Social Distancing Architecture

Social Distancing Architecture-How can House Design Help in Social Distancing

Aniqa Javaid Lifestyle, Pakistani Writers Corner
Social Distancing Architecture is the latest terminology being used in Architectural Design. Every aspect of life is being affected by COVID Pandemic; Architecture is no exception. To cater to the current requirements of Social Distancing in design is a challenge for all the designers. These Latest Design Trends will change our lifestyles for good and open gates to a new Architectural Style that is Social Distancing Architecture. As designers, it is our duty to educate and in-cooperate such features in the Residential Design that would make the stay at homes less boring while maintaining a social distance from the outside world.

Any interior space directs human behavior. This is true for all the spaces like a house, an office, a restaurant, a mall, etc. A person’s house is a space where one can live with all the freedom. No matter what you wear or what you do, you can be yourself at your house. In order to enjoy the freedom of the house fully the interior design of the house should be more private and exclusive.
In certain scenarios when one is restricted to stay at home, after a while, it becomes very boring and frustrating. This leads to a drastic change in Architectural Design Trends.
Social Distancing Architecture-1
Some features of Social Distancing Architecture are;

1. Restricted Accessibility to Lawn:

The house front lawn if open should have restricted accessibility. Also, the back lawn should be restricted in a way that is not directly accessible from the car porch or side path.
A few examples of design features that can convert the front and back lawns into more private areas of the house are;
  1. Grow Hedges (You can make the bottom of the hedge wider than the top-this will maintain your privacy and will not block the outer view entirely)
  2. Add berms in the landscape ( Berms are basically miniature hills in the landscape. They add height to plantings, which can be an effective way to create privacy. )
  3. Design with pergolas (This solution is more suitable for smaller spaces)
  4. Add lattice panels (You can grow a vine on them to maintain privacy)
  5. Make a screen with potted plants
  6. Make a bamboo wall

2. Reading Corner:

Generally when events like social distancing happen all of the family members stay at home. This leads to so much noise and chaos that it becomes difficult to read in peace. So, what can be more good and appealing for a reader than a quiet reading corner inside the house?
To make the reading corner more appealing following interior design ideas can be used.
  1. Arrange comfortable chairs for reading
  2. The reading corner should be near the window so that you can also look outside
  3. Arrange some fresh and soothing plantation near the window to create a calming atmosphere
  4. For more comfort, arrange a footstool
  5. Arrange an attractive lamp near your reading chair
  6. Arrange some soothing music.

3. Add Green:

Bring some outside, inside your house. In case of social distancing when you are stuck at home and you miss the plantation and freshness of parks and gardens. You can give a feel of freshness inside your house by adding some planters inside your house. For example, you can add tall towering plants inside because they are the most eye-catching. Adding such details in the design will give your house interior a fresh and soothing look.

4. Meditation Room/Prayer Room:

Add a Meditation room/Prayer room in the house. A room with a soothing lighting and total silence will do the trick. If you do not have an entire room for the purpose, you can divide the room. Then arrange the room according to your comfort level. Some people might like a window room(Room filled with natural light) while the other might like no window room(Completely dark interior).

5. Hobby Space In The House:

Create a hobby space inside the house. While a person is inside the house he or she has spare time that they can invest in their hobbies. But a specially designed space for one’s hobbies will add much more interest.
For example, if you like to write, then the writing space inside the house should be like heaven from outside distraction. If the room is share then there should be a nice dividing screen in between that separates the writing area from the rest of the room. Good lighting, a comfortable chair, a nice desk, and a good outside view are the key elements for creating a good writing space inside the house.

6. Treasure Space In House:

Create your own treasure space inside the house. For example, if you like to collect souvenirs on your travel do not put them away in the closet. In fact, you can use them to create a treasured space in the house. You can arrange them on the shelves of the living room. Such things will inspire you while you are at home and remind you of your trips. Then staying at home being at the social distance will not be a problem. The same design idea can be applied to books or any other things which you like to consider to be a treasure.

7. Color Palette Selection:

Chose the color palette for the house very wisely. Because your private retreat is supposed to remove you from the frantic activities of your “other” life, choose colors for walls, furniture, or accessories that help to reinforce the fact that the area is for relaxing.
The color palette does not involve only wall colors but the overall color scheme of the room. You can include soothing colors like green, blue, and ivory.

8. Lighten Up Your Bathroom:

Bathrooms are generally relaxing areas of the house. In case, you are stuck in the house to maintain social distance enjoy the simple pleasure of soaking in the bath.
To make your bath more enjoyable add a dimmer to the overhead light fixtures or add a lamp on a table. If you have enough space, you can also add a chandelier to create a special atmosphere.
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8 comments

  • That’s a great and very valid approach towards social distancing. an area which has not really been covered by anyone else so far. kudos to the writer and hope to see more of such articles.

  • These are invaluable tips to spend as much time as you want at home. These are not only good for spending time while one is quarantined at home but also in the time of lockdown.

    Well crafted.

  • The only care and prevention from the COVID-19 pandemic is till date the “Social Distancing”, and I found this article very detailed, thought provoking, and an aspiration for all of us. Efforts of the Author are appreciable.
    #StayDistantStaySafe

  • Social distancing is going to be part of our life for longer time than what we are thing right now. Our youth and professionals started brain storming on this and creating spaces like this for living is really creative and motivated. Hope we will see more from her.

  • A truly versatile approach to indoor interaction which is not only applicable in current pandemic but is also a great way for people with certain medical conditions to approach open interaction. A domain that’s not been touched upon yet. Great dependable work by writer. Hope to see more of such articles.

  • We are near knowing when the Covid-19 pandemic will end or how bad things will really get but the world may never be the same again so it’s the right time to rethink future developments and housing designs. This article is very helpful to cater these new requirements.

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