new reality and adapt to measures that will ensure greater freedom and mobility in our homes to ac-commodate a variety of activities in life. While architecture design is experiencing a paradigm shift under these tough circumstances, residential architecture is moving towards self-sufficiency and sus-tainability. Architects today are focused on assimilating modular designs, transitional and filtered entrances, new material palettes, automation, and smart home tech-nologies. WHEN THE LINES BETWEEN HOME LIFE AND OFFICE LINES GET CROSSED AND TANGLED, AN INDIVIDUAL MIGHT FACE BURNOUT AT A MUCH FASTER RATEAr. Sumit Dhawan,Founder & Principal Architect
< Page 9 | Page 11 >