Sakinah Sumadi
Adaptability is the capacity to accommodate future changes and is described as an intrinsic aspect of sustainable housing. Designers are experimenting to come up with the best solution to support long-term social sustainability. The possibility of adapting increases user’s control and empowerment over their housing situation, and it is vital when tackling the ageing population issue. Hence, this final project explores the notion of extending the life expectancy of a house with flexible elements to cater to different situations in a domestic dwelling.
A FOREVER HOME: Adaptable space for large families
What if we can shape the spaces we live in?
HDB has a standard spatial layout making spatial configurations modular and fixed. Hence, altering dwelling layout by demolishing partitions and building new ones or remodeling are complicated and costly tasks to be avoided. People tend to seek a new house when their habits, lifestyle and use of space changes. Nevertheless, their home where these changes occur is unchangeable.
This is mainly applicable to large family household who lives in a confined space. With a fixed boundary, the wants and needs of different individuals clashes. They do not have the choice to adjust their spatial layout but only to redecorate their interior to adapt to the situation.
What if we can adjust our space as and when we want without worries about the cost?
Evolving space needs of people and their home ought to be simpler. This project intends to design homes that enable dwellers to adjust their interior to varying situations and to create individual spaces for larger families in the space provided. A flexible wall is designed to enhance family interaction by sharing limited space through flexible spatial arrangement and creating a sense of belonging in their home.
What if you could move your walls?
Imagine a flexible wall design that allows you to move your walls as and when you want. The flexible walls have perforations to allow them to bend and curve into any shapes in the house. The spaces can be curated by following the tracks and locking them in their preferred place through the floor locks. A translucent screen is incorporated in the wall to allow control of privacy, and the pegboard element gives the identification of ownership to the area. Hence, creating a sense of belonging to the space despite changes occurring.
Having the choice of altering your walls encourages social interaction between family members by sharing a bigger space for different activities with flexibility. Either they want to have private, or public space depends on the position of the walls. Moreover, despite instilling an open concept to the design, their personal belongings are still present to indicate the sense of belonging in the house. Hence, enhancing the value of a home in the space. This redefines the notion of sharing in a house and questions the properties of a wall. Does a wall need to be solid?
